|
The number of scholarships made through this program, as well as the individual dollar amount awarded, are subject to sufficient annual appropriations by the federal govenment, the Illinois General Assembly and the Governor.
Students who received exceptional grades in high school and showed promise of continuing academic excellence may be eligible for the Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Program. The award is up to $1,500 per year, for a maximum of four years.
Eligibility
To be eligible, a student must:
- Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen
- Be an Illinois resident
- Become an Illinois high school graduate the same academic year in which eligibility was determined, and demonstrate outstanding academic achievement as measured by test scores and high school records; or receive a General Educational Development (GED) test score recognized by the General Educational Development Testing Service as the equivalent to performing in the top five percent of high school graduates in the United States
- Be enrolled, or accepted for enrollment on a full-time basis, as an undergraduate student at a U.S. Department of Education-approved college
In addition to eligibility requirements, applicants should also be aware of the rights and responsibilities for program recipients. Selection and Notification Process
There is no student application to complete for the Byrd Honors Scholarship Program - students are automatically considered for this scholarship if they meet the eligibility requirements mentioned above. High school counselors submit information to ISAC for the selection process.
ISAC selects awardees within each Illinois geographic district from among the highest-scoring, qualified applicants on the basis of:
- performance-based academic data reported by the high school at the end of the third semester prior to graduation*; and
- ACT, SAT, or Prairie State Achievement Exam scores reported by the end of the third semester before high school graduation.*
Eligible recipients will receive an award letter and an Eligibility Certification form by May 1st preceding each academic year that they are deemed qualified applicants based on program requirements. The Eligibility Certification form must be completed and returned to ISAC no later than July 15th prior to the beginning of the academic year for which the scholarship is awarded.
If named a Byrd Honors Scholar, students are entitled to receive the scholarship for four years if they continue to fulfill the eligibility criteria of the program. In order to remain eligible to receive this scholarship renewal scholars must also complete and return the Eligibility Certification form, which they receive from ISAC, no later than July 15th prior to the beginning of each academic year. The scholarship will be paid directly to the U.S. Department of Education-approved college or university, on the recipient's behalf. The financial aid office may choose to receive payment in either one or two installments for all recipients at the school.
*(typically the end of the junior year in high school)
How Funds Are Disbursed
ISAC works with the college to disburse funds for this program. The college certifies student eligibility and then submits a payment request on behalf of the student. It may take up to eight weeks after the date that ISAC processes the payment request before funds are received at the college.
Depending on the college, students may be responsible for payment until program funds are received. Qualified applicants who are awaiting receipt of funds from this program should contact the Financial Aid Office or Business Office to determine the college's policy.
Renewal Requirements
Funds are given first to renewal applicants. A student may be eligible to renew if the college can verify that the student meets the following requirements:
- Maintains enrollment as a full-time student
- Maintains satisfactory academic progress as determined by the school
- Is not in default on any student loan, and does not owe a refund on any state or federal grant
- Does not receive federal aid in excess of the cost of attendance as determined by the school
In addition to the above requirements, renewal applicants must also complete and return the Eligibility Certification form, which they receive from ISAC, no later than July 15th prior to the beginning of each academic year.
Details
- This scholarship is not limited to tuition and fees
- Awarding of Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship is subject to federal funding
|
