Program Overview

The IFTC Program encourages academically talented students to pursue teaching careers in the State of Illinois. Selection criteria include cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA), Expected Family Contribution (EFC), minority student status, and renewal status. Applicants may receive additional award dollars if they are studying in a teacher shortage discipline and agree to teach at a hard-to-staff school.

The amount of each award is based on the annual appropriation and is determined by whether the applicant is studying a teacher shortage discipline or agreeing to teach at a hard-to-staff school or both. Scholarship awards are as follows:

• Up to $5,000 for individuals who agree to teach in a Teacher Shortage Discipline; or 
• Up to $5,000 for individuals who agree to teach in a hard-to-staff school; or 
• Up to $10,000 for individuals who agree to teach in a Teacher Shortage Discipline at a hard-to-staff school.

A student must agree to teach for not less than five years at a nonprofit Illinois public, private, or parochial preschool or an Illinois public elementary or secondary school. This is a five year commitment no matter the amount of the scholarship received. If the teaching obligation is not fulfilled, the scholarship converts to a loan at a 5% interest rate and the entire amount received, prorated to the fraction of the teaching obligation not completed, must be repaid.