SWIC administers many private scholarships sponsored by community organizations. Students are encouraged to apply for multiple scholarships. The Financial Aid, Veteran Services, and Student Employment Office does not accept scholarships that are not specifically for our students’ educational purposes.

Students awarded a community-sponsored scholarship will be notified when the Financial Aid, Veteran Services, and Student Employment Office receives official notification and payment from the donor. Recipients should contact their donors for exact scholarship guidelines and should thank their donors in writing.

The student’s account will be credited for tuition and/or fees paid. For scholarships allowing book purchase, the recipient must contact the Financial Aid and Student Employment Office to sign an Authorization To Release Information form. This allows the Financial Aid Office to release scholarship information to Barnes & Noble at the SWIC bookstore.

Students may begin charging their books on the Monday before the first day of class. Students charging books must have a valid SWIC student ID card, which can be obtained from Public Safety. If the guidelines of the scholarship permit remaining funds (those not used for tuition, fees, and books) to be disbursed to the student, the student will receive a check after all Southwestern Illinois College charges have been paid.

The scholarships below are listed as information only. SWIC is not responsible for the content or security of these third-party sites.

Private Scholarships with Open Deadlines

AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION SCHOLARSHIPS

Deadline: Various
Award: Various
Requirements:

This is a link to the 2019 list of AFA private scholarships specifically geared toward military members, their spouses, and dependents. There are opportunities for students pursuing both undergraduate and graduate degrees.

ASHRAE SCHOLARSHIPS

American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers
Deadline: Multiple
Award: Various
Requirements:

• St. Louis Student Chapter
• Must be enrolled full-time
• Must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• Must provide 3 letters of recommendation (instructor/advisor, current/past employer, character reference)
• Complete application

AVIATION FLIGHT, MANAGEMENT, AND MAINTENANCE SCHOLARSHIPS

Deadline: Various
Award: Various
Requirements:

This is a link to a list of private scholarships specifically geared toward students interested in the fields of Aviation Flight, Management, and Maintenance. Read the requirements carefully and complete each section of each scholarship for which you are applying.

CASTL SCHOLARSHIP

Caribbean Association of St. Louis

Deadline: Year-round
Award: $500.00
Requirements:

• Applicants must be High School graduates entering or currently attending: (a) College/University pursuing a Bachelor’s degree, (b) Community College pursuing an Associate degree, or (c) Vocational school enrolled in a certificate program.
• Applicants must be of Caribbean descent (i.e. mother, father or grandparent must have been born in the Caribbean).
• Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and submit proof of such (e.g., an official transcript or letter from the Dean’s office).
• Applicants must complete the following application form and submit it with a short essay of approximately 350 words stating the reason(s) why he/she deserves the award.
• This is a one-time scholarship.
• Children of members of CASTL are not eligible for this award

GATEWAYS TO OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIP

Illinois State Board of Education

Deadline: Year-round
Award: Various
Requirements:

• Care for children in an Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (IDCFS) licensed program or Illinois State Board of Education funded Preschool for All program.  
• Employed by your current program for at least one year. (90 days if employed at an ExceleRate Bronze, Silver, or Gold Circle of Quality program).
• Work an average of 15 hours per week.
• Meet wage requirements.
• Be a citizen of the United States or a legal resident.
• Commit to future work in early care and education or school-age care.

HORATIO ALGER ASSOCIATION

Deadline: Multiple
Award: Various
Requirements:

• Be enrolled in a career or technical degree/certificate granting program in the Fall semester that will lead to employment (2 years or less)
• Attend a not-for-profit post-secondary institution
• Demonstrate financial need; applicants must be Pell-eligible
• Must be under the age of 30
• Must be a citizen of the United States

Specific Deadline Scholarships

Western Egyptian Economic Opportunity Council Scholarship

Monroe, Perry, Randolph Counties

Deadline: Nov. 30, 2023
Award: $1,000.00
Requirements:

• Must be a resident of Monroe, Perry, or Randolph county
• Member of an income-eligible household (see attached application)
• Must have a high school diploma or GED

Must be accepted at an Illinois college or university, community college, or vocational school at least on a half-time basis (an acceptance letter from the training institution or current schedule, if enrolled in college, is required to be considered)

SMART Scholarship

Department of Defense STEM Scholarship for Service Program

Deadline: Dec. 1, 2023
Award: TBA
Requirements:

• a citizen of the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom at the time of application,
• 18 years of age or older as of August 1, 2024
• requesting at least 1 year of degree funding prior to graduation (which starts at the program start date),
• able to complete at least one summer internship (multi-year scholars only)
• willing to accept post-graduation employment with the DoD,
• a student in good standing with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale,
• pursuing a technical undergraduate or graduate degree in one of the 24 STEM disciplines listed below,
• able to produce a fall 2023 college transcript from a regionally accredited US college or university, OR be pursuing a graduate degree at a regionally accredited US college or university.
• Active duty military members who wish to apply for the SMART Scholarship must be separated or on terminal leave on or before August 1, 2024, to be eligible. Reserve and National Guard members are eligible to apply. Current ROTC participants with a future service commitment are not eligible to apply.

IACAC Transfer Scholarship

Illinois Association for College Admissions Counseling

Deadline: Dec. 12, 2023
Award: $1,000 and $500.00
Requirements:

• Have completed a minimum of 36 semester hours at an Illinois community college
• Have a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA from all institutions attended
• Be an applicant to an IACAC member four-year institution for Spring 2024 first-time enrollment
• Submit the IACAC Transfer Scholarship Application

Education Foundation Scholarship

Illinois Association of Aggregate Producers

Deadline: Jan. 4, 2022
Award: $2,000
Requirements:

• Applicant must be enrolled or enrolling at an institution of higher learning (hereafter referred to as college) and be pursuing an undergraduate degree, on a full-time basis.  Students in their final year of high school may apply.
• Applicant must have an Illinois connection through personal background, college location, or future career plans.
• Applicant must be majoring, or intends to major, in a curriculum that will be compatible with a career in the aggregates industry such as (but not limited to) Civil Engineering, Engineering Science, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Science, Geology, Geological Engineering, Mineral Science or Mining Engineering.
• Applicant should have a grade point average of at least a “B”.  An application for a student with less than a “B” average may be considered in exceptional circumstances.
• Selection criteria are based in part on the applicant’s financial need, character, attitude, community involvement, and achievements.