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

St. Elizabeth Health Foundation

Deadline: Apr. 11, 2024
Award: $15,000.00 maximum
Requirements:

• Pursue a degree at a college or university, or attend an educational institution that provides a program that is acceptable for full credit towards a bachelor’s or higher degree, or offers a program of training to prepare students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation, and is authorized under federal or state law to provide such a program and is accredited by a nationally recognized accreditation agency
• A scholarship award can only be used for “qualified educational expenses”, which are tuition and fees to enroll at or attend an eligible educational institution, and course-related expenses, such as books, supplies, and equipment that are required of all students in your course of instruction at the eligible educational institution
• Applicants must be high school seniors, high school graduates, current undergraduate, graduate students, or students who were previously enrolled and are returning to school. Applicants must enroll in full-time undergraduate or graduate study for the entire upcoming academic year and must be majoring in a healthcare occupation
• Applicants must be residents of Madison County, Illinois or St. Clair County, Illinois

Alamelu Lakshmanan Health Career

Salem Township Hospital Foundation

Deadline: Apr. 30, 2024
Award: $1,000.00
Requirements:

• The applicant must be a resident of Marion County
• The applicant may be a full-time or part-time student enrolled in an Allied Health Program at an accredited college including but not limited to Nursing, Radiology, Respiratory Therapy, Physical Therapy, Medical Coding, Pharmacy, or Medicine
• The applicant must submit a copy of his/her high school transcript and GPA or a copy of his/her GED Diploma and test scores
• The recipient must maintain a GPA of 3.0 to be eligible for the award
• The candidate must agree that he/she will apply for employment first with Salem Township Hospital. If this term is breached by the candidate, he/she will be considered in default and will be asked to reimburse the STH Foundation
• One scholarship will be awarded for $1,000 and will be credited to the recipient’s account and is restricted to tuition, books, and fees at an accredited college.

Scholarships for Allied Health

Salem Township Hospital Foundation

Deadline: Apr. 30, 2024
Award: $2,500.00
Requirements:

• The applicant must be a resident of Marion County and/or surrounding counties
• The recipient must not have received any other Ratermann Scholarship
• The applicant may be a full-time or part-time student enrolled in an Allied Health Program at an accredited college including but not limited to Nursing, Radiology, Respiratory Therapy, Physical Therapy, Medical Coding, Pharmacy, or Medicine
• The applicant must submit a copy of his/her high school transcript and GPA or a copy of his/her GED Diploma and test scores
• The recipient must maintain a GPA of 3.0 to be eligible for the award
• The candidate must agree that he/she will apply for employment first with Salem Township Hospital. If this term is breached by the candidate, he/she will be considered in default and will be asked to reimburse the STH Foundation
• Four scholarships will be awarded for $2,500 each and will be credited to each recipient’s account. Restriction to tuition, books, and fees at an accredited college.

ILLCF Scholarship

Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus Foundation

Deadline: Opens May 1, 2024
Award: $5,000.00
Requirements:

• To be eligible for the scholarship, an applicant must be Latino, never received the ILLCF scholarship, and be a student currently enrolled part-time or full-time in a college or university and working toward one of the following:
  • Certificate program, vocational, technical, or trade school
  • Undergraduate or associate degree
  • Graduate degree (master’s or Ph.D.)

Please note that students without immigration status or DACA recipients whose home residence is Illinois are also welcome to apply. All applicants will need to provide a letter of recommendation (LOR) and submit any additional requirements related to their specific application (Ex. Personal Statement, Business Template, etc.) Please make sure that you have contacted your references for your LOR and have their correct email address. All applications must be completed in one sitting, so please ensure that you have all the necessary documents in order.

If you have any questions, please reach out to info@illcfoundation.org.

Gregory F. Yank “Servant Leader” Scholarship

Rotary District 6510

Deadline: May 1, 2024
Award: $2,500.00
Requirements:

• High School Senior, or College Student, or Graduate Student, or Trade School Student
• Reside in Rotary District 6510, or attend a College/University/Trade School in District 6510 (south of I-70 to the Ohio/Mississippi rivers)
• Reside in Rotary District 6510, or attend a College/University/Trade School in District 6510 (south of I-70 to the Ohio/Mississippi rivers)
• Academics a B average or better; include a copy of the most current transcript
• Résumé of School Involvement – Service, Clubs, Athletics, etc.; cite leadership roles (officer, chair, section leader, awards, etc.)
• Résumé of Community Involvement and Volunteerism; cite leadership roles as above, and all full/part-time jobs
• Educational and Career Plan
• A list of Scholarships (and $ values) that you are receiving
• An essay about how the concept of “Servant Leader” affects, has affected or will affect your life in the future.

Applicants must provide the following to receive funds:

• Student must provide proof of full-time enrollment (Tuition bill, Registration form, with official logos)
• Upon proof of enrollment, money will be paid to the college/university/trade school; students must submit tuition bills for the upcoming semester to receive the Scholarship.
• Withdrawal from college or university shall result in the return of unused portion of funds.

Rotary District 6510 Scholarship

Deadline: May 1, 2024
Award: $2,500.00
Requirements:

• Academics at B average or better (Maximum of 5 points)
• School Involvement – Service, Clubs, Athletics, etc.; cite/explain leadership roles (officer, chair, section leader, awards, etc.) (Maximum of 10 points)
• Community Involvement and Volunteerism; cite/explain leadership roles as above. Include full/part-time jobs you have had to support your ambitions. (Maximum of 10 points)
• Educational and Career Plan (Maximum of 5 points)
• Essay (max 400 words) describing how the Rotary Motto “Service Above Self” affects, has affected or will affect your life in the future (400-word limit). (Maximum of 10 points)

Applicants must provide the following to receive funds:

• Student must provide proof of full-time enrollment (Tuition bill, Registration form, with official logos)
• Upon proof of enrollment, money will be paid to the college or university; students must submit tuition bills for fall to receive the $2500 award.
• Withdrawal from college or university shall result in the return of unused portion of funds.

Brad Wamser Educational Grant

E. St. Louis Book Scholarship

Deadline: July 1, 2024
Award: $1,000.00
Requirements:

• Applicant must have maintained a minimum 2.0 GPA or “C” average equivalent (Disregard if not currently a student)
• Applicants must provide proof of GPA when submitting their application
• Applicant must be a resident of East St. Louis for at least the past 2 years (Time away attending school does not make you ineligible)

Anderson Hospital Auxiliary Scholarship

Deadline: June 3, 2024
Award: $1,000.00
Requirements:

• Must be legal residents of the state of Illinois and reside in Madison, St. Clair or adjacent counties. All Anderson Hospital employees, however, qualify regardless of place of residence.
• The college to be attended need not be an Illinois institution, however, it must be accredited.
• Must be enrolled at least half-time in a health occupation program at an accredited college or university.
• Must provide proof of acceptance into a program preparing them for a health-related occupation and/or completion of a health-related degree.
• Student selections will be made annually by the Auxiliary Scholarship Committee. Previous winners will also be considered.
• If the recipient’s course of study is changed from a health-related occupation, or if he/she withdraws from school, all Funds remaining in the account must be returned to the Auxiliary.

Anderson Hospital Medical Staff Scholarship

Deadline: June 3, 2024
Award: $1,000.00
Requirements:

• Must type/print application in ink
• Must submit copies of high school and/or college transcripts and current federal income tax return.
• Must submit a letter stating why you wish to receive the Anderson Hospital Medical Staff Scholarship and how you plan to use the funds.
• Must submit a copy of your acceptance into a health occupational program from the college of your choice.
• GRADE POINT AVERAGE REQUIREMENT – minimum of 3.0 on a 4.0 grading system.