Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois
Scholarship Sponsored by Golden Apple
Value: $23,000.00
Awards Available: 100
Overview The Golden Apple Scholars Program in Illinois offers teacher preparation and tuition-support for motivated high school seniors and college students (freshmen and sophomores) who intend to become highly effective educators in Illinois “schools-of-need.” The program readies candidates to succeed immediately and long-term in demanding classroom settings. Application deadline: March 1, 2026.
Program Benefits
- Up to $23,000 in total financial support for college, which includes paid professional development
- Significant hands-on classroom experience
- Instruction and coaching from award-winning teachers and expert partners
- Academic and social-emotional supports
- Assistance with job placement
- Mentoring during the first years of teaching
Who May Apply Entry points
- Illinois high school seniors (Class of 2026)
- Freshmen and sophomores at Illinois partner universities
- Students enrolled in Illinois community colleges
General eligibility
- Must be a resident of Illinois and a U.S. citizen, eligible non-citizen, or DACAmented student
- Must be an Illinois high school senior, a freshman or sophomore at a partner university in Illinois, or an Illinois community college student
- All applications are evaluated holistically: reviewers consider the whole application (course selection, GPA and grade trends, personal statements, extracurricular involvement, etc.) rather than relying on any single item
How to Apply
- Submit the online application, including references and personal statements.
- Upload unofficial transcripts.
- Standardized test information (ACT or SAT—see policy below).
- Participate in an interview for prospective Scholars.
Standardized Test Policy
- Submitting ACT or SAT scores is optional for the initial application; applicants who do not provide scores will have their course rigor, GPA, grade trends, essays, and activities reviewed closely.
- Students who are accepted into the Scholars program will be required to submit test scores after induction for research purposes.
- Home-schooled applicants must provide standardized test scores as part of the application review.
Completion Requirements To complete the Scholars program and remain in good standing, participants must:
- Meet ISAC program requirements
- Maintain at least a 2.5 GPA
- Take part in Golden Apple Scholar Institutes
- Adhere to the program’s code of conduct
- Earn a bachelor’s degree from an Illinois partner university
- Obtain Illinois teaching certification
- Teach for five years in an Illinois school-of-need within seven years of graduating
- Note: Because of program timelines, anticipated college graduation cannot be earlier than summer 2028
Important Date
- Application deadline: March 1, 2026.
Easy Scholarship Applications
No Essay Scholarship by Sallie
- $2,000.00
OverviewThe $2,000 No Essay Scholarship administered by Sallie is a...
View Details
Owl Scholarship
- $50,000.00ScholarshipOwl removes the stress of applying for scholarships by streamlining...
View Details
Be Bold Scholarship
- $25,000.00OverviewThe "Be Bold" Scholarship is a no-essay award designed to...
View Details
Ascent Summer Scholarship
- $10,000.00OverviewAscent Funding is a financial technology company focused on improving...
View Details
Niche $40,000 Scholarship
- $40,000.00Overview Imagine covering four years of college costs without having...
View Details
Scholarships360 "No Essay" Scholarship
- $10,000.00The Scholarships360 "No Essay" Scholarship, valued at $10,000, is available...
View Details
Back to School Award
- $3,000.00Since its inception in 1995, our primary objective has been...
View Details
Appily Easy Money Scholarship
- $1,000.00Applying for the Appily scholarship is a straightforward and swift...
View Details
10 Words or Less Scholarship
- $1,500.00Description
Purpose and scope:
This scholarship supports students who will...
View Details
The Future is Now Scholarship
- $2,999.00The Lenny Scholarship offers support young individuals aged 16 and...
View Details
Common App Scholarship
- $2,000.00Overview
The Common App Scholarship is an annual award created...
View Details
Science Buddy Scholarship
- $2,750.00Description
The Science Buddy Scholarship supports students who are entering...
View Details