Displaced Energy Worker Dependent Transition Scholarship Program (DEWD)

To be eligible, you must: 

• be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen who meets the eligibility requirements to complete the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid. Any program that requires the FAFSA will also accept the Alternative Application.
• be the natural child, legally adopted child, or stepchild of an energy worker who has lost employment due to the reduced operation or closure of a fossil fuel plant or coal mine that occurred on or after September 15, 2016 
• be enrolled or accepted for enrollment, on a full- or part-time basis, at an Illinois public university or community college
• be deterred from completing an educational program at an Illinois public university or community college because of the lack of financial aid
• maintain good academic standing as required by your college
• establish repayments if you are in default on any federal student loan 
   

1. Create a profile in the ISAC Application Portal.
2. Complete and submit the DEWD program application. You will be asked to submit proof of a parent’s loss of employment due to the reduced operation or closure of a fossil fuel power plant or coal mine in your application.
3. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), or if applicable, the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid. 
4. You will get a confirmation email when ISAC receives your application. Applications may take up to 12 weeks to process. 
5. If your application is incomplete, ISAC will contact you to provide any missing information. 

While an application must be submitted every academic year to apply for the scholarship, the Displaced Energy Worker’s Biographical Information portion of the application needs to be completed only on the initial application. Once eligibility has been established for one family member, other qualified members of your family do not need to establish eligibility in their application. 

Application deadlines depend on the first term that you would like to receive financial support. Deadlines are the following: 

• October 1: to receive funds for first term or the entire academic year
• March 1: to receive funds for either: 
  • Second semester/second and third quarter, or
  • Second semester/second and third quarter, along with summer term

• June 15: to receive funds for only summer term

  Only one application for the program may be submitted each academic year. 

The Displaced Energy Worker Dependent Transition Scholarship Program pays tuition and fees for up to a full calendar year of full-time enrollment in undergraduate or graduate study.