Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program

To be eligible to receive Golden Apple funds, you must:

• be named as a  Golden Apple Scholar by the Golden Apple Foundation
• be a U.S. citizen,   or an eligible noncitizen
• be a resident of Illinois
• be a high school graduate or hold a General Educational Development (GED) certificate
• enroll at a participating four-year college, as determined by the Golden Apple Foundation 
• meet one of the following education program requirements:
  • enroll in a college program to earn your first teaching license, or 
  • take classes required by the Illinois State Board of Education for approval to teach in Illinois, including alternative teacher licensure
• earn a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale (if you are a sophomore, junior or senior)
• not be in default on any student loan nor owe a refund or repayment on any state or federal grant
• meet the satisfactory academic progress standards at the school
• have not received 8 semesters or 12 quarters of the Golden Apple Scholarship
• have entered into a program agreement and promissory note with the Golden Apple Foundation and ISAC

You must sign an agreement to teach full time for at least five years at an eligible school (refer to the Applicant FAQs for further details). You must begin teaching within two years after graduating or leaving your program. If this obligation is not met, the scholarship will become a loan that you must repay with interest.

Visit the Managing Your Award page to learn more about the Golden Apple work commitment.

1. Apply to be a Golden Apple Scholar in Illinois through the Golden Apple Foundation. You must submit an application for each academic year in which you wish to receive Golden Apple funds. Personal statements, test scores, references, transcripts, and interviews are part of the Golden Apple Foundation application process. At the time of application, you will be required to sign a Teaching Agreement/Promissory Note promising to fulfill the teaching commitment or repay scholarship funds received, plus interest.
2. The Foundation will notify you and ISAC about your eligibility for a scholarship award. 

NOTE: You may not receive funds from the Illinois Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver (SETTW) Program or the Teachers of Illinois Scholarship Program during the same academic year for which you receive Golden Apple funds (refer to the Applicant FAQs for information about other possible options you may have).

Has anything changed since you submitted your application?  Notify the Golden Apple Foundation. You may also wish to review the “Changes to Your Application” section of the Managing Your Application page. 

The Golden Apple Foundation launches its application and sets the application deadline for this program each year.

The deadline for the 2026-27 academic year was March 1, 2026.

Learn more by visiting the Golden Apple Scholars Program in Illinois.

The amount of your annual award is based on the number of years you have been a Golden Apple Scholar. You may qualify for up to $2,500 in your first or second year as a Golden Apple Scholar, and up to $5,000 in your third, fourth or fifth year as a Scholar. The scholarship may be received for a maximum of 4 academic years (8 semesters or 12 quarters).

ISAC pays the scholarship funds directly to the college.