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

Qazi Family Foundation

Deadline: Oct. 31, 2024
Award: $5,000.00 maximum
Requirements:

Application Process

• Confirm you are eligible for the Nadia Qazi Scholarship by reviewing the eligibility criteria (see below)
• Email us at scholarships@qazifamilyfoundation.org with the subject “Application for Nadia Qazi Scholarship”. All requirements should be attached along with the following information:
  – Full Name
  – Mailing Address
  – College Name and Address
• All requirements must be submitted by October 1, 2024. We encourage you to reach out to your recommenders as early as possible to ensure timely submission.
• Await notification for the next steps. Selected applicants will advance to the interview stage of the selection process.

Eligibility Criteria

• Recipient must be 18 years or older
• Recipient must be attending or accepted into an accredited college program within the United States, and must be able to show proof of the same. If an application is pending financial approval or the recipient is unable to apply because of financial constraints, please state as such and you will still be considered.
• Recipient must be a young student dedicated to attending college and have demonstrated a zest for knowledge, passion for community service and an avid interest in helping others.
• Recipient should submit 3 letters of recommendation, a detailed cover letter explaining their financial need and any personal struggles and outlining their short and long-term goals.
• Recipient must also answer the following questions in 2-4 paragraphs each:
• What personal struggles have you faced that have challenged your pursuit of higher education and how have you overcome them?
• What community service projects have you participated in the past and how have they changed your perspective and your life purpose?
• If given the opportunity and unlimited resources to do so, what community or societal problem would you address and solve? Do not give general examples of homelessness and poverty but specific issues that can be tackled such as illiteracy among a population or health care concerns, education gaps within a school system etc.
• Nadia Qazi dedicated her life to bridging the gaps of miscommunications between people of different faiths and backgrounds; what personal story can you share in which you have encountered bias or have solved a dispute?
• How can a scholarship through the Nadia Qazi Fund help you to achieve your goals and allow you to serve others in the process?

Graybar Construction Trades Scholarship

Deadline: Nov. 1, 2024
Award: $1,000
Requirements:

• Be a graduating high school senior, have graduated high school, or have earned a high school equivalency diploma (GED, HiSET, TASC).
• Plan to enroll full time in a nonprofit community college, technical school, trade school, vocational school or full-time or part-time in apprenticeship program in the United States of America.
• Intend to complete an associate degree, pre-apprenticeship, apprenticeship, or certificate program leading to work in the construction trades (such as carpentry, construction management, electrical, HVAC, plumbing, pipefitting, sheet metal, welding, telcom, etc.).
• Have achieved a minimum grade point average (G.P.A.) of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, 456 on the GED, or 60 on the HiSET (at least an 8 on each subtest) or equivalent scores on a state-sanctioned test.
• Demonstrate financial need.

Department of Defense (DoD)

STEM Scholarship-for-Service Program

Deadline: Dec. 1, 2024
Award: Scholarship-for-Service Program
Requirements:

• Be a citizen of the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or United Kingdom
• Be 18 years of age or older by January 1, 2026
• Have and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• Be currently pursuing, or intend to pursue in fall 2025, a degree in a SMART STEM discipline
• Be requesting between 1-5 years of degree funding. Degree funding will start in August 2025
• Complete summer internships
• Accept a one-for-one post graduation service commitment as a civilian employee of the Department of Defense

Education Foundation Scholarship

Illinois Association of Aggregate Producers

Deadline: Jan. 4, 2025
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 which 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, Mining Engineering, or Trade Programs.
• 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.