Which Illinois colleges award merit money on GPA or test scores?
18 schools in Illinois award merit automatically, on a published GPA or test score. No separate application, no separate deadline — the award comes with the admission decision.
The number to compare these against is in-state tuition, a median of $20,234 across the schools below. The median largest award is $16,102.
Staying in state is usually the cheaper path before aid, but a large out-of-state award can beat it outright. Worth pricing both.
Amounts are what each school publishes for incoming first-year students, and renewal usually depends on keeping a minimum GPA. Confirm figures with the school's financial aid office before you plan around them.