💰 Western Illinois University Merit Scholarships

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Official Scholarship Information

View complete details on Western Illinois University's website

Eligibility: An eligible applicant is a first-time incoming freshman accepted into an undergraduate degree program who meets the following requirements: * Graduate of an Illinois high school * Minimum 3.0 cumulative high school GPA (based on final, official transcript) * Meet the Family Income Guidelines* * Illinois resident * U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen * File a FAFSA or Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid * Enroll full-time at WIU * Has not yet received a baccalaureate degree or the equivalent of 135 semester credit hours * Is not incarcerated * Is not in default on any student loan or does not owe a refund or repayment on any state or federal grant or scholarship

How to apply: ["file FAFSA", "meet family income guidelines", "Illinois residency", "enroll full-time"]

📋 _Funds are limited and eligibility is based on 2026-27 FAFSA results._ If eligible and funds are available, AI Source ↗

Eligibility: An eligible applicant is a first-time incoming freshman accepted into an undergraduate degree program who meets the following requirements: * Graduate of an Illinois high school * Minimum 3.0 cumulative high school GPA (based on final, official transcript) * Meet the Family Income Guidelines* * Illinois resident * U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen * File a FAFSA or Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid * Enroll full-time at WIU * Has not yet received a baccalaureate degree or the equivalent of 135 semester credit hours * Is not incarcerated * Is not in default on any student loan or does not owe a refund or repayment on any state or federal grant or scholarship

How to apply: ["file FAFSA", "meet family income guidelines", "Illinois residency", "enroll full-time"]

📋 _Funds are limited and eligibility is based on 2026-27 FAFSA results._ If eligible and funds are available, AI Source ↗

* **$4,000 per year, available fall and spring semester**

Eligibility: * Must be a newly admitted graduate, non-sponsored international student enrolling to WIU for the first time. * Minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (confirmed by WIU)

How to apply: ["newly admitted graduate, non-sponsored international student", "minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0"]

📋 50% will be awarded fall semester and 50% will be awarded spring semester. Students receiving a graduate assis Source ↗

* **$2,000 per year: 3.5 GPA or higher confirmed by WIU** * **$1,500 per year: 3.25 - 3.49 GPA confirmed by WIU** * **$1,000 per year: 3.0-3.24 GPA confirmed by WIU**

Eligibility: * Renewable for three additional years (six semesters) as an undergraduate OR until student receives a degree, whichever comes first. * 3.0 cumulative GPA must be maintained for renewal at the end of a student's 2nd semester (excluding Summer). * Recipients must have earned a minimum of 24 college credits and eligibility is based on college GPA * Continuous enrollment required in a minimum of 6 credit hours.

How to apply: ["minimum 24 college credits", "confirmed college GPA", "continuous enrollment (min 6 credit hours)"]

📋 Renewal: 3.0 GPA, 6 credits Source ↗

* **$2,000 per year: 3.5 GPA or higher confirmed by WIU** * **$1,500 per year: 3.25 - 3.49 GPA confirmed by WIU** * **$1,000 per year: 3.0-3.24 GPA confirmed by WIU**

Eligibility: * Renewable for three additional years (six semesters) as an undergraduate OR until student receives a degree, whichever comes first. * 3.0 cumulative GPA must be maintained for renewal at the end of a student's 2nd semester (excluding Summer). * Recipients must have earned a minimum of 24 college credits and eligibility is based on college GPA * Continuous enrollment required in a minimum of 6 credit hours.

How to apply: ["minimum 24 college credits", "confirmed college GPA", "continuous enrollment (min 6 credit hours)"]

📋 Renewal: 3.0 GPA, 6 credits Source ↗

* **$2,000 per year: 3.5 GPA or higher confirmed by WIU** * **$1,500 per year: 3.25 - 3.49 GPA confirmed by WIU** * **$1,000 per year: 3.0-3.24 GPA confirmed by WIU**

Eligibility: * Renewable for three additional years (six semesters) as an undergraduate OR until student receives a degree, whichever comes first. * 3.0 cumulative GPA must be maintained for renewal at the end of a student's 2nd semester (excluding Summer). * Recipients must have earned a minimum of 24 college credits and eligibility is based on college GPA * Continuous enrollment required in a minimum of 6 credit hours.

How to apply: ["minimum 24 college credits", "confirmed college GPA", "continuous enrollment (min 6 credit hours)"]

📋 Renewal: 3.0 GPA, 6 credits Source ↗

* **$6,000 per year 4.0 GPA or higher confirmed by WIU** * **$4,000 per year 3.99 - 3.50 GPA confirmed by WIU** * **$2,000 per year 3.49 - 3.0 GPA confirmed by WIU** * Renewable for up to three years (six semesters) as an undergraduate (8 semesters total) OR until a student receives a degree, whichever comes first.

Eligibility: * Must be a non-sponsored International Student * Students must have earned less than 24 college credits. * Continuous full-time (12 hours) enrollment required (prorated per credit hour if an immigration exemption has been awarded for the final semester). * Scholarship only applied to WIU tuition. No cash value/refund is available.

How to apply: ["non-sponsored international student", "admitted by acceptance date (Aug 1 for fall / Jan 1 for spring) for guaranteed scholarship", "continuous full-time enrollment (12 hours)"]

📋 Renewable for up to three years (six semesters) as an undergraduate (8 semesters total) OR until a student rec Source ↗

* **$6,000 per year 4.0 GPA or higher confirmed by WIU** * **$4,000 per year 3.99 - 3.50 GPA confirmed by WIU** * **$2,000 per year 3.49 - 3.0 GPA confirmed by WIU** * Renewable for up to three years (six semesters) as an undergraduate (8 semesters total) OR until a student receives a degree, whichever comes first.

Eligibility: * Must be a non-sponsored International Student * Students must have earned less than 24 college credits. * Continuous full-time (12 hours) enrollment required (prorated per credit hour if an immigration exemption has been awarded for the final semester). * Scholarship only applied to WIU tuition. No cash value/refund is available.

How to apply: ["non-sponsored international student", "admitted by acceptance date (Aug 1 for fall / Jan 1 for spring) for guaranteed scholarship", "continuous full-time enrollment (12 hours)"]

📋 Renewable for up to three years (six semesters) as an undergraduate (8 semesters total) OR until a student rec Source ↗

* **$6,000 per year 4.0 GPA or higher confirmed by WIU** * **$4,000 per year 3.99 - 3.50 GPA confirmed by WIU** * **$2,000 per year 3.49 - 3.0 GPA confirmed by WIU** * Renewable for up to three years (six semesters) as an undergraduate (8 semesters total) OR until a student receives a degree, whichever comes first.

Eligibility: * Must be a non-sponsored International Student * Students must have earned less than 24 college credits. * Continuous full-time (12 hours) enrollment required (prorated per credit hour if an immigration exemption has been awarded for the final semester). * Scholarship only applied to WIU tuition. No cash value/refund is available.

How to apply: ["non-sponsored international student", "admitted by acceptance date (Aug 1 for fall / Jan 1 for spring) for guaranteed scholarship", "continuous full-time enrollment (12 hours)"]

📋 Renewable for up to three years (six semesters) as an undergraduate (8 semesters total) OR until a student rec Source ↗

This one-time, non-renewable scholarship can be used to help you pay for tuition, fees or other educational expenses.

Eligibility: No application is required – high school students are you are automatically considered for this scholarship when your high school counselor submits information to ISAC for the selection process.

How to apply: ["no application required", "high school counselor submits information to ISAC for selection"]

Source ↗

**Award: $500 scholarship ($250 awarded in fall, $250 awarded in spring), available fall semester only.**

Eligibility: * Must be current full time international student * Financial need will be regarded as an important requisite * Must be in good academic standing * Preference will be given to a student who is an underrepresented minority

How to apply: ["application (when open)", "financial need consideration", "good academic standing"]

**Award: $1,200 scholarship ($600 awarded in fall, $600 awarded in spring), available fall semester only**

Eligibility: * Must be a current female international student * Financial need will be regarded as an important requisite * Preference may be given to applicants based on academic performance and/or demonstrated campus/community involvement * Preference will be given to a female student from an emerging/developing country majoring in Agriculture or Agriculture Business.

How to apply: ["application (when open)", "financial need consideration", "female international student"]

**Award: $800 scholarship, available fall semester**

Eligibility: * Open to a student enrolled at WIU who is preparing to enter the field of ESL and who might be a student assistant in the WESL Institute * Open to a graduate of the WESL Institute who has become a regularly admissible full-time student at Western Illinois University * Preference will be given to African American students.

How to apply: ["application (when open)", "preference to African American students", "enrolled in/graduate of WESL program"]

Provides a renewable annual $3,000 scholarship for students from underrepresented South and Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin America and Caribbean countries.

Eligibility: * Prospective Student must be fully admitted to a degree program and enrolled full time * Prospective Student must have a 2.5 or higher GPA on entry * Renewable for three addtional years for freshmen * All students must maintain a 2.5 or higher GPA for renewal; Stackable with other scholarships

How to apply: ["fully admitted to a degree program", "enrolled full time", "minimum 2.5 GPA on entry"]

**Award: $400 scholarship, available fall and spring semester**

Eligibility: * Must be current full or part-time international student, male or female * Financial need will be regarded as an important requisite * Preference may be given to applicants based on academic performance and/or demonstrated campus/community involvement.

How to apply: ["apply via provided form", "financial need considered"]

**Award: $1000 scholarship, available fall and spring semester**

Eligibility: * Must be a current full-time international student * Must be Korean National, GPA 3.0 or higher * Must demonstrate financial need * Must be within one year of completing FIRST degree from WIU * Must be in good judicial standing

How to apply: ["apply via provided form", "Korean national", "minimum 3.0 GPA", "financial need"]

Federal Scholarships will pay all tuition, university fees, and books. In addition, Federal Scholarship winners recieve a tax-free Stipend. State Scholarships will pay for tuition and activity and athletic fees. Monthly Stipend: Stipend is $420/month (Freshman-Senior)

Eligibility: Army ROTC scholarships are awarded based on merit, not financial need. Traits looked for in applicants are individuals who are athletic, have a good GPA coming out of high school or out of community college, and are leaders in their schools, sports teams, clubs, or communities.

How to apply: ["apply for Federal Scholarship via Army ROTC application", "apply for State Scholarship after enrolling in a Military Science class", "be in Advanced Course (Junior and Senior) to qualify for stipend"]

**Award: $325 scholarship, available fall and spring semester**

Eligibility: * Must be current full-time international student, male or female, any major * Graduate students must have 3.5 GPA or better; undergraduates must have 2.5 GPA or better * Must have a letter of recommendation from WIU international alum.

How to apply: ["apply via provided form", "graduate students: minimum 3.5 GPA", "undergraduate students: minimum 2.5 GPA", "letter of recommendation from WIU international alum"]

Eligibility: To apply for New Freshman Scholarships, accepted students should sign on to the WIU Scholarship Portal and complete the General Application. This application will automatically consider you for most new freshmen scholarships and recommend others that require you to answer additional questions.

How to apply: ["complete General Application in Scholarship Portal", "provide supporting documents if applicable (essays, letters of recommendation)"]

IPS provides a tuition and fee waiver for up to six (6) undergraduate students with superior acadmic credentials as demonstrated by a GPA of 3.5 or higher, exceptional talents in extracurricular activities cultural, artistic, leadership, literary, social endeavors, or other noteworthly and verifiable achievements.

Eligibility: * Eligible candidates will be INVITED to apply after receiving full admission. * Minimum GPA: 3.5 or higher (as part of criteria)

How to apply: ["invited to apply after full admission", "separate application", "essay", "evidence of extraordinary achievements", "selection committee review"]

**Award: $500 scholarship, available fall and spring semester**

Eligibility: * Must be current full-time international student * Financial need will be regarded as an important requisite * **Must have attended WIU for two or more semesters** * Must have at least 2.5 GPA * Must be undergraduate

How to apply: ["apply via provided form", "must have attended WIU for two or more semesters", "minimum 2.5 GPA", "undergraduate status"]

President's Scholars receive scholarships to cover full tuition, student fees, a double residence hall room and meal plan not covered by other scholarships.

Eligibility: * 4.00+ GPA * Enroll in the Honors Program * Demonstrated leadership ability and community engagement

How to apply: ["separate application", "complete General Scholarship and the President's Scholarship Application in the Scholarship Portal", "selection committee review", "enroll in Honors Program"]

**Award: $200 scholarship**

Eligibility: * Be currently enrolled at WIU * Demonstrate financial need * Be a member of the Redeemed Students Fellowship * Be an international student at WIU * Be in good academic standing

How to apply: ["apply via provided form", "membership in Redeemed Students Fellowship", "financial need"]

Federal Scholarships will pay all tuition, university fees, and books. In addition, Federal Scholarship winners recieve a tax-free Stipend. State Scholarships will pay for tuition and activity and athletic fees. Monthly Stipend: Stipend is $420/month (Freshman-Senior)

Eligibility: Army ROTC scholarships are awarded based on merit, not financial need. Traits looked for in applicants are individuals who are athletic, have a good GPA coming out of high school or out of community college, and are leaders in their schools, sports teams, clubs, or communities.

How to apply: ["apply for Federal Scholarship via Army ROTC application", "apply for State Scholarship after enrolling in a Military Science class", "be in Advanced Course (Junior and Senior) to qualify for stipend"]

**Award: $500 scholarships, available fall and spring semester**

Eligibility: * Must be current full-time international student, male or female * Financial need will be regarded as an important requisite

How to apply: ["apply via provided form", "financial need considered"]

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