City Colleges of Chicago Foundation Scholarship Program
General application for donor-funded awards across the seven City Colleges of Chicago colleges; eligibility and amounts vary by fund.
About City Colleges of Chicago Foundation Scholarship Program
The City Colleges of Chicago Foundation administers donor-created funds for students attending the city’s seven community colleges. Its portal gathers many awards through one general application: the system uses a student’s information to identify opportunities based on college, program, financial need, and each fund’s other criteria. There is no single award amount, and applicants are not all competing for the same scholarships; individual listings may add their own rules.
For the 2026–27 academic year, the general application has two deadlines: the fall deadline closed on September 28, 2026, and the spring deadline is March 14, 2027. Spring is the next useful window for students who missed the first cutoff. Applicants sign in with City Colleges credentials, answer general questions, and write a short essay. Completing the form makes students eligible for matching to multiple awards, but it does not guarantee a scholarship.
The portal states that undocumented students may also apply. That does not mean every individual fund has identical terms: review each listing for any additional residency, program, GPA, financial-need, or campus conditions. For students who cannot complete the FAFSA, City Colleges also provides information about Illinois’s alternative application under the RISE Act; a campus financial-aid office can help determine which form applies.
Before submitting, gather your student login, academic history, and program details, and draft the essay with specific examples of your goals and circumstances. Keep the submission confirmation and return to the portal to check status or supplemental questions. Your campus financial-aid office and scholarship team can clarify internal dates, the requirements of a matched award, and how it may interact with other aid.
This is a practical route for people already studying—or planning to study—at a City Colleges of Chicago college who want one application to connect them with awards from different donors. Start early: identify compatible opportunities, confirm whether they require FAFSA or the RISE application, and ask the college how a scholarship would be applied to your cost of attendance.
Who it serves and what it can cover: General application for donor-funded awards across the seven City Colleges of Chicago colleges; eligibility and amounts vary by fund.
How to apply or get help: For 2026–27: the fall deadline closed September 28, 2026; the spring deadline is March 14, 2027. Sign in with City Colleges credentials.
General application for donor-funded awards across the seven City Colleges of Chicago colleges; eligibility and amounts vary by fund.