Scholarships

Incoming Freshman - General Foundation Scholarships

DEADLINE: March 1st, 2023

Late applications will be accepted for reduced consideration during subsequent rounds of awarding. Students submitting a late application will only be contacted if they are selected as a scholarship recipient.

To apply for 2023-24 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.

If you have questions regarding the WIU Scholarship Portal, please refer to our Online Application Instructions & FAQs.

Students should also review our  New Freshman Scholarship Checklist  for additional recommendations and resources. Scholarship award information will be sent to new freshman applicants at their home address 4-6 weeks after the posted deadline. 

Award amounts are subject to change.

Scholarship GPA, ACT, etc Major/Requirements Award Amount Comments
President's Scholarship Minimum 24 ACT(1160 SAT) 3.4 GPA or 3.75 GPA Application Deadline: December 1 Must be receiving the Western Commitment Scholarship Varies Pays tuition, university fees, room, and board not covered by another scholarship; Total financial aid including all scholarships cannot exceed student's semester cost of attendance.
         
Diane Decker Scholarship Minimum 2.5 to receive full disbursement  Preference to Cuba HS, IL graduate; 2nd preference to Fulton or McDonough Co. graduate; Upper 1/3 of graduating class; Financial need $3000 While priority is given to incoming freshmen who meet the criteria, students in their 2nd or 3rd year at WIU, are eligible to receive the scholarship. Contact the Scholarship Office.
Kenneth T. & Betty L. Wright Scholarship Minimum 22 ACT and 3.0 GPA Hancock, Henderson, or McDonough County, IL graduate; Membership and participation in a 4-H club or FFA $800 Renewable
Willis Kinley & Alan Baise Memorial Minimum ACT 23 Central Illinois graduate with preference to Morgan County; Study in the Liberal Arts with preference to Arts and Sciences major $1,000 Renewable
Frank W. Banks Memorial Scholarship Top 15% of graduating class Graduate of McDonough County school district or adjacent county; Academic performance $1,000 Renewable
Delbert and Olive Bussan Memorial Scholarship Minimum 28 ACT and top 15% of graduating class Pre-Business Major; Demonstrated leadership activities $1,000 per year awarded Renewable
Foundation Four Year Scholarship Minimum 28 ACT and competitive class rank Community service $1,000 Renewable
William S. Gillidette Memorial Scholarship Top 33% of graduating class, but not over 10% Must attend Macomb High School, IL for all four years; Financial need; Academic performance and extra-curricular activities considered $1,000 Renewable
Jackie and Dave Thompson Scholarship Minimum 2.5 GPA and 22 ACT First preference to a VIT High School graduate; Financial need $1,000 Renewable; Transfers will be considered if no freshman meets the criteria
Dave and Jackie Thompson Scholarship for Military Dependents   Graduate of Macomb Senior High School, IL; Dependent of a military family; Financial need $1,000 Renewable; Other MSHS students will be considered if no military dependent meets the criteria
Mary McCutcheon Hofsess Scholarship Minimum 25 ACT Life science major including Pre-Med with preference to a Biology major; Preference to a Brown County resident; Financial need may be considered $1,000 Renewable
Ishikawa-Fullmer Family Trust Alumni Scholarship   Resident of Fulton County $1,000  
Clarence and Josephine L. Johnson Scholarship Minimum 27 ACT and top 15% of graduating class Residents of Bushnell, Knoxville, or Galesburg; Education Major $2,000  
Matthew Kieffer Memorial Fund Average student Rock Island, Mercer, Henry, or Scott County $325 Preference given to a student pursuing education in the field of conservation
William Harris Kiwanis Scholarship Minimum 22 ACT; prefer 24 or higher Majoring in Pre-Law $475 Renewable
Burdette & Kathryn Knappenberger Scholarship Top 25% of graduating class Resident of McDonough County, IL with preference to West Prairie High School graduate $2,000 Renewable
A.L. & Muriel Knoblauch Scholarship Valedictorian or salutatorian of graduating class   $500  
Herman R. Koester Scholarship   Son or daughter of a deceased veteran who was honorably separated from the Armed Forces $850 Renewable
Jim Miner Scholarship Minimum 3.0 GPA McDonough  County graduate; Documented involvement in athletics or student activities $1,000  
Leon L. and Marion B. Lamet Scholarship   First preference to a Hancock County IL student, then surrounding counties; Financial need is a consideration $1,000 Renewable
Clifford B. Latherow Scholarship Minimum 28 ACT and top 15% of graduating class Preference to residents of LaHarpe, Illini West, and Hancock County; Demonstrate academics or community service $600 Renewable
Craig F. Glattly Memorial Scholarship Minimum 3.0 GPA Pre-Business or Business major; 1st preference to a Lake County, IL high school graduate then county surrounding Lake County; Demonstrated involvement in community activities; Documented financial hardship $2,500 Renewable
Michael J. Litwin Scholarship Minimum 25 ACT and top 20% of graduating class Pre-Business Major; Minority student from Chicago $1,000 Renewable
MidAmerica National Bank Scholarship Minimum 25 ACT and top 20% of graduating class Resident from Fulton or McDonough County, IL $1,500  
Minority Achievement Scholarship Minimum 20 ACT, top 1/3 of graduating class, or 3.5 GPA U.S. citizen; Ethnic minority; Leadership, community service, and extracurricular activities may be considered Varies Preference given to a student who is not receiving the Western Centennial or another Foundation Scholarship
Dana Lynn Park Scholarship Minimum 25 ACT & 3.25 GPA Female; Elementary Education major $850 Renewable
George and Lucile Pittard Scholarship Minimum 25 ACT and top 25% of graduating class Incoming freshman with preference to United High School (Monmouth, IL) or Mercer County graduate $1,100 Renewable
Betty & Henry Ruebush Scholarship   McDonough County, IL resident; Community involvement/extra-curricular activities; Financial need $425  
Dr. L.R. & Leatha Bain Scholarship Minimum 3.0 GPA and upper 25% of graduating class Pre-Veterinary Medicine major; Resident of McDonough, Hancock, Schuyler, Warren, or Knox IL counties $600 Renewable
Alice Irene Gardner Schulze & Irene M. Wilcox Scholarship Competitive GPA Hancock County or surrounding county graduate with preference to a Durham Township, IL resident $1,000  
Keith F. Scott Scholarship Minimum 28 ACT and top 15% of graduating class Preference to an English or Business major; Must have community involvement/extra-curricular activities $1,000 Renewable
Captain Earl G., Evelyn M. & Lynn Earl Pogue Scholarship Minimum 22 ACT and 3.0 GPA Law Enforcement and Justice Administration major; Reside in West Central Illinois $1,000  
Grove B. & Olive Tyson Scholarship   McDonough County high school graduate; Good character, scholarship, leadership, etc $700 Renewable
Kenneth Dixon Memorial Scholarship Minimum 26 ACT and top 20% of graduating class Mass Communication with concentration in Print Media/Journalism major; Preference to a Colchester or McDonough County, IL resident $500  
Dorothy E. Watson Scholarship Minimum 21 ACT McDonough County graduate; Preference for 23-27 ACT $200  
John H. & Mary E. Watson Scholarship Minimum 21 ACT McDonough County $250  
Hylton A. Huseth Family Memorial Scholarship   Graduate of Rushville-Industry High School, IL; Preference to a student from Rushville, IL $1,000  
James and Beatrice Wehrly Book Fund Minimum 24 ACT, minimum cumulative 3.2 GPA Financial need; Leadership, community service, and employment may be considered; U.S. citizen $550 Preference given to a student who is not receiving another Foundation Scholarship
Western Heritage Program Minimum 24 ACT Must have financial need; Exceptional commitment to public service, volunteering, work, etc.; U.S. citizen or permanent resident $2,000 Renewable
Western Illinois Now (WIN) Alumni Scholarship   Child or grandchild of a WIU alumnus; Financial need; Student activities may be considered $750  
Western Illinois Now (WIN) Alumni Council Scholarship   Child or grandchild of a WIU alumnus; Financial need; Student activities may be considered $1,000 Renewable
Collins S. & Irene Schulze Wilcox Scholarship   Hancock County, IL with preference to Durham Township, IL resident $750  
Eric Hill Memorial Scholarship in Honor of Michael Meador Minimum 2.75 GPA Macomb Senior High School senior, IL, attending WIU the fall after graduation; Financial need; Community involvement $1,000  
Sheila A. Grone Roehlk Scholarship Minimum 3.25 GPA Education major; Financial need; Preference to a Galesburg IL high school graduate $2,000 Incoming freshman and transfers are considered; Renewable
Joseph R. Withers Memorial Scholarship Minimum 2.8 GPA Enrolled full-time; Child of a single parent with financial need based on FAFSA; Preference to a Peoria IL student; Preference to a student of Christian faith Varies  Renewable
Marilyn "Luan" Crawford Scholarship Minimum 2.75 GPA Elementary Education, Early Childhood, or Special Education major; Graduate of Bushnell-Prairie City High School IL $2,500-$5,000 Renewable; Transfers will be considered if no freshman meet the criteria
Robert L. Krause Scholarship   Child or grandchild of alumnus; Financial need using the FAFSA; Preference to high school activities, community service or employment $1,000  Renewable
Hortense Young Simpson Textbook Scholarship ACT range 23-26; Minimum 3.0 GPA Knox County resident; Financial need $225  
Alice Bennett Kellogg Kinesiology Scholarship Minimum 21 ACT or top 10% of high school graduating class Kinesiology Teacher Education major; High school honors and participation in extra-curricular activities, clubs, and organizations $2,000  
Henry and Evelyn Kleen Endowed Scholarship Minimum 3.0 GPA Illinois resident; College of Business and Technology major; Community service and involvement in activities; Preference to those with financial need $4,000 over four years ($500 freshman  and sophomore years, $1,500 for junior and senior years) Renewable all 4 years, provided applicant maintains a 3.0 GPA, 3.0 CBT major GPA, shows progress towards graduation, and documents community service
Dr. George E. Ayers Scholarship Minimum 3.0 GPA U.S. citizens; Ethnic/racial minorities; Financial need $2,000 Renewable