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 |
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