High school seniors graduating from a Big Shoulders Fund partnered school may be able to pursue a degree or certificate at City Colleges of Chicago at no cost—free tuition and books.

Star Scholarship Qualifications:

  • Graduates with a GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • Resides in Chicago
  • Enrolls in one of the City Colleges’ academic pathways
  • Lives in a household earning no more than $50,000 annually
  • Earns either: a score of 17 or higher on the English and math ACT, or a score of 460 or higher on the English SAT and 440 or higher on the math SAT, or tests
  • “Completion Ready” through the CCC placement exam.
  • The best score from any of these components (ACT, SAT, or CCC placement exam) will be used to qualify the student.

This includes undocumented and international students.