Scholarships from Partner Organizations
External Scholarships
- Big Shoulders Fund: bigshouldersfund.org
Please contact the principal of your local Big Shoulders Fund school to discuss your scholarship eligibility and the application process. - Chicago Lights: chicagolights.org
- Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund: dmsf.org
- HFS Chicago Scholars: hfschicagoscholars.com
- HighSight: highsight.org
- Horizons for Youth: horizons-for-youth.org
- LINK Unlimited: linkunlimited.org
- PEAK: Partnership to Educate and Advance Kids: peakchicago.org · email PEAK
Tax Credit Scholarship
The State of Illinois has created a tax credit scholarship program called the “Invest in Kids Act.” This state program provides scholarships for low-income students enrolled in private schools. Scholarships will cover up to 100 percent of tuition and eligible fees. Students will be given equal priority in the application and award process if they meet one of these four requirements:
- Renewal Scholars (received a tax credit scholarship for the previous school year)
- Siblings to a Scholarship Recipient (a sibling received a tax credit scholarship for the previous school year)
- Student resides in a Focus District (all of the city of Chicago is considered a focus district)
- Adjusted Gross Income at or below 185% of the Federal Poverty Level Guidelines (see the chart below)
Application Process
The application process will be managed by Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs). Holy Trinity has partnered with three SGOs in the City of Chicago and we strongly encourage families to apply to all SGOs to increase your chances of being granted a scholarship. All students wishing to receive a tax credit scholarship must apply, regardless of whether you already receive a tax credit scholarship the previous school year.
- Big Shoulders Fund: Applications Opened January 14, 2020
- Informational Flyer
- Sample application in English or Spanish
- Video walk-through of application in English or Spanish
- HighSight: Reservations Open January 23, 2020 at 7 p.m.
- You must complete the reservation page in order to have your submission screened and to be invited to participate in the full SGO HighSight application process.
- Families will be required to provide the following information: name of student applicant, address, email address, current school, current grade, school you plan to attend in 2020-21, parent/guardian name, parent/guardian email, total number of residents in the household, total adjusted gross income of the household
- If there are multiple students applying in the household, each student must submit an application.
- After qualified donations are received, HighSight will begin requesting complete applications on a first-come, first-served basis. HighSight will then begin granting scholarships to eligible students allowing them to attend the private school of their choice, subject to the availability of funds.
- Empower Illinois: Applications Opened January 15, 2020
Income Guidelines
Required Information for Application
- Parent/guardian contact information (e.g. address, city, zip, etc.), including an email address (required) along with supporting documentation for the household address (e.g., utility bill, driver’s license, etc.)
- Number of people in your household
- School district in which your household resides
- Federal adjusted gross income (AGI) with a copy of your federal 1040 (first two pages) or signed verification that your family was not required to file a 1040 (signed by parent/guardian)
- Student name and birth date
- Grade for the coming school year
- Siblings for which the household will apply under the tax credit scholarship program
- Identify the non-public school being selected by the student in the household
- Identify whether the student is already enrolled at the selected school
If you have any questions, please email taxcreditscholarship@