ISAC Student PortalPost-Master of Social Work School Social Work Professional Educator License Scholarship Program
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Program Description
Eligibility
Participating Schools
How to Apply
Changes to Application Data
How Funds Are Disbursed
Processing Updates
The Post-Master of Social Work School Social Work Professional Educator License Scholarship Program provides scholarship assistance to licensed social workers with master's degrees in social work who wish to obtain an Illinois Professional Educator License with an Endorsement in School Social Work. The program was designed to encourage students to work as social workers in Illinois schools. Scholarships pay tuition and mandatory fee costs for each continuous academic year (including summer) recipients meet eligibility requirements at Illinois public universities. A total of up to 250 scholarships may be awarded each year.
As part of the application process, you must agree to the terms and conditions outlined in the Application/Work Agreement/Promissory Note. By receiving this scholarship, you must work as a social worker in an Illinois school for a period of not less than two years for each year or any portion of a year of scholarship assistance. You must begin employment as a social worker in a qualified Illinois school – a nonprofit Illinois public, private or parochial preschool, elementary or secondary school – within one year following completion of the program. If this commitment is not fulfilled, the scholarship converts to a loan, and you must repay the entire amount, plus interest.
Eligibility
To be eligible, you must:
- be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen or meet the criteria of the RISE Act
- hold a valid Illinois clinical social work license or social work license
- have obtained a master’s degree in social work from an approved program
- take courses to obtain an Illinois Professional Educator License with an Endorsement in School Social Work
- enroll or be accepted for enrollment, and remain continuously enrolled, on a full- or part-time basis (at least 3 hours), at the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University, Chicago State University, Eastern Illinois University, Governors State University, Illinois State University, Northeastern Illinois University, Northern Illinois University or Western Illinois University (providing the institution offers post-master social work courses leading to an Illinois Professional Educator License with an Endorsement in School Social Work. See the Participating Schools section of this page for further details.)
- maintain satisfactory academic progress, as determined by your college
- establish satisfactory repayment arrangements if you are in default on any federal student loan.
Participating Schools
The following Illinois public four-year institutions are eligible to participate in the Post-Master of Social Work School Social Work Professional Educator License Scholarship Program, provided the institution offers post-master social work courses leading to a Professional Educator License with an Endorsement in School Social Work:
- 001694 Chicago State University
- 001674 Eastern Illinois University
- 009145 Governors State University
- 001692 Illinois State University
- 001693 Northeastern Illinois University
- 001737 Northern Illinois University
- 001758 Southern Illinois University – Carbondale
- 001759 Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville
- 001776 University of Illinois – Chicago
- 009333 University of Illinois – Springfield
- 001775 University of Illinois – Urbana
- 001780 Western Illinois University
How to Apply
The Post-Master of Social Work School Social Work Professional Educator License Scholarship Program Application/Work Agreement/Promissory Note for the 2025-26 academic year may be completed and submitted online via the Program Applications & Status Checks area of the ISAC Student Portal.
Each year, ISAC sets and announces a priority consideration date by which the Post-Master of Social Work School Social Work Professional Educator License Scholarship Program Application/Work Agreement/Promissory Note must be completed and submitted. For the 2025-26 academic year, the application priority consideration date was October 31, 2025. Untimely applications (i.e., those received after the priority consideration date) are considered for as long as funding remains available after all timely, qualified applicants have been awarded.
Changes to Application Data
Only one application for this program may be submitted per academic year. Consequently, if you need to change your response(s) to any item(s) and/or update any information after the application has been submitted, you will need to provide the information to ISAC. Examples of items that may need to be updated include demographic information (i.e., name, address, telephone number, etc.), your college of record and the impacted terms (e.g., full year, or fall, winter, spring, or summer). These changes can be submitted to ISAC using one of the below methods, but cannot be done over the telephone.
- via email to [email protected]
- via FAX to 847.831.8549
- via letter to ISAC, Program Operations, 1755 Lake Cook Road, Deerfield, IL 60015-5209
The request must include the last four digits of your Social Security number (for identification purposes) and clearly state what change(s) need to be made. These changes will not affect the application "received date." In order to allow adequate processing time and prevent a loss of benefits, changes to your college of record should to be reported prior to the beginning of the applicable term(s).
How Funds Are Disbursed
ISAC works with the college to disburse funds for this program. The college certifies student eligibility and then – after the application deadline has passed for each term – submits a payment request on behalf of the student. ISAC processes the payment request and submits the information to the State Comptroller's Office. Dependent on the level of State of Illinois funding at the time of the request, the amount of time it takes for funds to arrive at the college can vary anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.
Depending on the college, students may be responsible for payment until program funds are received. Qualified applicants who are awaiting receipt of funds from this program should contact the Financial Aid Office or Business Office to determine the college's policy.
Processing Updates
Note that ISAC routinely updates this section as new information becomes available. Be sure to check back periodically for the current processing status.
For the 2025-26 Academic Year
(last updated on November 3, 2025)
The application for the 2025-26 Post-Master of Social Work School Social Work Professional Educator License Scholarship Program remains available to complete and submit online via the Program Applications & Status Checks area of the ISAC Student Portal.
The priority application consideration date for the 2025-26 academic year was October 31, 2025. Complete applications submitted after that date are considered for as long as funding remains available after all timely, qualified applicants have been awarded.
Correspondence regarding the status of your application is mailed to you after the date your application is received at ISAC.
Awarding for this program began in mid-October 2025.
