Your Guide to the Application Process

Have you been thinking about applying for scholarships to help fund your education in 2024? Chicago’s City Colleges of Technology (CTU) offers a wide variety of scholarships that could help you achieve your educational and career goals. 

CTU’s Commitment to Accessible Education

CTU is committed to making education accessible to a wide range of students and offers generous scholarships as part of that mission. With tuition and fees averaging around $3,500 per year for in-district residents, college is an attainable goal even for those facing financial challenges. However, CTU understands that for many students and families, even these relatively low costs may still seem out of reach without assistance.

That’s why CTU dedicates significant resources to a wide array of scholarship programs. In the 2023-2024 school year alone, CTU awarded over $5.2 million in scholarship funds to eligible students. Their goal is to help as many deserving students as possible complete their education without the burden of crushing debt.

Navigating the Scholarship Application Process

Applying for scholarships does require some effort, but by following a few guidelines you can maximize your chances of being awarded funding for the 2024-2025 school year:

Apply Early

Many scholarship deadlines are in early 2024, so don’t procrastinate. CTU’s priority deadline to be considered for most institutional scholarships is January 15, 2024. Some opportunities have rolling deadlines, but the earlier you apply the better your odds.

Consider All Your Options

CTU offers scholarships targeted to specific groups and majors, in addition to general need-based aid. Be sure to explore all that may apply to your situation by checking the CTU Scholarships website.

Highlight Your Achievements

Scholarship committees want to support well-rounded students who will succeed. Emphasize your academic record, extracurricular activities, career goals, and any awards or honors in your application personal statement, and resume.

Ask Others for Recommendations

Strong letters highlighting your character and potential can help your app stand out. Ask teachers, mentors, or employers you’re acquainted with to write on your behalf if recommenders are part of the application process.

Check Your Application for Errors

Proofread everything carefully and have others review it as well before submitting. Typos or other mistakes could hurt your chances even for automatic scholarships. Strive for polish and presentation.

By starting early and putting effort into a high-quality application, you’ll position yourself well for CTU scholarship funding to achieve your educational dreams. Let’s explore the programs in more detail.

Scholarship Checklist

Remember this checklist as you prepare your scholarship applications:

• Apply before the priority deadline of January 15, 2024,
• Research all scholarship options that fit your background
• Highlight academic achievements, activities, and career goals
• Ask teachers/mentors for strong recommendation letters
• Carefully proofread your entire application for errors
• Submit applications well before the final deadlines

Following these tips will give you the best opportunity to earn CTU scholarship money for the 2024-2025 school year.

Institutional Scholarship Programs

CTU offers a variety of institutional, or “homegrown” scholarships that are supported through CTU funds. These scholarships are merit-based and need-based, with eligibility criteria varying between programs. Here are some of the major institutional scholarships to consider:

Presidential Scholarships

CTU’s premier award, the Presidential Scholarship covers full in-district tuition and fees. It’s extremely competitive, with only 4-10 awarded per year. A minimum 3.75 GPA and evidence of leadership are required.

Dean’s Scholarships

Dean’s Scholarship recipients receive up to $2,500 per academic year. Applicants must have shown academic excellence with a minimum 3.5 GPA and involvement in extracurricular activities.

CTU Opportunity Scholarships

Intended to help low-income Chicago residents receive an affordable education. They provide awards up to $1,000 based on financial need and merit as demonstrated through the FAFSA and/or CTU application. Minimum 2.5 GPA.

Transfer Scholarships

Students transferring to CTU from other colleges with a 3.0 GPA or higher could qualify for a one-time $1,000 award to help with the transition.

Phi Theta Kappa Scholarships

These prestigious awards offer transfers from other institutions up to $2,000 each if they are members of the honor society Phi Theta Kappa. Minimum 3.5 GPA at previous college required.

Career and Tech Program Scholarships

CTU provides targeted support for high-achieving students in various academic programs like nursing, welding, IT, and more. Requirements vary by scholarship but emphasize factors like demonstrated aptitude in the field.

The application for these institutional scholarships is typically the CTU General Scholarship Application available online, with supplemental materials required for some awards. Check details carefully based on your qualifications.

Departmental Scholarships

In addition, several CTU academic departments offer their own scholarship money to support high-achieving students in their respective fields. For example:

• Business Department Scholarship: Up to $500 each for business majors with 3.2+ GPA
• Early Childhood Education Award: Provides $500 to one ECE student demonstrating exceptional classroom work
• Fine Arts Scholarship: Awards $250-$500 to art and design students based on portfolio review

To qualify, check with your academic department about eligibility and how to apply for any specialized funding available. Overall institutional and departmental awards are merit-based, with an emphasis on your prior academic success.

Outside Scholarship Opportunities

In addition to CTU’s own scholarships, the college recommends exploring awards offered by outside organizations as another way to fund your education. Here are a couple of other top options to consider:

Educational Foundation of America Scholarships

EFA offers over 350 scholarships to CTU students with awards between $1,000-$5,000 each. The Foundation partners directly with CTU to distribute these scholarships on merit and need-based criteria.

Coca-Cola Scholarships

The Coca-Cola Scholars Program awards scholarships across the country, including to CTU students. Awards are between $1,000-$20,000 based on academic achievement, community service, innovation and leadership.

To find additional outside opportunities, search broadly online using your characteristics like major, heritage, talents, and more as search filters. Reputable sources include sites like FastWeb.org and scholarship databases available through the CTU Library. The recommended deadline is early spring 2024.

Remember – applying takes time, but accessing outside funding that doesn’t need to be repaid is worth the effort. Even local community organizations and employers may offer small awards if you search creatively.

Financing Your Education

While merit-based and need-based scholarships help improve accessibility, college remains an investment that requires financial planning. Here are some additional tips for financing your CTU education:

FAFSA

Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as early as possible in 2024 to determine your eligibility for need-based aid programs like federal Pell grants and state MAP grants. CTU’s FAFSA priority deadline is March 1st.

Payment Plans

CTU offers monthly payment plans that let you spread tuition costs over installments each term rather than one large upfront bill. Just a small enrollment fee is required.

Federal Student Loans

If you have remaining needs after grants, consider subsidized and unsubsidized federal student loans as lower-interest options to fund your education. Repayment begins after graduating.

Work Study

The federal work-study program provides on-campus job opportunities to help you earn money to pay for expenses while gaining useful work experience.

Savings and Family Help

Some families may be able to contribute savings or help with living expenses, which lowers how much loan funding you’ll need to cover costs of attendance like housing, food, transportation, and books.

With early financial planning and applying for all types of available aid, a CTU education remains within reach regardless of your financial picture. Reach out if you have any questions – CTU advisors are always ready to help you through the funding process.

Maintaining Your Scholarship Eligibility

Once awarded scholarships, you’ll be required to meet certain academic standards each term to keep receiving the funding. This helps ensure scholarship recipients continue to succeed while using donor dollars responsibly. Here are typical requirements to know:

• Presidential & Dean’s Scholars must maintain a 3.5 cumulative GPA
• Opportunity Scholarship recipients need a 2.8 cumulative GPA
• All scholars must complete at least 12 credit hours each fall/spring term
• Academic progress is reviewed at the end of each academic year
• Scholarships are renewable for up to two years or until completing an associate degree