Illinois Tax Credit Scholarships
Athletics
Important Upcoming Dates
The Illinois Tax Credit Scholarship applications are opening in January. These scholarship applications are income and time stamped based. Dates and time:
Big Shoulders Fund SGO/TCS- January 12, 2023 at 8:00am.
Empower Illinois- January 18, 2023 at 6:30pm.
Empower Illinois’ tax credit scholarship application will be a two part process. Part one of the application is the reservation, which reserves a family’s place in line for a scholarship and scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. The reservation form will be available at 6:30PM and will have two pages to be completed. Once part one is completed, you will be notified by email when part two of the application opens. You should submit your application as soon as possible for the best chance at receiving a scholarship.
Please use the following link to view resources to be prepared for the upcoming reservation night and application process: Resources are available in English and Spanish.
The Empower Illinois team will host two Facebook Live events this January to answer questions in real-time about the reservation and application processes. The same information will be covered in both sessions and will be available for later viewing on their Facebook page.
Questions about the reservation of application process can be directed to our Scholars Helpline (800-616-7606) or scholars@empowerillinois.org.
The sessions are: January 12 at 5:30 p.m. and January 17 at 12 p.m.
Big Shoulders Fund
Big Shoulders Fund Tax Credit Scholarship application is also a two-step process. Submit your online application as soon as the application opens at 8:00AM as scholarships are awarded in the order they are received. Once part one is completed, Big Shoulders Fund will reach out via email requesting a limited number of applicants to complete step two of the process by submitting and uploading verification documentation.
- Practice Tax Credit Scholarship Application Step 1
- THIS WEEK ONLY December 19 – December 23
Come take a look and practice on our SNEAK PEEK to the 2023 Big Shoulders Fund Tax Credit Scholarship Application.
Big Shoulders Fund opened the Online Practice Step 1 Application for the Tax Credit Scholarship this week only from December 19th thru midnight on December 23th.
This is an opportunity for you to view all required fields and prepare all student and household information needed for the live application – Doing this practice application will not include obtaining your date-time stamp – you will need to complete the Live Tax Credit Scholarship Application on January 12th to secure your time-stamp.
- Check out the Application Sneak Peak here: Practice Application
- Use this Application Cheat Sheet to write down required items for the Live Application: Application Cheat Sheet
- Video Walkthrough of the 2023 Application: Watch video walk through
Try the application as many times as you like all week to prepare yourself to earn an early date time stamp on Application Day – January 12, at 8am!
Upcoming dates:
Zoom Virtual Info Session and Application Q&A: January 5th at 12:30pm and January 10th at 6:30pm
Application Day: January 12th at 8am
Illinois Tax Credit
In August 2017, with bipartisan support, the State House and Senate passed a comprehensive education funding bill that was signed into law by the governor. The law includes a provision for tax credit scholarships, which provide strong incentives for donors to support non-public school scholarships for low-income students in the state. Illinois students from low-income families may use these new scholarships to attend a non-public school of their choice.
This legislation represents a major step forward that will help create more equity in school funding throughout Illinois, and for the first time provide real school choice for students and their families.
Please note: The Illinois Tax Credit Scholarship process and Marist’s Financial Assistance process are separate, so please follow the Financial Assistance process in addition to applying for the Illinois Tax Credit Scholarship.
Big Shoulders Fund Will Host Application Info Sessions
Families are invited to join one of Big Shoulders Fund’s Tax Credit Scholarship Information Zoom Sessions. These sessions will outline the application process, show a sample application, and help families prepare for steps one and two of the Big Shoulders Fund application. There will be separate Zoom links for English and Spanish.
Tax Credit Scholarship Information Zoom Session date/times are TBD.
Big Shoulders Fund Will Also Offer Practice Application
To keep up with all new information and updates along the way, be sure to follow Big Shoulders Fund on all social media platforms below, check out our website, and remember to SAVE THE DATE!
