Illinois State University Scholarships for Indian Students 2026

Illinois State University is an international American institution that draws academics and students from around the globe. More than 165 undergraduate majors, 90 master's degree programs, 10 PhD programs, Pathway programs, and Academic English preparation are available for you to select from. Currently, 20,784 students are enrolled in the university. International students coming from 69 countries including Germany, India, Brazil, and China, represent a significant portion of the student body. Mathematics, Information Systems, Business Administration, Technology, and Applied Economics are some of the most popular courses among international students. 

Generally speaking, the Illinois State University scholarships you are qualified for are determined by your high school transcript, activities, and achievements. A lot of the time, the organisation or individual donor funding the scholarship wants to recognize or promote particular traits or actions, such high academic standing, leadership or volunteer work, or aspirations to pursue a particular career. The majority of scholarships are given out each year. This often entails accepting applications in the spring or fall, notifying winners a few weeks to months later, and making the actual awards the following fall. Unfortunately, scholarships are unlikely to be of assistance if you are seeking to pay off an outstanding obligation at this time.

Latest About Illinois State University Scholarships

Illinois State has made significant investments in its most financially needy students for a long time. They still give out ISU Access Grants worth close to $13 million a year to students from the lowest-income families. In most cases, these students pay close to nothing for tuition and fees when MAP and Pell Grants are combined. The Pell Grant frequently includes money to help with some of the cost of housing for students.

Illinois State University Scholarship for Indian Students

The majority of Illinois State University scholarships for Indian students are external awards given out by for-profit businesses to support students in realising their goals. These are some scholarships that are open to students from India. 

Name of Scholarship	Eligibility	Award Amount
Higher Education Scholarship Test for Indian Students HEST 2024	The candidate must be an Indian citizen and hold a current Indian passport. Candidates must have received at least a 55% in their 10th and 12th grades.	Partial funding- Up to INR 300,000 per student
Education Future International Scholarship - USA & Non-USA 2024	The candidate must be an Indian citizen and hold a current Indian passport. Candidates must have received at least a 60% in their 10th and 12th grades.	Partial funding- INR 200,000 to INR- 10,00,000
Nehru Study Abroad Scholarship 2024	The candidate must be an Indian citizen and hold a current Indian passport. Candidates must have received at least a 60% in their 10th and 12th grades.	Partial funding- INR 30,000 to INR- 500,000
Study Abroad Excellence Award 2024	Candidates have to be citizens of India. Candidates who fall under the OCI category are not eligible. A minimum average of 60% must have been earned in the applicant's prior degree program.	Partial funding- Varies

Illinois State University Scholarship for International Students

There are many Illinois State University scholarships for international students. For international students, the Office of International Engagement provides a partial tuition remission in addition to the other scholarships listed below.  

Name of Scholarship	Level of Study	Scholarship Eligibility	Scholarship Benefit
Partial Tuition Waivers	Undergraduate	a. maintain a GPA of 3.0 or above; b. enrol full-time for the spring 2024 semester; and c. always maintain excellent academic and disciplinary standing. d. For the duration of the semester(s), not have a graduate assistantship.	$5,000 USD per semester
I-House Merit Award	Undergraduate	Maintain a clean record both academically and disciplinarily with the university Have actively participated in International House programs, which has helped to internationalise the campus and community. Current International House TLLC residents are given preference.	$1,600 USD per semester
Lucy Jen Huang Hickrod Award	Graduate	Chinese applicants who are full-time graduate students at Illinois State University Must be in good academic standing at the University	Not mentioned
Betty Plummer International Studies Outstanding Senior Scholarships	Graduate	During the current academic year, the student must be receiving their bachelor's degree. The student has demonstrated their value to foreign programs and has strong post-graduation intentions (graduate studies, returning home to serve the nation, etc.).	Varies
Marilyn M. Boyd Memorial Scholarship	Undergraduate	At the time of award, the student's GPA must be at least 3.0. The student must be able to prove their need for money. A thousand word essay about peace education.	Not Mentioned

Illinois State University Scholarship for Graduate Students

Students can apply for Illinois State University graduate scholarships, and are notified upon selection. 

Name of Scholarship	Scholarship Eligibility	Scholarship Benefit
Ada Belle Clark Welsh Scholarship	Those who work in the humanities and liberal arts, including those who pursue teacher preparation or want and become better teachers.	Up to $2,500
Lela Winegarner	Any foreign student accepted into a program at Illinois State Graduate School with the intention of using their degree to provide services is qualified.	Varies
ORA BRETALL SCHOLARSHIP	Students whose thesis/dissertation proposal is associated with educational theory are eligible for this award.	$1,000 for master's thesis and $2,000 for doctoral dissertation
McNair Book Scholarship	A student must be enrolled full-time and have participated in the Ronald E. McNair Post Baccalaureate Achievement Program as an undergraduate in good standing in order to be eligible for an Illinois State University McNair Book Scholarship.	$250 in support for the Fall and Spring semesters (total $500) and $100 in support for the summer semester

Illinois State University Scholarship for Undergraduate Students
Students willing to study abroad must be aware of the Illinois State University out-of-state scholarships, domestic scholarships and international scholarships for undergraduate students. 

Name of Scholarship	Scholarship Eligibility	Scholarship Benefit
Redbird Academic Scholarship	The Redbird Academic Scholarship is automatically awarded to new, academically-talented domestic freshmen who have achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a scale of 4.0.	$1,000 per year to $5,000 per year
Jesse W. Fell Scholarship	For this extremely competitive grant, freshmen with a cumulative GPA of 3.75 or above are encouraged to apply.	$12,000 per year
Legacy Scholarship	This award is available to new freshmen and transfer students whose parents or grandparents attended Illinois State.	$500 annually for up to four years
Civic Engagement Scholarship	This award honours first-year and transfer students who demonstrate a strong commitment to community service and civic participation.	$2,000 annually, renewable for the duration of your college education.
Transfer Student Scholarship	This award is automatically awarded to first-time, domestic transfer students based on academic merit. You must achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.5.	$3,000
Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship	This scholarship is awarded to select new transfer students who are members of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. You must achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.5.	$500 annually, with a two-year renewable term.
STAR Scholarship	New City Colleges of Chicago STAR Scholar transfer students are eligible to apply for the STAR Scholarship. You must achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.0.	$10,000 in total ($5,000 annually, extendable for one more year throughout your undergraduate studies).
Bird to Bird Scholarship	It is given to Heartland Community College transfer students who are enrolled in Redbird Promise and will be starting their autumn semester.  You must achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.4 or higher.	Minimum $1,000

Eligibility Criteria for Illinois State University Scholarship

The eligibility criteria of Illinois State University scholarships vary depending on your chosen scholarship. However, here are some general eligibility criteria that you must meet in order to be eligible for most scholarships at ISU. 

• You must be accepted by Illinois State University in order to be eligible for any scholarship offered by the university. 
• If you are a freshman student you must meet the required cumulative GPA to be eligible for most awards. 
• You must demonstrate financial need in order to be eligible for certain scholarships.
• You must demonstrate excellent academic standards in order to be eligible for certain scholarships. 
• For some scholarships, students are required to be enrolled in full-time courses at Illinois State University. 
• You should be a citizen of certain nationalities to be eligible for certain scholarships at Illinois State University. 

Required Documents for Illinois State University Scholarships

The following documents are required from students to be considered for Illinois State University scholarships-

• Offer from the university
• Common Application and eligibility forms
• Bank statements and other financial documents
• Recommendation letters (if required)
• Passport and visa
• Proof of citizenship or permanent residency
• Academic transcripts
• Portfolio (if required)

How are scholarships awarded at Illinois State University?

The majority of scholarships are given out each year. This often entails accepting applications in the spring or fall, notifying winners a few weeks to months later, and making the actual awards the following fall. Furthermore, the Office of overseas Engagement provides overseas students with a partial tuition waiver in addition to the other Illinois State University international scholarships.

How to apply for scholarships at Illinois State University?

Illinois State University offers a variety of scholarships with different application requirements. Here are the application requirements of some of its scholarships-

• Apply for admission to Illinois State University and then submit your application for any of the scholarships listed for which you qualify.
• Filling out the eligibility form is a necessity.
• Using the Illinois State Application Portal, you may begin your application by making an account and then continue it by logging in.
• Applying to several schools at once is possible using the Common Application. (Only available to freshmen in the summer or autumn.)
• Illinois State welcomes applications from overseas students for both undergraduate and graduate programs.
• Readmission application is available to returning undergraduate students who want to apply.
• The application portals for transfer and second bachelor's degree students are different. Graduate applications are available for submission by students. 

Scholarship Application Deadlines at Illinois State University for 2024

Here are the scholarship deadlines for some of the freshmen scholarships available at Illinois state University graduate school-

• Ada Belle Clark Welsh- March 15

• Lela Winegarner- September 15

• Ora Bretall- March 15 and September 15
• McNair Book Scholarship- August 1
• Donald F. McHenry- March 15
• Illinois State Foundation- March 15
• Diversifying Higher Education Faculty in Illinois (DFI)- March 1

Illinois State University Scholarships Calculator

The Illinois State University scholarship calculator offers a Net Price Calculator. This calculator is designed to give current and prospective students and their families estimated net price information based on what similar students paid in a previous year. Estimated net price information is defined as estimated cost of attendance - including tuition and required fees, books and supplies, room and board (meals), and other related expenses - minus estimated grant and scholarship aid.