Will County Access Scholarship

Will County Initiative Scholarship

The Will County Access Scholarship is a commitment by the University of St. Francis. It is a new approach to offering a high quality, private university education to students who may have never realized that this option was open to them.

“The Will County Access Initiative is a mission-inspired approach to offering a high-quality, private university education to students who may have never realized that this option was open to them. This will create additional opportunities for local students to earn their college degrees without the worry of incurring student loan debt,” said USF president Arvid Johnson, Ph.D.

USF’s Will County Access Initiative was created to support full-tuition scholarships to benefit academically-talented students from under served populations, who dream of earning a college degree.

Created specifically for students at Will County high schools, the initiative is meant as a way to create a new path– to create access to high quality, private, higher education right here in Will County.

It is important to note that all students who meet the established qualifications will receive the scholarship.

To qualify for the Will County Access Scholarship, which will be awarded in the fall semester, applicants must:

  • Reside in Will County and attend a Will County high school;
  • Maintain a minimum 3.6 high school grade-point-average or higher (on a 4.0 scale);
  • File a FAFSA (Free Application for Student Aid) by December 1 of each year attendance at USF is anticipated;
  • Qualify for financial aid with a $0 Expected Family Contribution;
  • Be a United States citizen and Illinois resident (parents listed on the FAFSA are also Illinois residents);
  • Be admitted to USF as a new freshman; and,
  • Enroll and stay enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program for at least 12 hours during fall and spring semesters.
  • NOTE: This scholarship is not available to student-athletes coming to USF with athletic grants and scholarships. (Scholarship athletes at USF are not eligible for this program.)

This program is provided by the University of St. Francis through the generous support of donors and is only available for qualified students enrolling at USF.  

Students will be awarded scholarships until July 15th.

How to qualify

There is no special application for the Will County Access Scholarship. You must apply and be accepted to USF to qualify.

  1. Apply to USF. Students from Will County high schools must apply and be accepted through the normal admissions process. You can apply through the Common App or here online (at no cost).
  2. File a FAFSA and provide information on family income.
  3. Provide transcripts from your Will County high school indicating a GPA of 3.6 or higher (on a 4.0 scale).
  4. Enroll full time at USF and maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 on our 4.0 scale

Will County High Schools

Beecher High School
Bolingbrook High School
Crete-Monee High School
Illinois Lutheran High School
Joliet Catholic Academy
Joliet Central High School
Joliet West High School
Lincoln-Way Central High School
Lincoln-Way East High School
Lincoln-Way West High School
Lockport Township High School East
Peotone High School
Plainfield East High School
Plainfield High School
Plainfield North High School
Plainfield South High School
Providence Catholic High School
Reed-Custer High School
Romeoville High School