Scholarships at the Community Foundation
Since 1993 the DeKalb County Community Foundation has partnered with philanthropists to benefit organizations and communities throughout DeKalb County. Many of our donors who care about education create Scholarship Funds to help individuals with rising education costs. The Foundation offers over 80 scholarships to students across DeKalb County.
Becky Zantout
Applying for a Scholarship
Most scholarships offered through Funds at the Community Foundation are for students graduating from high schools in DeKalb County. High school students must apply for these using the Foundation's Universal Scholarship Application process. Applicants who are not high school students should not use the Universal Application. Scholarships that fall under this universal application process open on February 1, 2022, and have a deadline of 11:59 p.m. on April 1, 2022.
A small number of scholarship opportunities are not included in the Universal Application. Applicants must determine their eligibility and apply using an application specific to that award. Learn more about these additional scholarships on the Additional Scholarship Opportunities page.
For questions on scholarships at the Community Foundation, please contact Scholarships Manager Becky Zantout at b.zantout@dekalbccf.org or 815-748-5383.
How to Apply Using the Universal Scholarship Application
The Universal Scholarship Application allows high school students to complete a single application to qualify and apply for many scholarship opportunities. In 2022, the Universal Application is open from February 1 to 11:59 p.m. on April 1.
- To begin, students must set up a Universal Application account.
- Once the account is created, students start the application process.
- Students are then asked a series of questions that determine their eligibility for specific awards. Based on their response to these common questions, the application will request supplemental information specific to individual awards.
Need Help Using the Universal Application?
Review the tutorials below for assistance creating an account and completing a scholarship application.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Personal identification information
- Details about extracurricular activities and community involvement
- Write a short essay
- A letter of recommendation from community member and/or teacher
- Plans for post-secondary education at a college, university, or trade school
- SAT and ACT scores
- Class Rank
- Information detailing their financial need
- The expected family contribution received after submitting the FAFSA
- Note: It is not required to submit personal financial information, though many scholarship reference financial need as a deciding factor for the selection committee
- High school transcripts
- Specific essay questions
To view or edit your application log in to your application profile. You cannot edit your application after it is submitted. There is no advantage for submitting an application early. Make sure your application is up to date and unlikely to change before you submit.
Additional Scholarship Opportunities, Renewals, and Reapplications
The following scholarship opportunities are not included in the Foundation's Universal Application. This listing contains the scholarship opportunities for post high school students, including scholarship renewals and reapplications. To determine eligibility for these awards, please review the guidelines for each and complete an online application.
CHS Elburn Scholarship
The CHS Elburn Scholarship is available to high school graduates and current undergraduate students at an accredited college or university. Applicants must be a family member of an eligible CHS Elburn customer or employee. Applications are available February 1 - April 1 each year.
Donald and Patricia Pritchard Scholarship
The Donald and Patricia Pritchard Scholarship benefits a graduating DeKalb County high school senior OR a current college student who graduated from a DeKalb County high school and plans to attend or is already enrolled at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, majoring in any agriculture related field. Current college students must be currently enrolled in the University's College of ACES (Agriculture, Consumer, and Economic Sciences). Applications are available February 1 - April 1 each year.
- 2022 scholarship recipients - Logan Bend, Ava Splear, Samantha Moore, and Natalie Pasillas
- See past recipients of the Donald and Patricia Pritchard Scholarship
View guidelines for the Donald and Patricia Pritchard Scholarship >
Dr. and Mrs. Harold P. Wells Scholarship
The Dr. and Mrs. Harold P. Wells Scholarship is available to employees and family members of the employees of the DeKalb Fire Department and graduates of the Kishwaukee Education Consortium's Fire Science Program. The Wells Scholarship can be used to offset expenses for any educational purpose. Some examples include college tuition, any fire course, educational short courses, conferences and camps, such as music and space camp, etc. Applications are available February 1 - April 15.
View guidelines for the Dr. and Mrs. Harold P. Wells Scholarship >
Wilma and Harold Wells
Ed and Kim Kapper Physical Therapy Scholarship
The Ed and Kim Kapper Physical Therapy Scholarship provides support for a high school graduate of a DeKalb County school who is attending an accredited physical therapy program at an accredited college or university. Applications are available April 1 - June 1 each year.
- 2022 scholarship recipient - Leea Perry
- See past recipients of the Ed & Kim Kapper Physical Therapy Scholarship
View guidelines for the Ed and Kim Kapper Physical Therapy Scholarship >
Jeffrey A. Trail Memorial Scholarship
Lt. Jeffrey Allen Trail
The Jeffrey A. Trail Memorial Scholarship provides an initial monetary award every year to a recent high school graduate from DeKalb County who is in the first year at one of the five U.S. service academies and who has been chosen from among that year’s applicants. The selected student will receive an additional stipend each year that he or she continues at the academy. Completion of the four-year undergraduate program would result in total assistance amounting to $5,000. Applications are available April 1 - June 1 each year.
View guidelines for the Jeffrey A. Trail Memorial Scholarship >
Renaissance Scholarship
The Renaissance Scholarship offers a $1,000 initial scholarship renewable for up to three years to an individual returning to school for his or her undergraduate degree after being a part of the work force. Applications are available April 1 - June 1 each year.
- 2022 scholarship recipient - Erika Nunez
- See past recipients of the Renaissance Scholarship
Spinoso Masters Scholarship
The Spinoso Masters Scholarship provides a scholarship for up to $10,000 to a deserving student to cover tuition costs of post-undergraduate or master's studies. Eligible applicants must have graduated from a DeKalb County high school but do not need to currently live in DeKalb County. Applications are available April 1 - June 1 each year.
- 2022 scholarship recipients - Jacob Bjork, Elena Haliczer, Tyler Hull, Diana Morales
- See past recipients of the Spinoso Masters Scholarship
Virginia Larsen Nursing Scholarship
The Virginia Larsen Nursing Scholarship is open to students who are residents of DeKalb County seeking a college-level nursing degree. Applicants must be a full-time student. Applications are available February 1 - April 15.
Virginia Larsen, circa 1954
If giving the gift of education is an area of interest to you, consider donating to an existing Scholarship Fund or create one of your own. To discuss your charitable interests, please contact Executive Director Dan Templin at 815-748-5383 or dan@dekalbccf.org.