If you’ve got a high school student in your household, a handful of local and statewide scholarships are now open — with several deadlines coming up quickly.

Here’s a clear look at what’s available, who’s eligible, and when to apply:

Illinois Sheriffs’ Association scholarships: The Illinois Sheriffs’ Association is awarding more than $58,000 in scholarships statewide for the 2026–2027 school year, including two $500 scholarships specifically for Kane County students through the Kane County Sheriff’s Office.

Applicants must be permanent Illinois residents and enrolled full-time at an accredited college or university, including online programs. Applications, essays, and required materials must be submitted to the applicant’s county sheriff’s office by March 13, 2026. Get more details and apply.

Utility scholarship program: The Illinois Municipal Utilities Association are offering $1,000 scholarships to eligible high school seniors in Geneva, Batavia, and St. Charles through an essay competition focused on utility-related topics.

Applicants must be seniors whose parents or legal guardians are residential customers of the city’s electric utility. Essays are limited to 500 words, and the submission deadline is March 13. Get more details and apply.

Pot O’ Gold raffle — Batavia’s Inspire Scholarships: The Batavia Chamber of Commerce has launched its first-ever Pot O’ Gold cash raffle to raise money for its Inspire Scholarship program for Batavia Public High School seniors. Learn more and contribute here.

Running throughout March, the raffle will award 35 cash prizes totaling $6,000, including two $1,000 drawings on March 17, with $10 tickets eligible for multiple daily drawings. Proceeds support graduating seniors who show community involvement and leadership, with scholarships available for college, trade school, or career training and paid directly to the recipient’s institution. Get more details and apply.

Specialist Ethan J. Martin Scholarship: The A Salute To Our Heroes Foundation is offering scholarships to Kane County residents who are children of veterans or have an immediate family member who served or is serving in the U.S. military.

The opportunity is open to high school seniors, college students, and adults entering degree or trade programs. Applications open January 5, are due April 4, and scholarships will be awarded May 5, with funds paid directly to the school. To learn more or apply for the Specialist Ethan J Martin Scholarship application, contact [email protected].

Illinois Conservation Foundation scholarships: The Illinois Conservation Foundation will award up to four $2,000 one-time scholarships to Illinois high school seniors who have shown sustained dedication to conservation, environmental protection, or natural resource stewardship.

One scholarship is reserved for a dependent of an Illinois Department of Natural Resources employee. Applications must be received by March 1. Get more details and apply.

Illinois Retail Scholarship Challenge: High school seniors statewide can also apply for the Illinois Retail Scholarship Challenge, which invites students to develop solutions to real-world retail industry challenges.

Teams can compete for scholarships totaling up to $60,000, with applications due March 30. The program is supported by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Get more details and apply.

With multiple March deadlines approaching, families may want to start gathering essays, transcripts, and recommendation materials now to avoid last-minute scrambles.

Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] with questions or comments.

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