Homeschool benefits through Elgin Community College District 509
Elgin Community College (ECC) pays $2,000 a year through its Top 10 Percent trustee scholarship, or $1,000 a year through the Top 20 Percent award, for up to two years of full-time study. A homeschool graduate who lives in District 509 qualifies with an ACT composite of 26 for the larger award or 24 for the smaller one.
Who qualifies
Submits an ACT score
Homeschooled students are judged on ACT scores instead of class rank: a composite of at least 26 for Top 10 Percent and at least 24 for Top 20 Percent.
Lives in District 509
Your student must live in the ECC district for at least 30 days before the first term the award pays for, and stay in the district for the whole scholarship period.
Starts right after graduating
Your student enrolls at ECC as a freshman in the fall or spring semester immediately after high school graduation.
Enrolls full time in a degree
At least 12 credit hours a term, accepted into an associate degree program unless a vocational certificate is the only option. Non-credit courses do not count.
What it is worth
ECC charges in-district students $148 per credit hour from summer 2026, and its trustee scholarship procedure sets the award amounts.
- Full-time term tuition (12 hours)
- $1,776
- Full-time year tuition (24 hours)
- $3,552
- Top 10 Percent award, one year
- $2,000
- Top 20 Percent award, one year
- $1,000
- Top 10 Percent award, two years
- $4,000
- Top 20 Percent award, two years
- $2,000
Tuition alone for a full-time year is more than either award, and course and lab fees vary by class, so ask Financial Aid how the award is split across tuition, fees, and books each term.
From applying to keeping it
- Senior year
Take the ACT
Get an ACT composite of 26 or higher for Top 10 Percent, or 24 or higher for Top 20 Percent, and send the scores to ECC.
- Before you enroll
Submit the paper application
ECC requires a paper application, a one-page personal statement on educational plans, career goals, and community involvement, and transcripts. Incomplete applications are not processed.
- Before the award
Send the final transcript
A final transcript showing the graduation date must be on file before the award is made, and your student attends new student orientation.
- Each term
Complete scholar activities
Top 10 Percent scholars complete ten leadership and service activities a semester and Top 20 Percent scholars complete five, through the Academic Scholars Program.
- Year two
Keep a 3.0 GPA
Stay at 12 or more credit hours each fall and spring with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. Second-year students confirm eligibility instead of reapplying.
What it pays for
Covered
- Tuition
- Fees
- Books
- Up to 12 hours of remedial classes
Not covered
- Summer terms
- Part-time enrollment
- Non-credit courses
- Costs above the yearly award
The trustee procedure says the award goes toward tuition, fees, and books, up to the yearly amount.
Good to know
ACT scores replace class rank
ECC's procedure says homeschooled students submit ACT scores instead of a class rank. A composite of 26 puts your student in the running for Top 10 Percent, and 24 for Top 20 Percent.
The FAFSA is not required
The Top 10 and Top 20 Percent awards do not require the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Who to contact
Financial Aid and Scholarships in Building B, Room B156, handles trustee scholarship applications and questions about homeschool ACT scores.
financialaid@elgin.edu 847-214-7360 Contact form
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Illinois
You do not have to file a homeschool notice.
Illinois sets these rules:
- Subjects: Teach language arts, math, biological, physical, and social sciences, fine arts, and physical development and health, in English, at least at public-school level.
- Testing: Illinois does not require standardized testing for homeschoolers.
- Records: Illinois does not require homeschool records.
- Teachers: The instructor must be competent; no state teaching certificate is required.
Read the Illinois homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Illinois
Questions parents ask
- Can my student take a gap year first?
- No. The award is for a freshman who starts at ECC in the fall or spring semester immediately after high school graduation.
- What happens if my student drops below 12 credit hours?
- Dropping below full-time enrollment forfeits the scholarship. ECC's procedure says a student who falls short of a requirement may regain eligibility in a later semester.
- Is there a deadline?
- Not one ECC lists on its trustee pages. Ask Financial Aid for the application date and the paper form before your student's last semester of high school.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
College classes can cover part of high school. We teach the subjects your child needs alongside them, starting at the right level in each subject.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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