Homeschool benefits and savings in the Kishwaukee College district
Kishwaukee College (Kish) gives in-district graduates $1,000 a semester for four semesters with a 3.75 high school GPA, or $500 a semester with a 3.25 to 3.74 GPA. Homeschooled students who live in the Kish district qualify, and the award is automatic once your student applies and the final transcript confirms the GPA.
Who qualifies
Homeschooled in the Kish district
Kish names home-schooled students who live in the district alongside public and private school graduates. Use the college's residency page to check your address.
Meets the GPA cutoff
A cumulative high school GPA of 3.75 or higher earns President's Scholar; 3.25 to 3.74 earns College Scholar. Your student's final transcript confirms it.
Starts right after graduating
Enroll full time in the summer or fall semester right after graduation. December graduates may start the next spring, summer, or fall.
Takes 12 or more hours
Complete at least 12 credit hours each semester the award pays, except a final semester when finishing a degree. Non-credit courses do not count.
What it is worth
Kish lists in-district tuition at $160 per credit hour for 2026-27 and sets the scholarship amounts per semester.
- Full-time semester tuition (12 hours)
- $1,920
- President's Scholar, one semester
- $1,000
- President's Scholar, four semesters
- $4,000
- College Scholar, one semester
- $500
- College Scholar, four semesters
- $2,000
- Dual Credit Scholarship, four semesters
- $1,000
Kish does not say how it reads a homeschool transcript GPA or whether the academic and dual credit awards stack, so ask the One Stop before your student enrolls.
From applying to keeping it
- Senior year
Apply to Kish
Submit the Kish admission application. There is no separate scholarship application for these awards.
- After graduation
Send the final transcript
The final transcript confirms the cumulative GPA that sets the award level.
- First summer or fall
Enroll full time
Register for at least 12 credit hours in the summer or fall semester right after graduation.
- Each semester
Keep a 2.75 GPA
Hold a cumulative Kish GPA of 2.75 for the academic awards, or 2.0 for the Dual Credit Scholarship, across four consecutive semesters.
What it pays for
Covered
- A set amount each semester toward Kish costs
- Four consecutive semesters
Not covered
- Part-time semesters
- Non-credit courses
- Students living outside the Kish district
Good to know
No separate scholarship application
Kish says students are automatically awarded once they apply to the college and the final transcript confirms the GPA requirement.
The page lists no ACT or SAT requirement
The scholarship page lists GPA cutoffs only and does not mention ACT or SAT scores.
Who to contact
The One Stop answers questions about tuition, residency, and how scholarships appear on your student's bill.
onestop@kish.edu 815-825-9375 Kish scholarships
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
- My student took a Kish class during high school. Is there more money?
- Yes, if your student earned a C or better in at least 3 credit hours of Kish coursework in high school. The Dual Credit Scholarship then pays $250 a semester for up to four semesters.
- What if my student wants to start part time?
- A part-time semester does not qualify. The awards need at least 12 credit hours in each semester they pay; only a final semester when your student is completing a degree can be lighter.
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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