Homeschool benefits: Waubonsee Community College District 516
Waubonsee Community College homeschool dual credit: Published dual-credit opportunities include a 30% tuition discount for eligible on-campus courses. Other options include local programs.
Benefits in the Waubonsee Community College District 516 service area
- Waubonsee Community College homeschool dual credit
- Kishwaukee College homeschool graduate scholarships
- Elgin Community College homeschool trustee scholarships
- Forest Preserve District of Will County Four Rivers homeschool day
Waubonsee Community College homeschool dual credit
What it is worth
Published dual-credit opportunities include a 30% tuition discount for eligible on-campus courses; online and current homeschool-specific treatment require confirmation
Who qualifies
Rules
- The homeschool discount is unconfirmed. Ask Waubonsee whether the current discount applies to your child.
- Course format, residency, age, parent approval, registration, and term rules apply.
Kishwaukee College homeschool graduate scholarships
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
Elgin Community College homeschool trustee scholarships
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
Forest Preserve District of Will County Four Rivers homeschool day
Who qualifies
Is homeschooled and the right age
The Day and Night session is for elementary-aged homeschoolers ages 5-10. The Diurnal and Nocturnal session is for middle and high schoolers ages 11-18.
Registers in advance
Register each child online or by phone at 815-722-9470 by Tuesday, November 10.
Comes with an adult
These are not drop-off programs. Adults and chaperones do not register but must stay for the whole program.
What the program offers
The terms come from the District's two November 12, 2026 Homeschool Day event pages.
- Program fee
- Free
- Length
- 90 minutes
- Day and Night session
- Ages 5-10
- Diurnal and Nocturnal session
- Ages 11-18
- Adult registration
- Not needed
Both event pages also mention McKinley Woods, Kerry Sheridan Grove, in the description, so confirm the meeting spot when you register.
How to sign up
- By November 10, 2026
Register
Use the Register Online link on the event page or call 815-722-9470. Pick the session that matches your child's age.
- November 12, 10:00 a.m.
Arrive at Four Rivers
Come to Four Rivers Environmental Education Center, 25055 W. Walnut Lane in Channahon, with an adult who stays for the program.
- Through the year
Watch for the next date
Filter the District's event calendar by Homeschooling to see upcoming homeschool programs at Four Rivers and other sites.
What it includes
Included
- Naturalist-led field trip
- Separate sessions for elementary and teen homeschoolers
- Adult chaperones at no cost
Not included
- Drop-off attendance
- Walk-ins without registration
Good to know
Homeschool Day meets at Four Rivers
You meet at Four Rivers Environmental Education Center, 25055 W. Walnut Lane in Channahon; confirm the spot when you register.
Only children register
Adults and chaperones do not register, but one must be present for the whole program.
Lessons compare day and night
The younger group explores what it takes to succeed as an early bird or a night owl, and the older group looks at what helps animals and plants succeed during the day and at night.
Who to contact about Homeschool Day
District staff take phone registrations and answer questions about Homeschool Days. Four Rivers is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
815-722-9470 Event page and registration
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
- What enrollment rules apply to these benefits?
- None listed. All four benefits are open to homeschooled students without public school enrollment.
- Who receives payment from these benefits?
- Forest Preserve District of Will County Four Rivers homeschool day is not paid to the family. No payment to the family is listed for Waubonsee Community College homeschool dual credit, Kishwaukee College homeschool graduate scholarships, and Elgin Community College homeschool trustee scholarships.
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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