ISAC Student PortalEarly Childhood Access Consortium for Equity Scholarship Program
The below reflects program information for the 2025-26 academic year, which in some cases is different from previous years. Please be sure to read the page in its entirety prior to applying for the scholarship. See the Processing Updates for further details.
You may either scroll through this page, or click on any of the following links to go directly to a specific topic:
Processing Updates
About the Program
Who Can Apply
How to Apply
What Happens After You Apply?
How Funds Are Distributed
Program Definitions
Participating Schools
Changes to Application Data
Programs Comparison
Processing Updates
Note that ISAC routinely updates this section as new information becomes available. Be sure to check back periodically for the current processing status.
For the 2025-26 Academic Year
(last updated on March 31, 2025)
The 2025-26 ECACE Scholarship Program application is now available
The 2025-26 priority consideration date is May 19, 2025. Untimely applications (i.e., those received after that date) will be considered for as long as funding remains available after all timely, qualified applicants had been awarded.
Applicants who complete the online application process – which means submitting a complete ECACE Scholarship Program application, including the required documentation, to ISAC and completing a FAFSA – will be notified of their eligibility status via a letter from ISAC. If, based on information provided on the application, the applicant is not eligible, ISAC will send a Notice of Ineligibility.
For the 2024-25 Academic Year
(last updated on September 24, 2024)
The 2024-25 ECACE Scholarship Program application is no longer being accepted.
For the first time since the program's creation, it is funded in fiscal year 2025 (for 2024-25 academic year awards) by the State of Illinois rather than by federal funds. Because considerably less funding is available, the number of recipients in 2024-25 is significantly limited, and the program is able to support only a portion of timely renewal applicants. August 11, 2024 was the priority for access to funding date. Untimely applications (i.e., those received after that date) were accepted through late August.
Award notifications are being delivered to awarded students by ISAC. Eligible students unable to receive an award due to funding limitations will also receive communication from ISAC informing them of this status. Please note that it is highly unlikely that any students receiving a letter notifying them of insufficient funds for an award will receive an ECACE Scholarship this year.
About the Program
The Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity Scholarship (ECACE) was created to address the shortage of qualified early childhood educators and build a strong, well-prepared workforce by encouraging those who want to further their education. The scholarship helps pay the cost of attendance for an academic year up to $7,500 for students attending eligible 2- and 4-year public and non-profit private colleges in Illinois. Recipients are expected to continue working or return to work in the early childhood care and education field in Illinois after completing their studies. Refer to the ECACE Scholarship FAQs for answers to common questions about the program.
Who Can Apply
To be eligible for an award during the 2025-26 academic year, you must:
- be a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen or meet the undocumented student criteria of the RISE Act.
- currently work or have ever worked as a teacher, assistant teacher, director, family childcare provider or family childcare assistant in a licensed or license-exempt facility;
- provide documentation confirming your employment history and current membership in the Gateways to Opportunity® Registry;
- be enrolled part-time (at least 3 credit hours) or full-time in an approved two-year or four-year college that is part of the ECACE program and be working toward the following undergraduate degrees:
- an associate of applied science degree or a related certificate in early childhood education, OR
- a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, with or without a teaching license;
- Please note: An applicant that has an AA/AAS degree in early childhood education but not yet completed a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education will meet the undergraduate education eligibility criteria for this program. Also, an applicant that has an undergraduate degree in any field other than early childhood education and is now pursuing an AA/AAS or bachelor’s in early childhood education will meet the undergraduate education eligibility criteria for this program.
- maintain good academic standing as required by your college;
- submit both the ECACE Scholarship application and the FAFSA (or Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid by the application deadline;
- not be in default on federal student loans or owe refunds on state or federal grants. If you are in default, you may re-establish your eligibility.
Priority consideration is given to applicants who have received the scholarship before, are close to graduating and have the lowest Student Aid Index (SAI) from their FAFSA or Alternative Application. You do not need to demonstrate financial need to be eligible for this scholarship.
How to Apply
We encourage you to complete and submit all required application forms before the priority application consideration deadline of May 19, 2025. Applications received after May 19, 2025 are considered only if funding is still available after awarding timely eligible applicants.
Follow these steps to apply for the 2025-26 ECACE Scholarship:
- Complete the Gateways to Opportunity Registry’s Eligibility Verification Form. Follow these instructions to access the Eligibility Verification Form. If you have prior employment that is not listed on your Eligibility Verification Form, you may request that it be added by completing the Reporting Prior Employment for ECACE Scholarship form.
- Ensure that the college at which you are taking or plan to take courses is an ECACE-participating college. If you would like to talk to someone about available opportunities, complete the ECACE Higher Education Navigator Interest Form and a representative from your local Child Care Resource and Referral Agency will contact you.
- Complete and submit the ECACE Scholarship Application.
- Note: You must list your college of choice on your application. If you plan to attend more than one college during the same term, list only your college of record on the ECACE application.
- Complete and submit the FAFSA or Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid.
- Note: You must list your college of choice on your FAFSA or Alternative Application. If you plan to attend more than one college, list both colleges on your FAFSA or Alternative Application.
- Notify the college(s) you listed on your application materials that you have submitted an ECACE Scholarship application.
What Happens After You Apply?
- You will receive a confirmation email once your application is received.
- Application processing takes up to 12 weeks.
- If you need to change your response(s) or update any information after your application has been submitted, contact ISAC directly following the Changes to Application Data instructions. Only one application may be submitted per academic year.
- Once ISAC determines that both the ECACE Scholarship application and the FAFSA or Alternative Application have been submitted, you will receive a letter stating that your application is considered complete. If your application is incomplete, ISAC will notify you on how to fix it. You will receive a letter explaining the reason and how to resolve the issue.
- Be sure the financial aid office at your college knows you will be enrolling and that you have submitted an ECACE Scholarship application.
- If you are determined to be not eligible for the scholarship, you will receive a Notice of Ineligibility.
- If your application is complete and your college determines you are eligible, your college will request payment on your behalf. Scholarship payments are made directly to the college.
How Funds Are Distributed
- If your application is complete and your college determines you are eligible, your college will request payment on your behalf. Scholarship payments are made directly to the college.
- Your college will receive the funds on your behalf and apply them to your costs.
- Recipients are expected to continue working or return to work in the early childhood care and education field in Illinois after completing their studies.
Program Definitions
- Licensed facility: A licensed facility is a childcare program in a center or home (family childcare) that is licensed by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). Most programs that serve more than three children aged 0 – 12 in a center or home are required to be licensed. Public and private schools and programs in other settings may not be required to be licensed and are typically categorized as "license-exempt", if serving children aged three and older. These facilities include home-based childcare, community-based centers, school-based preschool, Preschool for All programs and HeadStart programs.
- License-exempt facility: A license-exempt facility refers to childcare that is not required to be licensed by DCFS. They may include programs operated by public or private elementary school systems, high schools, or institutions of higher learning; programs conducted on federal government premises; and other programs recognized or registered with the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), if children in the program are aged three and older.
Participating Schools
To view a listing of Illinois colleges approved to participate in this program, click on the link below. Click on the name of the school you are interested in to be linked to information about its Early Childhood Education programs.
Changes to Application Data
Only one application for this program may be submitted per academic year. Consequently, if you need to change your response(s) to any item(s) and/or update any information after the application has been submitted, you will need to provide the information to ISAC. Examples of items that may need to be updated include demographic information (i.e., name, address, telephone number, etc.), your college of record and the impacted terms (e.g., full year, or fall or spring semester). These changes can be submitted to ISAC using one of the below methods, but cannot be done over the telephone.
- via e-mail to isac.studentservices@illinois.gov
- via FAX to 847.831.8549
- via letter to ISAC Program Operations, 1755 Lake Cook Road, Deerfield, IL 60015-5209
The request must include the last four digits of your Social Security number (for identification purposes) and clearly state what change(s) need to be made. These changes will not affect the application "received date." In order to allow adequate processing time and prevent a loss of benefits, changes to your college of record should to be reported prior to the beginning of the applicable term(s).
Programs Comparison
ISAC offers programs designed specifically for individuals studying to become teachers. A comparison chart provides a side-by-side view of the Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship, Illinois Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver (SETTW), ECACE Scholarship, Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois, and federal TEACH Grant programs.
