Advance Your Career in Early Childhood Education
Do you want to advance in your career as an early childhood educator or become an early childhood professional?
Applications for the 2025–26 academic year are now closed.
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What Does The Scholarship Cover?
100% of tuition and eligible fees are covered, plus up to $250 in books per course. The scholarship will serve as a “last dollar” scholarship, meaning it will cover everything that students’ federal grants and other scholarships do not cover.
Which Academic/Degree Pathways are Available?
The scholarship matches recipients with the right higher education program to go toward one of the following academic/degree pathways.
- Basic & Advanced Certificates
- Associates Degree
- Bachelor’s Degree - Licensure or Non-Licensure track (Associate to Bachelor pathway)
- Alternative Licensure Program - Licensure for current ECE professionals with earned Bachelor’s degree
- Coursework to earn:
- Endorsement
- Gateways Credentials
Who is Eligible?
- Current Chicago Early Learning program staff employed at a CPS Pre-K or Head Start/Early Head Start/PFA/PI funded Community-Based program.
- Chicago-based individuals interested in becoming early childhood educators.
Whether you want to get a degree in early childhood education, increase your Gateways credential level or join the early childhood workforce this opportunity is for you.
Recipients must be eligible for employment in a Chicago Early Learning program. (Recipients cannot have any felonies and must be able to pass an FBI, State of Illinois, and Sex Offender background check.)
3-Year Work Commitment
Chicago Early Learning Workforce Scholarship recipients must commit to working in a Chicago Early Learning program which includes CPS Pre-K and Head Start/Early Head Start/PFA/PI funded community-based programs for a minimum of three years after completing the degree or approved academic program.
Who is Eligible?
- Current Chicago Early Learning program staff employed at a CPS Pre-K or Head Start/Early Head Start/PFA/PI funded Community-Based program.
- Chicago-based individuals interested in becoming early childhood educators.
Whether you want to get a degree in early childhood education, increase your Gateways credential level or join the early childhood workforce this opportunity is for you.
Recipients must be eligible for employment in a Chicago Early Learning program. (Recipients cannot have any felonies and must be able to pass an FBI, State of Illinois, and Sex Offender background check.)
3-Year Work Commitment
Chicago Early Learning Workforce Scholarship recipients must commit to working in a Chicago Early Learning program which includes CPS Pre-K and Head Start/Early Head Start/PFA/PI funded community-based programs for a minimum of three years after completing the degree or approved academic program.
Have Questions?
If you have any questions or need additional support, please contact scholarships@chilearn.org.
The Workforce Scholarship Isn’t Just for Teachers
The Workforce Scholarship is available to all Chicago residents aspiring to join the early childhood workforce. It is also open to early education professionals engaged in roles beyond the classroom setting.
Parents of children currently enrolled in one of Chicago’s early childhood programs and recent High School graduates are encouraged to apply. DACA recipients are also eligible.
The Workforce Scholarship is also for the whole ECE field including:
- Infant/toddler teachers
- Family Engagement Specialists
- Education and development coordinators
- Preschool teachers
- Early Childhood directors
- and anyone serious about entering the ECE workforce!
Scholarship Success Stories
“I wanted to go back to school, but I didn’t know how I was going to pay for it. So, I applied for the Workforce Scholarship. This scholarship has changed my life and I would have never have been able to have all of the resources and skills that I need for the classroom if it wasn’t for the Workforce Scholarship.”
Timothy Avant, Workforce Scholarship Alumni
HEAR WHAT PAST RECIPIENTS HAVE SAID
Scholarship Success Stories
“I wanted to go back to school, but I didn’t know how I was going to pay for it. So, I applied for the Workforce Scholarship. This scholarship has changed my life and I would have never have been able to have all of the resources and skills that I need for the classroom if it wasn’t for the Workforce Scholarship.”
Timothy Avant, Workforce Scholarship Alumni
HEAR WHAT PAST RECIPIENTS HAVE SAID
About the Chicago Early Learning Workforce Scholarship
The Mayor’s Office, City Colleges of Chicago (CCC)- Harry S. Truman College, Chicago Public Schools (CPS), and the Department of Family & Support Services (DFSS) collaborated to launch the Chicago Early Learning Workforce Scholarship (CELWS) initiative. CELWS aims to support Chicagoans and the current Chicago Early Learning workforce as they pursue coursework to earn a credential, degree, endorsement, or licensure to work with young children (birth through Pre-k) and families in Chicago Early Learning programs.
The scholarship serves an important role in Chicago’s efforts to expand access to early learning across the city and build a more robust workforce to help Chicago expand high-quality early learning programs. CELWS provides recipients with meaningful career pathways through partnerships with Institutions of Higher Education, offering students personalized support as they navigate their desired course of study.
Where Can I Learn More?
If you've already applied, look out for an email from us for the next steps of the screening phase! Have questions about the scholarship? Email scholarships@chilearn.org for more information.
College & University Partner Resources
You can read more about our college/university partners and programs offered by visiting the links below:
- City Colleges of Chicago programs in Child Development, Human Development and Family Studies, and Social Work. To search for endorsements, visit Academic Catalog.
- National Louis University B.A in Applied Education Studies, Early Childhood Education, and Infant-Toddler Studies.
- Roosevelt University (Associate to Bachelor degree pathway) B.A. in Early Childhood Education.
- University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Early Childhood Alternative Licensure program.
More information on ECE Credentials can be found at Gateways to Opportunities, a professional development support system for Illinois.
Additional Scholarship resources can be found at:
Read The Frequently Asked Questions Before Applying
Our Partners
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