Community Services Block Grant Scholarship Program
The City of Chicago is now accepting applications for the 2024 Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Scholarship Program. The program will award scholarships to eligible students for the fall semester of 2024 to cover the cost of tuition, vocational training, and other approved post secondary education expenses at accredited institutions. Scholarships range from $1,000 to $5,000 for income-eligible residents.
Application Deadline: Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at 5:00 PM.
Types of Scholarships
Some scholarships are earned by meeting or exceeding certain standards set by scholarship providers. Some scholarships reward a student’s academic achievement or a combination of academics and special talents, traits, or interests. Other scholarships are based on a student’s financial need.
- Financial need
- Merit
- Talent (visual and performing arts, athletics)
- Volunteerism and service
- Religious affiliation
- Organizational affiliations
- Other qualifications
To be considered for most scholarships, students will have to submit applications that require basic information including, transcripts, activities resume and in most instances complete an essay.
Connect to Scholarship Resources
A New Way to Support Your Student’s Future
SchooLinks is a modern, student-centric college and career planning platform that helps CPS students in grades 6-12 and families align personal interests and aspirations with preparation for life beyond high school.
Over time, students will build a personalized portfolio, complete career interest inventories, set goals, search for and apply to colleges and other postsecondary options, find scholarships, track earned certificates and credentials, tap into internship opportunities, develop a robust resume, and much, much more.
SchooLinks is the official college and career readiness platform for CPS students in grades 6-12. It helps students and their families create an individualized roadmap to serve each student's unique skills, interests, and goals for the future.
Tips for Qualifying for Scholarships
Eligibility varies by scholarship, but students can improve their overall chances of winning a scholarship by:
- Getting good grades
- Preparing and practice to do well on the ACT or SAT tests
- Being involved in school clubs and extracurricular organizations (outside of school)
- Submitting thorough college applications
- Submitting applications prior to deadlines and meeting eligibility criteria
- Following directions carefully
- Writing exceptional essays to respond to questions within scholarship applications
For more information about CPS scholarship resources, email CPS Scholarship Manager at CollegeScholarships@cps.edu.
CPS Scholarship Resources
Tools and resources can help your student explore scholarship opportunities and manage scholarship applications.
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List of scholarship opportunities, eligibility details, and application deadlines by month and grade level.
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CPS Scholarship Alert Sign-Up Form
Sign up to receive email alerts to scholarship opportunities for postsecondary study and academic enrichment.
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Check the alerts log for scholarship announcements if you are not on the email list for CPS Scholarship Alerts or if you can't find the original message.