Displaced Energy Worker Dependent Transition Scholarship Program
Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC)
Pays one calendar year of tuition and fees at an Illinois public university or community college for children of workers laid off from closing power plants or coal mines.
- How much
- tuition and fees (capped at in-district/in-state rates) for one calendar year
- Who qualifies
- Child or stepchild of an energy worker laid off due to a fossil fuel power plant or coal mine reduction/closure on or after Sept 15, 2016
- At least 3 credit hours at an Illinois public university or community college; unmet need in the financial aid package; satisfactory academic progress. Illinois residency not required at enrollment.
- For students starting college, undergrads, grad students
- U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen
- Need-based: your FAFSA decides how much you get.
- When to apply
- Open now · due March 1, 2027 Annual, by first term wanted: October 1 (fall or full year), March 1 (spring/2nd-3rd quarter, with or without summer), June 15 (summer only).
- How to apply
- Submit the application through the ISAC Student Portal (desktop/laptop only) with proof of the parent's layoff, and file the FAFSA for the same year
- What you'll need
- state application + FAFSA
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (isac.org)
The details
For children (including adopted and stepchildren) of an energy worker who lost their job because a fossil fuel power plant or coal mine reduced operations or closed on or after September 15, 2016. Pays tuition and fees at Illinois public universities or community colleges for one calendar year, including summer, undergraduate or graduate. Capped at in-district/in-state tuition and fees. You must have unmet need in your aid package.
More money from Illinois
- Monetary Award Program (MAP) Grantup to $8,400 per year (tuition and mandatory fees only)
- AIM HIGH Grant Programvaries by university
- Higher Education License Plate (HELP) Programvaries; tuition and mandatory fees only
Keep looking
- Answer a few questions to see every program you qualify for
- Nearby states: Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Wisconsin
- Federal aid and national scholarships (open to students in any state)
- The FAFSA in plain English (2027-28)
- Should I file the FAFSA if I don't think I'll qualify?
- FAFSA deadlines by state (2027-28)
- The FAFSA for parents: what you need to do
- How to save on textbooks: free, rented and cheaper options
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