Optometric Education Scholarship Program (OESP)
Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC)
Up to $5,000 a year toward tuition and fees for Illinois optometry students who agree to practice in Illinois.
- How much
- the lesser of $5,000 or tuition and mandatory fees per year
- Who qualifies
- Illinois resident; full-time in a Doctor of Optometry program at an Illinois college of optometry (ISAC notes awards are available only at the Illinois College of Optometry); must practice optometry in Illinois afterward.
- For grad students
- For optometry students
- U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen
- Partly need-based: your FAFSA can affect whether you get it or how much.
- When to apply
- Due March 1, 2027 Annual priority date: postmarked by March 1 before the academic year.
- How to apply
- Get the OESP application (with Practice Agreement/Promissory Note) from the Illinois College of Optometry financial aid office, file the FAFSA, and postmark the application by March 1
- Reapply every year
- What you'll need
- state application + FAFSA
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (isac.org), page 2, page 3 and page 4
The details
Award is the lesser of $5,000 or tuition and mandatory fees for two semesters or three quarters. Ten scholarships a year: two each for first-, second-, third- and fourth-year students and two for any year (subject to funding). When there are more applicants than awards, selection uses GPA, Student Aid Index and renewal status. Recipients must practice optometry in Illinois one year per year of aid, starting within one year of finishing, or the scholarship becomes a loan.
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
We list programs; we don't decide who gets them. Always check the official page before you apply. Spot something wrong? Tell us.