Scholarships

2026-2027 Peacekeepers Scholarship

Eligibility

There shall be no restriction on any applicant by reason of race, age, creed, color, sex, or national origin. The only limitations are the following:

  • Applicants must be permanent Illinois residents.
  • Must plan to attend an accredited institution of higher learning.
  • Students must be enrolled as a full-time student during the 2026-2027 school year (excluding summer session).
  • Scholarships applicants must be dependents of active-duty or retired Law Enforcement or Law Enforcement killed in the line of duty or dependents of active-duty military, active Military Reserve, active National Guard, or a member killed in action.
  • Only the immediate family of the sheriff is ineligible to apply. Families of sheriff’s office employees are eligible to make application.
  • Those who received the Peacekeepers Scholarship during a previous academic year may apply again. However, such applicants will be considered along with all others who apply in the county.
  • If for any reason, a recipient relinquishes a scholarship, that scholarship will be granted to an alternate from the same county which was selected by the Peacekeepers Committee.

Please read the following very carefully. Failure to comply with the rules will result in disqualification.

how to Apply

Applications are available at local Sheriff’s offices, or here: Scholarship Application Form. Fill out the application, complete the written essay and return all documentation to the Sheriff’s Office in the county of your permanent residence by June 1, 2026 (must be postmarked by this date). A Sheriffs’ directory is available at Illinois Sheriff's Directory. Applicants must be eligible for admission to the school indicated on the application.

***Do not send completed applications to the ISA Office***

Distribution of Monies

The scholarship funds will be paid directly to the school on behalf of the recipient. The total scholarship award will be divided as follows: 1/2 credited to the fall semester and 1/2 credited to the spring semester. Funds cannot be used for summer courses and must be used during the 2026-2027 academic year. If you are selected as recipient of a Peacekeepers Scholarship, you will be notified in writing by the ISA office and/or your local County Sheriff. The ISA office must be contacted by the school with written enrollment verification before September 15, 2026, or scholarship checks will not be issued until such notice has been received. If you do not submit your enrollment verification to the ISA Office by September 15, 2026, your scholarship will be declined and awarded to the alternate. No exceptions. Enrollment verification to be sent to: Megan@ilsheriff.org.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Scholarship funds are intended to assist students with the cost of tuition, books and fees. No funds can be used for housing or any other incurred expenses. Funds must be used during the regular school year and cannot be used for summer courses. Books must be purchased from a learning institution campus bookstore and directly billed through that institution’s bursar’s office. If tuition is paid in full by any other scholarship, grant or other financial aid the scholarship cannot be used to reduce the other funding.

Scholarship Winners will be announced on June 15th!

2026-2027 Peacekeepers Scholarship Application