You could receive a Gateways Scholarship to help pay for your college coursework if you...

1. Care for children in an Illinois Child Care Licensed program or Early Childhood Block Grant Funded Preschool for All.

   Employed by an Illinois Child Care Licensed full-day/full-year child care program in one of the following positions: center director, assistant director, teacher, assistant teacher, school-age teacher, school-age assistant, family child care provider, family child care assistant, group home provider, or group home assistant.

   OR

   Employed by an Illinois Child Care Licensed school-age care program, within an early childhood setting, operating nine months per year in one of the following positions: director, assistant director, teacher, or assistant teacher.
   
   OR
   
   Employed by an Early Childhood Block Grant Funded Preschool for All program that operates a minimum of nine months per year, as a teacher or teacher's aide.

2. Have been employed at your current program for at least one year. 
   (90 days if employed at an ExceleRate Bronze, Silver, or Gold Circle of Quality program, (90-day exception does not pertain to Early Childhood Block Grant Funded Preschool for All funded staff))
3. Work a minimum average of 15 hours per week. 
4. Meet wage requirements.

   Your wage determines the amount the Gateways Scholarship will pay for tuition.

   % of tuition Gateways Scholarship Program Would Pay	Applicant responsibility to college or university.	Hourly Wage	Gross Yearly Wage Working Full Time
   100	0%	Up to $19.25	Up to $40,040.00
   90	10%	$19.26-$22.00	$40,060.80-$45,760.00
   80	20%	$22.01-$25.00	$45,780.80-$52,000.00
   70	30%	$25.01-$28.00	$52,020.80-$58,240.00
   60	40%	$28.01-$31.00	$58,260.80-$64,480.00

   Gateways Scholarship Program will not pay out of district costs.
5. Be a citizen of the United States, be a lawful permanent resident, or reside in the State of Illinois.
6. Commit to future work in early care and education or school-age care depending on scholarship type.

   Work commitment periods follow:

   • Six months for completion of a coursework contract
   • One year for degree completion
   • One year for certificate, approval, or endorsement completion

   The work commitment must be completed in one of the following early care and education or school-age care programs:

   • Illinois Child Care Licensed licensed full-day, full-year family/group child care home or center
   • Illinois Child Care Licensed licensed school-age program operating a minimum of nine months a year 
   • Early Childhood Block Grant Funded Preschool for All

The commitment period begins at the completion of the contract period. All scholarship contracts end on June 30.