In honor of the men and women of Illinois who gave their lives to ensure the safety and prosperity of our fellow Americans, the Treasurer’s Office has relaunched the Fallen Heroes College Scholarship Fund to include the dependents of members of the Armed Forces, as well as fire fighters, law enforcement officers, and paramedics in Illinois who have died while serving their state and country overseas or at home.
The Fallen Heroes Scholarship Fund offers children who have lost a parent in the line of duty an opportunity to receive a $2,500 Bright Start College Savings Scholarship.
How to Apply
- Email FallenHeroes@IllinoisTreasurer.gov to request an application.
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Submit the completed, signed application with the required documentation to FallenHeroes@IllinoisTreasurer.gov or by mail to: Office of the Illinois State Treasurer, Fallen Heroes Scholarship, 555 W. Monroe Street, 14th Floor, Chicago, IL 60661.
Required documentation includes the birth certificate or adoption certificate of the dependent child named in the application, proof of Illinois residency, and a copy of the Department of Defense Document DD-1300. A complete list of required documentation is contained on the application.
Questions may be directed to FallenHeroes@IllinoisTreasurer.gov.
Program Terms
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The scholarship award will be invested in an Age-Based Portfolio under the Bright Start College Savings Program.
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A scholarship cannot be awarded as cash to the recipient nor withdrawn at any time for cash. Bright Start is required to pay the school directly.
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The funds in a Bright Start account funded with a scholarship award can only be used for qualified higher education expenses. Qualified expenses include tuition and fees.
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Qualified expenses must be incurred at an eligible educational institution. This includes most community colleges, public and private four-year colleges, universities, graduate and post-graduate programs and certain vocational schools.
The Office of the Illinois State Treasurer serves as the Trustee of the Bright Start College Savings Program (“Bright Start”). The Program Disclosure Statement provides important information about the Bright Start College Savings Program and discusses the risks of investing in the Bright Start College Savings Trust. Investments in the Bright Start College Savings Program are not insured by the FDIC or any other government agency, and are not a deposit or other obligation any depository institution. Investments are not guaranteed by the State of Illinois, the State of Illinois Treasurer’s Office, or any other entity and are subject to investment risks, including the loss of the principal amount invested. The Program Disclosure Statement contains more complete information regarding risks, fees, and expenses associated with Bright Start and for those portfolios that invest a portion of their assets in bank deposits that are insured by the FDIC or fully collateralized.