Fallen Heroes

To honor Illinois service members and first responders who gave their lives protecting our communities and country, the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office has relaunched the Fallen Heroes Scholarship Fund. The program provides scholarships for the children of Illinois Armed Forces members, as well as firefighters, law enforcement officers, and paramedics, who died in the line of duty—whether serving overseas or here at home.

 The Fallen Heroes Scholarship Fund offers children who have lost a parent in the line of duty an opportunity to receive a $5,000 Bright Start 529 College Savings Scholarship.

How to Apply for the Scholarship for Children of Illinois Fallen Heroes

  1. Email CollegeSavings@IllinoisTreasurer.gov to request an application or additional information.
  2. Submit the completed, signed application with the required documentation to CollegeSavings@IllinoisTreasurer.gov or by mail to: Office of the Illinois State Treasurer, Fallen Heroes Scholarship Program, 555 W. Monroe Street, 14th Floor, Chicago, IL 60661.

Required documentation includes the birth or adoption certificate of the child named in the application, proof of Illinois residency, and official documentation from a federal agency or an Illinois State or local agency reflecting that the child’s parent was killed in the line of duty and was a resident of Illinois at the time of death. Request an application to see the complete list. 

Questions may be directed to CollegeSavings@IllinoisTreasurer.gov.

Scholarship Fund Program Terms

  • The scholarship award will be deposited into a Bright Start 529 College Savings Program account and invested in an Enrollment Year Portfolio.
  • Scholarship funds cannot be issued or withdrawn as cash. Under Bright Start 529 rules, payments are made directly to the school.
  • Money in a Bright Start 529 account funded by this scholarship may be used only for qualified higher education expenses, such as tuition and fees, required textbooks, computers, room and board (housing and food), and other required costs.
  • Qualified expenses must be incurred at an eligible educational institution, including most Illinois community colleges, public and private four-year colleges and 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 529”). The Plan Description 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 Plan are neither insured (except as provided in the Plan Description solely with respect to the FDIC-insured Bank Savings Underlying Investment) nor guaranteed and there is the risk of investment loss. 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 Plan Description And Participation Agreement contains more complete information regarding risks, fees, and expenses associated with Bright Start 529 and for those portfolios that invest a portion of their assets in bank deposits that are insured by the FDIC or fully collateralized.