Gateways to Opportunity Scholarship Eligibility

Gateways Scholarships are awarded on the basis of need and commitment to early care and education or school-age child care. Practitioners working as a family child care provider, family child care assistant, group home provider, group home assistant, center director, assistant director, teacher, assistant teacher, school-age teacher, or school-age assistant may be eligible. Those who would like to attend a participating institution to complete coursework may apply for a scholarship.

Gateways Scholarship applicants must be working in early care and education, or school-age child care, which is defined as working in an Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (IDCFS) full-day, full-year, child care center, Head Start, or family/group child care home or IDCFS licensed full-year school-age child care programs.

Applicants must also meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Care for Illinois children.
  
  
• Work in an IDCFS licensed setting that is full-day/full-year. School-age only programs must be full-day/full-year.
  • Full-day is defined as: being open for eight consecutive hours or more serving children.
  • Full-year is defined as: caring for children at least 47 weeks.
    
    
• Have been employed at current center or home, working at least 15 hours per week on a continuous employment basis, for a minimum of six months (including work and benefit time).
  
  
• Work at least 15 hours per week on a continuous employment basis (including work and benefit time).
  
  
• Meet wage requirements.
  
  
• Be a citizen of the United States or legal alien.
  
  
• Commit to work in early care and education or school-age child care based on scholarship type.

*Additional documentation may be required upon review of your application.