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 Scholarship Fund to include the children 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 $5,000 Bright Start 529 College Savings Scholarship.
How to Apply
- Email CollegeSavings@IllinoisTreasurer.gov to request an application or additional information.
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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.
Program Terms
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The scholarship award will be invested in an Enrollment Year Portfolio under the Bright Start 529 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A scholarship cannot be awarded as cash to the recipient nor withdrawn at any time for cash.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 529 is required to pay the school directly.
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The funds in a Bright Start 529 account funded with a scholarship award can only be used for qualified higher education expenses. Qualified expenses include tuition and fees, computers, textbooks, room and board (housing and food), and other required expenses.
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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 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.