Skip to Content Pat Quinn, Governor, State of Illinois

Illinois Future Teacher Corps (IFTC) Program

The number of scholarships made through this program, as well as the individual dollar amount awarded, are subject to sufficient annual appropriations by the Illinois General Assembly and the Governor.

Funding for the Illinois Future Teacher Corps (IFTC) has been phased over to the Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois program. Academic year 2011-12 was the final year of IFTC funding. Effective beginning with the 2012-13 academic year, ISAC offers two programs designed specifically for individuals studying to become teachers: the Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship Program and the Illinois Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver (SETTW) Program.

You may either scroll through this page, or click on any of the following links to go directly to a specific topic:

Program Description
Eligibility
Correcting Previously-Submitted Data
Details
How Funds Are Disbursed
Teacher Shortage Disciplines in the State of Illinois
Hard-to-Staff Schools Listing

Through (including) the 2011-12 academic year, students planning to be preschool, elementary or secondary school teachers who want to teach in Illinois could apply for the Illinois Future Teacher Corps (IFTC) Program. This program was intended for academically talented and financially needy students enrolled as juniors or above, with a priority given to individuals pursuing a teacher shortage discipline and/or making a commitment to teach at a hard-to-staff school, and minority students. This award was designated for tuition, fees and room and board charges, or commuter allowance, if applicable. Specific details regarding funding levels for the 2011-12 academic year are provided in the Processing Updates section that appears further down this page. This scholarship could be received for a maximum of four semesters or six quarters.

As part of the application process, recipients were required to agree to the terms and conditions outlined in the application's Teaching Agreement/Promissory Note. Recipients of this scholarship must teach in Illinois. If this teaching commitment is not fulfilled, the scholarship converts to a loan, and the recipient must repay the entire amount plus interest.

Eligibility

  • Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen
  • Be a resident of Illinois
  • Be a high school graduate or person who has received a General Educational Development (GED) certificate
  • Be enrolled, or accepted for enrollment as a junior or above, on at least a half-time basis in a Teacher Education Program at an eligible Illinois public or private college, seeking initial teacher certification; or be pursuing additional coursework needed to gain Illinois State Board of Education approval to teach, including alternative teacher certification
  • Maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale
  • Maintain satisfactory academic progress as determined by your college
  • Comply with federal Selective Service registration requirements
  • Complete the application process by:
    • submitting a fully-completed application for the Teacher Education Scholarship Programs (which includes the Teaching Agreement/Promissory Note),
    • being certified as meeting eligibility requirements by the college at which you will use the scholarship, and
    • accepting the scholarship (if one is offered)
  • Apply for federal student financial aid to determine the expected family contribution
  • Sign the application's Teaching Agreement/Promissory Note promising to fulfill the teaching commitment or repay funds received, plus interest
  • Not be in default on any student loan, nor owe a refund on any state or federal grant
  • Not have previously received funds from the IFTC Program for the equivalent of two academic years, which is the program maximum
  • Not receive funds from the Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship or Illinois Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver (SETTW) programs during the same term(s) for which funds are received from the IFTC Program

Correcting Previously-Submitted Data

Only one interactive Teacher Education Scholarship Programs application/promissory note may be submitted per academic year. Consequently, if you need to change your response(s) to any item(s) after the interactive application/promissory note has been submitted and after awarding takes place in late summer, you will need the following information:

  • You cannot change your Program or Program Preference if awarded both programs (IFTC or MTI).
  • You may change your answer to whether you will teach in a hard-to-staff area only if the change results in a lower award. You must sign a paper application to make a change to the hard-to-staff question.

Please contact an ISAC Call Center Representative if you have any questions regarding the application/promissory note correction process.

Details

  • Applications are processed in date-received order.
  • ISAC selects recipients from among the highest scoring qualified applicants on the basis of renewal applicant status, performance-based academic data, expected family contribution, and minority student status. You are considered a renewal applicant if during the previous academic year you received funds from the program for which you are currently applying.
  • The total number of scholarships awarded in a given fiscal year is contingent upon available funding.

How Funds Are Disbursed

ISAC works with the college to disburse funds for this program. The college certifies student eligibility and then submits a payment request on behalf of the student. It may take eight weeks or more after the date that ISAC processes the payment request before funds are received at the college.

Depending on the college, students may be responsible for payment until program funds are received. Qualified applicants who are awaiting receipt of funds from this program should contact the Financial Aid Office or Business Office to determine the college's policy.

Teacher Shortage Disciplines in the State of Illinois

The following list of approved teacher shortage disciplines in the State of Illinois was used when determining 2011-12 IFTC Program eligibility.

Early Childhood Education

Regular Education

  • Bilingual Education
  • Math
  • Physical Education (K-8) 
  • Reading 
  • Science

Special Education

  • Learning Behavior Specialist I
  • Speech and Language Impaired

Hard-to-Staff Schools Listing

Illinois schools included on the U.S. Department of Education's list used for teacher loan forgiveness will be used as the list for hard-to-staff schools. The teaching requirement can only be fulfilled at the Illinois public elementary and secondary schools on the list at the time the teaching obligation begins, or at a nonprofit Illinois public, private, or parochial preschool.

Click here to view a listing of hard-to-staff schools by academic year. This listing is being provided as an example of schools that are considered hard-to-staff. The listing reflects Illinois school data through the 2011-12 academic year.