Chicago Housing Authority Scholarship Program

Scholarship Sponsored by Chicago Housing Authority

Overview
The CHA Scholarship application for the 2026–2027 academic year will open on January 30, 2026. Applicants will be informed of their award decisions by July 2026. CHA invites residents who are pursuing undergraduate study to apply. Recipients will receive a $2,000 award to be applied toward tuition, textbooks, or other educational supplies.

Selection factors
Applications are evaluated based on:
- Academic performance and records
- Participation and service within the community
- Responses to the required essay prompts

Who may apply
To qualify for this scholarship, you must meet all of the following requirements:
- Be either a high school senior OR an undergraduate student (freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior).
- Be seeking an undergraduate credential (Certificate, Associate’s, or Bachelor’s). Graduate-level programs (Master’s, Doctorate, etc.) are not eligible.
- Intend to enroll at an accredited two- or four-year college or university in the United States for the fall 2026 term.
- Currently reside in CHA housing and be listed on a CHA lease — either in CHA Public Housing or the Housing Choice Voucher Program.
- Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale to submit an application; a 2.5 GPA is recommended.
- Have a household income at or below HUD’s low-income threshold (80% Area Median Income) for Cook County, IL. CHA will verify income; see HUD data for details: https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/il.html.
- No exceptions to these eligibility requirements will be made.

Note for City Colleges of Chicago applicants
If you are a CHA resident planning to attend City Colleges of Chicago, check the PiE program for information about qualifying for free tuition across CCC campuses.

How to apply
1) Check eligibility and create an account
- Go to the scholarship application portal, create a user ID and password, and complete the eligibility questionnaire to confirm you may apply.
- The portal will become available on January 30, 2026.

2) Complete the application
Typical sections of the application include:
- Academic scores and school information
- Clubs and extracurricular activities
- Honors and awards
- Community service and volunteer activities
- Work history
- Short essay prompts

3) Upload required documentation
You will be asked to submit supporting documents. The typical document list includes:
- ACT/SAT scores (optional)
- 2025–26 FAFSA Student Aid Report (SAR) (optional)
- High school transcript (required for incoming college freshmen)
- College transcript (required for incoming sophomores, juniors, and seniors)

Timeline
- Application opens: January 30, 2026
- Applicants notified of award status: by July 2026

If you have questions about the portal or required materials, check the application site for guidance and contact information.