Byrd Scholarship Eligibility Requirements

Initial Awards

To initially qualify for a Byrd Scholarship, a student must:

• be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen;
• be a resident of Illinois (when initially awarded);
• graduate from a public or private secondary school or a home-school in the same high school year the scholarship application is submitted, or have passed a General Education Development (GED) test in the same high school year in which the scholarship application is submitted;
• demonstrate outstanding academic achievement as measured by high school records and ACT, SAT, or Prairie State Achievement Exam test scores — or have received a GED test score equivalent to ranking in the top five percent of all United States high school graduates — and show promise of continued academic achievement;
• be enrolled, or accepted for enrollment on a full-time basis, as an undergraduate student at a U.S. Department of Education-approved college in the United States (this program may not be used for attendance at Military Service Academies);
• not be in default on any student loan nor owe a refund or repayment on any state or federal grant(s);
• comply with federal Selective Service registration requirements.

Continuing Awards

To continue to be eligible in subsequent years, a Byrd Scholarship recipient must:

• maintain satisfactory academic progress as determined by the institution;
• not be in default on any student loan nor owe a refund or repayment on any state or federal grant;
• comply with federal Selective Service registration requirements;
• not receive financial aid in excess of the student’s cost of attendance, as determined by the institution; and
• maintain enrollment as a full-time student, unless granted a postponement, waiver, or interruption (see below).

Exceptions to Full-Time Enrollment Requirement {ISAC Rules, Section 2755.30(e)}

Byrd Scholars must be enrolled on a full-time basis, except as noted below:

• Postponement — A new recipient may postpone enrollment up to a maximum of twelve months.
• Waiver of Full-Time (FT) Enrollment — If after the first year of undergraduate study, unusual circumstances are verified by the school, the recipient may be enrolled at least half time and receive scholarship funds.
• Interruption — Enrollment after the first year of study may be interrupted for up to a maximum of twelve months because of cooperative education, study abroad, financial, medical, or family reasons.

In order to allow a Byrd Scholar to be considered for a postponement, waiver, or interruption, the Financial Aid Administrator must complete and submit to ISAC a signed Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Program Payment Exception Form.  By completing and submitting this document, the Financial Aid Administrator is confirming that the school is aware of the Byrd Scholar’s situation and has determined a payment exception should be granted.

Suspended Awards

If the recipient does not meet continuing eligibility requirements within the award year, scholarship funds will be suspended. The scholar may not receive scholarship funds during the period of suspension. Scholarship funds suspended in an award year cannot be awarded to the scholar during a subsequent period of enrollment at any institution. Eligibility for a scholarship is terminated when the total of suspension periods exceeds 12 months.