JEWISH FEDERATION ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Educational scholarship funds from grants administered by the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago are available for Jewish college and graduate students. More than $500,000 each year is available for full-time students, predominantly those legally domiciled in the metropolitan Chicago area, who are identified as having promise for significant contributions in their chosen careers. Assistance is available primarily for those with FINANCIAL NEED who are pursuing careers in the helping professions.

Jewish Vocational Service (JVS) processes academic scholarship applications from eligible students who have financial needs that cannot fully be met by other appropriate resources. Please complete the correct forms according to your status.

Application Deadline: February 15, 2012

Academic Scholarship Menu:

New Applicants

Instructions:
Eligibility Requirements
Instructions for Applying
Financial Information
Standard Living Expense Budget Guidelines
Checklist

Forms to be completed:
Legal Domicility Form
New Applicant Data Form
New Career Statement Form
Financial Summary
Letter of Reference Form (2 reference letters required)
Release of Information Form

Renewal Applicants
Renewal applications are for students that were awarded scholarships for the 2011-2012 academic year only.

Instructions:
Instructions for Applying
Financial Information
Standard Living Expense Budget Guidelines
Checklist

Forms to be completed:
Renewal Applicant Data Form
Renewal Career Statement Form
Financial Summary
Release of Information Form

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

The primary criteria for an award are career promise and financial need. Please review the following eligibility requirements before proceeding to the application instructions and forms.

1. Applicants must be Jewish

2. Applicants must meet one or both of the following criteria:
   1. Born and/or raised in either:
      Cook County, Chicago metropolitan area, or Northwest Indiana

      OR

   2. One continuous year of full-time employment in Cook County or Chicago metropolitan area prior to starting professional education.

      PLEASE NOTE: The Chicago metropolitan area includes Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will Counties. Northwest Indiana includes Lake County.

3. Applicants must intend to remain in the Chicago metropolitan area after completing school

4. Applicants must be entering an accredited professional graduate education program on a full-time basis (school acceptance is not required at time of scholarship application)

5. Undergraduate applicants must be entering the junior or senior year of an accredited professional education program that will allow them to pursue employment in their chosen helping professions at a Bachelor's degree level

6. Applicants must demonstrate career promise in a helping profession as:
   
   • Medicine

   doctor physician's assistant dentist nurse pharmacist chiropractor veterinarian dental hygienist

   physical therapist occupational therapist optometrist audiologist speech therapist researcher geneticist

   • Education

   teacher journalist

   Jewish studies

   • Jewish Communal Service
   • The Rabbinate

   rabbi

   cantor

   • Social Service

   social worker psychologist

   therapist/counselor gerontologist

   • Performing and Fine Arts

   musician artist actor/actress photographer

   sculptor playwright poet

   • Business
   • Healthcare / Public Health
   • Urban Affairs/Public Policy
   • Law
   • Technical/Sciences

   mathematician chemist biochemist computer scientist other sciences

   engineer biomedical engineer environmental engineer architect

   • Communications at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign only
   • Other (please check with JVS at (312) 673-3444 to verify "helping profession" eligibility before completing application)

7. Applicants must be available for a personal interview at Jewish Vocational Service between March 1 and April 20, 2012.

   Questions - call (312) 673-3444

PLEASE NOTE THE APPLICATION DEADLINE

Your application will not be considered unless ALL documentation is received by February 15, 2012 with the exclusion of 2011 tax returns. For more information call (312) 673-3444 or e-mail jvsscholarship@jvschicago.org.

Additional information about financial assistance: For HIAS scholarships, click here. For the Jewish Federation Shirley Ehrlich Student Loan Program, click here. For college/graduate student scholarships, click here.