2019 Farm Credit Illinois Agriculture Scholarship Program

Thirty $2,000 scholarships are available to high school seniors with agricultural career aspirations, planning to enroll in an agriculture-based college curriculum next fall.  Two under-represented minority student applicants will be designated as Diversity in Agriculture Scholars.

Selection criteria includes academic achievement, participation and leadership within school and community organizations, and a commitment to pursuing an agriculture-related career. Recipients must reside – or their family must farm – in one of the 60 central and southern Illinois counties served by Farm Credit Illinois.

NEW IN 2019 – FCI has replaced the essay portion of the application with a Passion for Agriculture Video submission. Create a 30-45 second video on your phone capturing your passion for agriculture. After a quick personal introduction, showcase one specific object (i.e. momento, place, project, person, plant, animal) you treasure and describe its significance and how it helped shape your commitment to agriculture.

All applicants should complete the Application and share the Academic Verification Form link with a school official to submit. The application deadline is March 1, 2019. Contact FCI with scholarship questions at ask@farmcreditIL.com or 217-590-2200.

Recipients will receive $1,000 of the scholarship for the Fall 2019 semester and the remaining $1,000 will be available to students who continue pursuing an agricultural degree during the Fall 2021 semester.

The University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) offers a full $2,000 scholarship match to 2019 Farm Credit Illinois Agriculture Scholars who enroll full-time in the College of ACES either initially in the Fall 2019 semester or as a transfer student in the Fall 2021 semester. More information about the scholarship match is available from the U of I College of ACES.