Farm Credit Illinois Agriculture Scholarships

Program Details

Thirty $2,500 Agriculture Scholarships are available to high school seniors who will study an ag-related curricula or trade in a college or vocational school next fall and pursue a career on the farm or in the industry. Two applicants of color will be designated Diversity in Agriculture Scholars.

Selection criteria include participation and leadership contributions within school and community organizations, a genuine passion for farming and/or agriculture, 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.

Recipients receive $1,250 of the scholarship for the Fall 2026 semester and the remaining $1,250 will be available to students who continue pursuing an agricultural degree during the Fall 2028 semester.

How to Apply

All applicants should complete the Application and upload the Passion for Agriculture video by February 27, 2026.

Contact FCI with questions at ask@farmcreditIL.com or 217-590-2200. Recipients will be announced before the end of March.  

Passion For Agriculture Video

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. memento, place, project, person, plant, animal) you treasure and describe its significance and how it helped shape your commitment to agriculture. Videos should be uploaded to the Brandfolder link provided in the application.

Video Guidelines:

• Begin the video by sharing your name, high school, and anticipated school.
• Ask a friend or family member to record you holding the phone horizontally. We want to hear your voice, see your face, and view the showcased object.
• Video length should be no longer than 45 seconds. Points will be deducted for videos exceeding this length.
• Keep it simple and speak from your heart. No technical editing skills required
• See sample videos online

Scholarship applicants must either reside - or their family must actively farm - in one of the 60 counties served by Farm Credit Illinois (FCI). To see a map of the service area (gray shaded area), click here: FCI Service Area.

To be eligible for the Farm Credit Illinois Agriculture Scholarship, confirm each of the following statements are true:

• I am currently a high school senior and plan to enroll at a college or trade school in the Fall of 2026.
• I plan to pursue a career and major in agriculture, food systems, or natural resources.
• I reside in one of the 60 southern Illinois counties served by Farm Credit Illinois - or my family farms in one of those counties.
• I do NOT have a parent or grandparent who is either a current member of the FCI Board of Directors or an FCI employee who consistently works 20 hours or more per week.
• To save your work-in-progress and continue later, click Save at the bottom of the form and follow the prompts to complete the save process. We recommend selecting "Save Draft Link" and accessing your draft from the link copied to your clipboard.
• PLEASE NOTE: After clicking Submit, you will receive an email at the address listed on the application confirming receipt. Check your junk folder. Contact ask@farmcreditIL.com if you don't receive the confirmation email.
• Email ask@farmcreditIL.com or call 217-590-2200 with questions. Applications due Friday, February 27, 2026.