HEAR Scholarship

The HEAR Foundation began the HEAR Scholarship program in 2010 with the goal of helping college-bound students with financial need, who had demonstrated a commitment to their schools and communities.

The HEAR Scholarship Foundation awards a $20,000 tuition scholarship to Chicagoland High School seniors from disadvantaged homes, who demonstrate commitment to their community. Scholarships are paid directly to the college, in increments of $5,000 a year, for four years of higher education.

Applicants need to prove they have financial need, must fulfill HEAR’s minimum academic requirements, and must show that they are of outstanding character and caring, active members of their communities.

Our scholarship recipients have gone on to Marquette, Syracuse, Loyola University Chicago, Dickinson, Carroll, and Harvard University, University of Southern California, Northeastern University Chicago, Northeastern University Boston, Tampa and Michigan, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Agnes Scott College, DePaul University, UIC and the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Mizzou and Northwestern, DePauw University, St. Louis, Hampton and Southern University, ITT in Chicago, Elmhurst College, and Middlebury. Our scholars have been able to maintain a cumulative GPA of over 3.51. A growing group of mentors, successful young professionals from various fields, help guide each HEAR scholar through his or her college and future career journey.

All applications for the HEAR Scholarship are done via an online platform. Scholars must upload all documents, send automated messages with transcript and recommendation requests, and submit their applications through the portal. All fully-completed applications undergo a screening process, and successful applicants are invited to attend an interview. From here, our Interview Committee will select successful applicants to become HEAR Scholars for that year.

The HEAR Scholarship Application Process

Ready to kick off your scholarship application process? Get ahead of the game and start gathering your work experience, volunteer hours, writing those essays, and getting info from other sources – this can take some time. Make sure you reach out to your college or guidance counselor—they’re your go-to for navigating the college application process like a pro. They will also need to upload some information on your behalf. So, get a head start now. Once the application portal is live, be sure to make a note of your login information, and save your progress regularly. When everything’s perfect, hit submit!

Application Requirements

In the personal information section, we ask students to tell us who they are and why they qualify for a HEAR Scholarship. We want to hear about your volunteer work and activities, sports or other extracurriculars as well as work experience. We also ask you to complete several sentences and write two essays that tell us more about who you are.

Your financial information helps us assess your need. Please contact us at info@hearfoundation.org if you have any problems obtaining your FAFSA, or if you have unusual family circumstances and are unsure where to turn.

We have a 3.0 minimum standard for student GPA. Submitting SAT/ACT results is optional. If you have taken these exams however, we would encourage you to include your results on your application. We also ask for a letter of recommendation from a counselor, teacher, or another trusted adult from your community. There are information request fields for this on the portal. We urge you to submit these requests as early as possible to give your recommender time to compose a thoughtful, personal letter. Check in often with your recommenders to ensure they have received your request.

The HEAR Scholar isn’t necessarily class valedictorian (though s/he can be!). We look for a good all-around student who is dedicated to his community, has a strong sense of service, and who demonstrates a strong work ethic across the board. Only students of the highest character will be considered.

HEAR announces this year’s HEAR Scholars in early to mid-May.

The Pre-Selection Process

Once an application is received by HEAR, it is reviewed to ensure that it is complete. Incomplete applications cannot be considered. Completed applications are reviewed by at least three different readers. Approximtely 60 students who submitted an application will be selected to be interviewed.

The Interview Process

Those selected for an interview will be informed of their status approximately four weeks before the first round of interviews and will receive a time slot a week ahead of time. Interviews will take place mid-to-late April, after students have made their college choices and financial aid with the institution has been addressed.

At each interview, candidates will appear before a committee of community members. Expect each interview to take up to 30 minutes. You will be notified within a few days of your interview whether you were selected for a HEAR Scholarship.