CTUF Scholarship Form

CTUF ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIP

Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago Teachers Union Foundation presents regular, vocational, and special education awards each in the amount of $1,000. 

This application must be submitted to the Chicago Teachers Union Foundation office before 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 15, 2026.

ELIGIBILITY

The awards are entirely unrestricted as to race, religion, political affiliation, or choice of an accredited college, university, business, trade or vocational school. The applicant must be a child of a currently employed, active member in good standing of Chicago Teachers Union, or a child of a deceased member who was in good standing with the Chicago Teachers Union at the time of death, and a high school senior who will graduate before August 31, 2026. Special education students are eligible for all scholarships and are encouraged to apply.

KAREN GJ LEWIS, NBCT, SCHOLARSHIP 

One-time, non-renewable $10,000 education scholarship for Black students who wish to teach in Chicago Public Schools. 

The Karen GJ Lewis Scholarship is currently accepting applications. Please submit by May 15, 2026.

Click here to view the essays that are due with this application.

ELIGIBILITY

1. Applicants must be US citizens, or meet the “undocumented students” criteria of the RISE Act and identify as Black/African American.
2. Applicants must be accepted for enrollment on at least a half-time basis as an undergraduate in a teacher preparation program, or alternative licensure program, at an accredited not-for-profit, public or private American college or university, which, upon completion, qualifies the applicant to be licensed as a school teacher by the Illinois State Board of Education. 
3. All applicants must be CPS graduates. They can be enrolled in college at time of submission or be an adult going back to college to become a teacher.
4. Applicants must: demonstrate Financial Need by having applied for FAFSA financial aid through the US Dept. of Education (FAFSA.gov), and/or provide a copy of their Student Aid Report (SAR), or provide their college or university’s Needs Analysis, or provide a statement of financial need indicating why the scholarship is needed to overcome financial obstacles in gaining access to higher education.

The application submission window will open April 15 and the application deadline is May 15, 2026.

For all inquiries, don’t hesitate to contact Charise Bennett, CTUF Director, at charisebennett@ctuf.org.

Student Applicants:

Please complete this application form for all CTU Foundation Scholarship submissions.