Scholarships & Awards

Each year through an application and interview process, Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois awards scholarships to our registered, graduating Girl Scout members who have been actively involved in Girl Scouting during their high school years. These GSNI Girl Scouts have committed to furthering their education, demonstrated their understanding of the Girl Scout Promise and Law, and live by those values. Their communities and our council have benefited from their commitment, service, and leadership. We are honored to recognize these scholarship recipients!

2026 GSNI Scholarship Recipients

GSNI Ambassador Scholarship

Sarah A. - Lake Zurich Service Unit, Lake Zurich

GSNI Ambassador Scholarship

Kathrine W. - Park North Stateline Service Unit, Poplar Grove

GSNI Scholarships

2027 Scholarship Application Submittal opens November 2, 2026, and will close January 11, 2027.

GSNI Gold Award Scholarship toggle arrow

The 2026 GSNI Girl Scout Gold Award Scholarship application is closed.

The GSNI Girl Scout Gold Award Scholarship requires applicants to be registered GSNI members, graduating high school in 2026, and to have earned their Girl Scout Gold Award or have final paperwork submitted for review by January 9, 2026. If the Girl Scout Gold Award project is completed and earned between March 16 and September 30, graduating seniors can apply the following year. This scholarship focuses on the Girl Scout’s Gold Award project along with their other Girl Scout, school, and community activities.

To apply for GSNI's Gold Award Scholarship, download the application here.
Recommendation forms can be found here.

Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois is proud to award the Elizanne Lewis Gold Award Scholarship. This scholarship is generously provided by the family of lifelong Girl Scout Elizanne Hanitz Lewis. At the time of her death in 2017, Elizanne was identified and recognized by Girl Scouts of the USA as the oldest living recipient of the Golden Eaglet, Girl Scouting’s highest award available from 1916 to 1939. Girl Scouts who have earned a Girl Scout Gold Award are eligible for this scholarship.

GSNI Ambassador Scholarship toggle arrow

The GSNI Girl Scout Ambassador Scholarship application is closed.

The GSNI Girl Scout Ambassador Scholarship requires applicants to be registered GSNI members who are graduating high school in 2026. This scholarship asks applicants to share their Girl Scout experiences, their community service, and their leadership roles during their high school years. Past GSNI Ambassador Scholarship recipients include youth who have completed Journeys, earned various awards and badges, and led activities at service unit events or summer camps—the list of their Girl Scout accomplishments is endless! Girl Scouts have also been student council members, part of church groups, and volunteered with various community organizations. GSNI Ambassador scholarship applications are due January 9, 2026.

To apply for GSNI's Girl Scout Ambassador Scholarship, download the application here.
Recommendation forms can be found here.

How to Apply for GSNI Scholarships toggle arrow

GSNI scholarships are available for GSNI Girl Scout members who are graduating high school and entering college, trade school, or an apprenticeship program in the fall of 2026. While you may only be awarded one Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois scholarship, if you meet the qualifications for the 2026 Girl Scout Gold Award Scholarship, you may apply for both scholarship opportunities using the appropriate application forms.

Complete applications must include:

Girl Scout Ambassador Scholarship Application (Opens November 1, 2026

Girl Scout Gold Award Scholarship Application (Opens November 1, 2026)

Both scholarship applications must be accompanied by:

Two references using the Girl Scout Scholarship Recommendation Form (Opens November 1, 2026)
A photo of the applicant

Applicants may complete the scholarship application electronically and submit via e-mail or mail to GSNI’s Rockford Resource Center. Applicants can forward the link for the Scholarship Recommendation Form to the persons they are requesting recommendations from. This form may also be completed electronically and submitted via e-mail or mailed to GSNI’s Rockford Resource Center.

Deadline: January 9, 2027, at 5 p.m.

Other Scholarship Opportunities

GSUSA Scholarship Opportunities toggle arrow

Check out GSUSA's Scholarship Opportunity Listing.

For Gold Award Recipients, GSUSA offers the GSUSA Gold Award Scholarship. The GSUSA Gold Award Scholarship recognizes and provides financial support to one Gold Award Girl Scout per council and one from USA Girl Scouts Overseas.

Scholarship recipients must have completed a Gold Award project that demonstrates extraordinary leadership and measurable, sustainable impact and addresses an issue of national and/or global significance.

The GSUSA Gold Award scholarship application is available from March - May each year. Information on the GSUSA Gold Award Scholarship can be found here.

· Eligibility Criteria: Gold Award GS must be either 1) current high school seniors who earned or will earn any time before their Council's annual Gold Award Deadline (March 15) OR 2) recent high school graduates who earned in their senior year and were recognized for their Gold Award after their graduation.

A Gold Award GS who applied in previous years is ineligible.
To be eligible, all Gold Award GS must have their final report approved in the GoGold web app within the eligibility date range.
A Gold Award GS not yet in 12th grade can apply their senior year

National Jewish Committee on Girl Scouts toggle arrow

he National Jewish Committee on Girl Scouting (NJCGS) is excited to announce a new program: a scholarship for post-high school education that can be applied for by Girl Scouts who have earned their Gold Award AND their Or Emunah Award (the religious award that can be earned by Jewish Girl Scouts in their high school years.).

This Girl Scout year will be the inaugural year for the scholarship. We plan to award at least one scholarship of approximately $500. Applicants are required to:
1) Fill out the application form.
2) Complete a brief essay (200-300 words) describing how the applicant’s connection to Judaism has influenced her Girl Scout experience.
3) Submit at least one reference from a non-relative who knows about the applicant’s Girl Scout, Jewish and/or community activities.

The deadline for submitting all application materials is April 30, 2026 .

Further information about the National Jewish Committee on Girl Scouting and/or the Or Emunah Award can be found on our website: njcgs.org.

The Gloria Barron Prize toggle arrow

A Call for Young Heroes—Apply for this year’s Barron Prize!

The Gloria Barron Prize annually honors 25 outstanding young leaders ages 8 to 18 who have made a significant positive difference to people and the environment. Encourage the young heroes you know to apply online by pre-applicatoin is due March 15 each year and the full application is due April each year for a chance to receive $10,000 to support their service work or higher education.

Other Scholarships toggle arrow

YWCA Northwestern Illinois will award the following scholarships to promote and recognize our future leaders:

$1,500 Bright Future Scholarship to outstanding female high school seniors

(2) $1,670 scholarships La Voz Latina Scholarship, funded through the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois (This scholarship will be awarded to a male or female high school senior of Hispanic/Latino descent)

All applicants must live and attend school in Boone, Winnebago, Stephenson, or Jo Daviess Counties. Applications close in February annually. Learn more on their website.

The Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley and their Community Foundation Scholarship Program consists of separate scholarship funds created by individual donors who establish specific criteria for the administration of their scholarships. Through this program, the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley offers scholarship opportunities to Girl Scouts and alums. Applicants apply once, and applications will be applied to over 200 qualifying scholarships.

Applicants must live in Kendall County, Southern Kane County, or the City of Aurora. These scholarship opportunities are open from October to December each year. Please visit their website to download the application(s).