IFCSP Minority Scholarship 2027  

• The IFCSP is a registered not-for-profit public charity  (IRS 501(c)(3). Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. The Fund employs no paid staff. 

• The Board of Directors is a multiracial, multicultural group of school psychologists and concerned citizens committed to engage in fundraising, recruitment and mentoring activities to accomplish our goals. 

• Each year the Fund awards scholarships to selected individuals pursuing licensure in school psychology. This requires specialized post-graduate work at the Masters, Specialist or Doctoral level. 

• Each Fall a flyer announcing the application process is distributed to all public and private universities training school psychologists in Illinois.
 
• IFCSP Board members review applications and interview candidates. Award recipients are selected at the January business meeting of the Board of Directors.

• Scholarship certificates are presented to the recipients at the Annual Awards Ceremony of the Illinois School Psychologists Association (ISPA).
Checks are credited to each student’s tuition and fees account at the university. 

• Since the IFCSP was founded in 1991, the Board has awarded 104 tuition scholarships totaling over $430K.

• Board members are mentoring scholarship award recipients.

• Awareness of the need for school psychologists from  minority backgrounds has increased. 

• Minority attendance at annual ISPA conferences has multiplied. Past recipients are assuming leadership roles in ISPA and NASP, the National Association of School Psychologists. Several have served or continue serving on the IFCSP Board of Directors.

• Our current scholarship award is $5,000, an amount that needs to be increased to meet a fraction of annual tuition costs that continue to rise.  We can meet this goal with your help!

1° Resume

2° Autobiographical Statement: Include career goals and interests, motivation for choosing school psychology, significant persons, ideas, experiences influencing personal development, community and extracurricular activities (1 to 2 pages).
 
3° Essay: Discuss a personal perspective on social justice, citing two examples of how it impacts school climate (2 pages). 

4° Transcripts    
• Submit official electronic transcripts of all graduate and undergraduate coursework completed through the end  of Fall 2026 semester. 

• Official electronic transcripts from prior schools are due by December 6, 2026 to: [email protected] 

• Email current transcripts by January 4, 2027 to the same address. 

5° Letters of Recommendation
• Request two letters of support from university faculty addressing the applicant’s academic competence, interpersonal skills, written and oral communication skills, character and commitment, suitability for a career in school psychology and leadership potential.
 

• Submit letters by email and a copy bearing original signature via regular U.S. mail to:
Illinois Fund for Careers in School Psychology • ifcsp.net
P.O. Box 597053, Chicago, Illinois 60659, United States • 773.465.2711 

6° Interview
• Applicants who submit all required documents by the deadline are contacted by members of the IFCSP Board of Directors to schedule interviews virtually or by telephone.