Automatic panther Family Scholarship
Are you part of the Panther family? The EIU Automatic Panther Family Scholarship offers a special opportunity for students with a direct connection to Eastern Illinois University.
Join the EIU tradition and let your family legacy help pave the way for your success at Eastern Illinois University!
Beginning fall 2025, if you have an immediate family member — such as a parent, step-parent, grandparent, sibling, or child — who graduated from EIU, you could be eligible! This scholarship is awarded at $1,000 annually and is renewable for up to 8 consecutive semesters (or 4 consecutive semesters for transfers), provided you maintain the renewal criteria. A minimum GPA of 2.8 is required, along with meeting all other AIM HIGH requirements.
EIU Automatic Panther Family Scholarship FAQ
How do I qualify?
You will qualify for the EIU Panther Family Scholarship if:
- You have a minimum 2.8 GPA on a 4.0 scale, as shown on official transcripts sent by June 1
- You have an immediate family member (defined as a parent, step-parent, grandparent, sibling or child) who graduated from Eastern Illinois University
- You are admitted to EIU as a full-time incoming first-year or transfer student
- You have your EIU financial aid packaged and completed by June 1 of the year you intend to enroll
- You meet all other AIM HIGH Grant requirements
- You meet renewal criteria after your first year
How do I apply?
No separate application is required. When you apply, be sure to indicate you have an immediate family member who graduated from EIU, complete your FAFSA requirements and be admitted to EIU by June 1!
I qualify, but I was not awarded this scholarship. What do I do?
Fill out this form, and our admissions team will review your qualifications!
Do current students or EIU graduate students apply?
Do transfer students qualify?
How much is the scholarship award?
$1,000 per year. Renewable for up to 8 consecutive semesters (or 4 consecutive semesters for transfer students) if renewal criteria is met.
Will the program be available to me my entire time at EIU?
For most students, yes. You can be eligible for the program for up to eight continuous semesters (Fall and Spring) at EIU, as long as you meet the renewal criteria. The program is dependent upon continued state appropriation of associated funds.
What are the renewal criteria?
To remain qualified after your first year, you must:
- Maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0
- Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress
- Stay continuously enrolled as a full-time student at EIU (summer enrollment not required)
- Meet AIM HIGH Grant requirements
- Maintain Illinois residency
Do I need to submit a FAFSA?
Yes, to initially qualify for this program, you must submit a FAFSA at fafsa.gov. We recommend you file your FAFSA as soon as possible, and make sure to include EIU’s school code (001674) on your FAFSA so we receive your information.
How do I maintain full-time enrollment at EIU?
You must be registered for a minimum of 12 credit hours by the published census date policy each semester. Full-time enrollment is assumed until census date.
How is the EIU Panther Family Scholarship funded?
In Spring 2018, the Higher Education Working Group — a bipartisan group of Illinois legislators interested in finding common-ground and viable solutions — proposed and passed a new merit-based grant program. That program, the AIM HIGH Grant, was signed into law in August 2018. The EIU Panther Family Scholarship program is dependent on that grant and on state appropriation annually.