AIM High

Aim High

The AIM High Pilot Grant program was signed into law on June 4, 2018 with the intent of increasing enrollment at Illinois Universities and decreasing the amount of student loan debt. AIM High funds are awarded by CSU to first time freshmen and Transfer students beginning with the 2019-20 award year. Students must meet the criteria of the grant.

AIM High Criteria

  • Illinois Resident
  • Attended an Illinois high school
  • Enrolled as a first-time full-time student seeking a bachelors degree at CSU – Fall 2019
  • U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen
  • Complete a FAFSA and not have household income that exceeds 8x poverty level
  • Have not yet earned a baccalaureate degree or 135 undergraduate credit hours
  • Is not incarcerated
  • Not be in default of student loans or owe a refund or repayment on any state or federal grant or scholarships
  • Renewal of awards will be contingent upon availability of funding

Freshmen Eligible Applicants

  • Renewable up to four years or eight consecutive semesters
  • Must meet/satisfy admissions criteria as listed
  • Be enrolled full time (minimum of 12 credit hours) for the appropriate semester

Transfer Student Eligible Applicants

  • Renewable up to 3 years*
  • Must meet/satisfy admissions criteria as listed 
  • Be enrolled full time (minimum of 12 credit hours) for the appropriate semester

AIM HIGH Scholarships 2022-2023 through the 2024-25 Award Year

Scholarship Required GPA Required Test Score Scholarship Amount Renewal  
AIM High Merit Scholarship 2.50 + cumulative  Unweighted gpa 18 or higher ACT Total Score or SAT 960 or higher Maximum $24,000 (up to $6,000 annually) Maintain full time enrollment (minimum 12 credit hours), maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and good judicial standing
AIM High SuccessU Scholarship Admission to the CSU SuccessU program   Maximum $12,000 (up to $3000 annually) Maintain full time enrollment (minimum 12 credit hours), maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)  and good judicial standing  
AIM High Honors College Acceptance into the Honors College   Maximum $24,000 (up to $6,000 annually) Maintain good standing with the Honors College  
AIM High - Grow Your Own Receipt of Grow Your Own Scholarship   Online Book Voucher to cover the cost of books Continued receipt of Grow Your Own Scholarship

Transfer Student Requirements

Scholarship Required GPA Scholarship Amount Renewal Criteria
AIM High Transfer Scholarship 2.50 + 4.0 Scale Earned a minimum of 24 semester credit hours $12,000 (up to $6,000 Annually)

Maintain full time enrollment (minimum

12 credit hours), maintain Satisfactory 

Academic Progress (SAP) and good judicial standing

*Effective October 1, 2021, Transfer students who have not completed their degree requirements but meet all other renewal criteria may appeal to receive additional AIM HIGH funding.

AIM HIGH Scholarships 2021-2022 Award Year

Scholarship Required GPA Required Test Score Scholarship Amount Renewal
AIM High Merit Scholarship 2.50 + cumulative  Unweighted gpa 18 or higher ACT Total Score or SAT 960 or higher Maximum $24,000 (up to $6,000 Annually) Maintain full time enrollment (minimum 12 credit hours), maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and good judicial standing
AIM High SuccessU Scholarship Admission to the CSU SuccessU program   Maximum $12,000 (up to $3000 annually) Maintain full time enrollment (minimum 12 credit hours), maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)  and good judicial standing

Transfer Student Requirements

Scholarship Required GPA Scholarship Amount Renewal Criteria
AIM High Transfer Scholarship 2.50 + 4.0 Scale Earned a minimum of 24 semester credit hours $12,000 (up to $6,000 Annually)

Maintain full time enrollment (minimum

12 credit hours), maintain Satisfactory 

Academic Progress (SAP) and good judicial standing

*Effective October 1, 2021 Transfer students who have not completed their degree requirements but meet all other renewal criteria may appeal to receive additional AIM HIGH funding

AIM High Scholarships 2020-2021 Award Year

Freshman Requirements

Scholarship Required GPA Required Test Score Scholarship Amount Renewal
AIM High Merit Scholarship 2.75+ cumulative  Unweighted gpa 18 or higher ACT Total Score or SAT 960 or higher Maximum $24,000 (up to $6,000 Annually) Maintain full time enrollment (minimum 12 credit hours), maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and good judicial standing
AIM High SuccessU Scholarship Admission to the CSU SuccessU program   Maximum $12,000 (up to $3000 annually) Maintain full time enrollment (minimum 12 credit hours), maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)  and good judicial standing

Transfer Student Requirements 

Scholarship Required GPA Scholarship Amount Renewal Criteria
AIM High Transfer Scholarship 2.75+ 4.0 Scale Earned a minimum of 24 semester credit hours $12,000 (up to $6,000 Annually)

Maintain full time enrollment (minimum

12 credit hours), maintain Satisfactory 

Academic Progress (SAP) and good judicial standing

 

AIM High Scholarships 2019-20 Award Year

Freshman Requirements

Scholarship Required GPA Required Test Score Scholarship Amount Renewal
AIM High Presidential Scholarship 3.25+ Unweighted 20 or higher ACT Total Score or SAT 1030 or higher $24,000 ($6,000 Annually) 3.0 cumulative GPA, completion of 12 or more semester hours (Spring & Fall) and good judicial standing
AIM High Academic Achievement Scholarship 3.0 – 3.24 Unweighted   19 or higher ACT Total Score or SAT 990 or higher $16,000 ($4,000 Annually) 3.0 cumulative GPA, completion of 12 or more semester hours (Spring & Fall) and good judicial standing 
AIM High CSU Persistent Scholarship 2.75 – 2.99 Unweighted 18 or higher ACT Total Score or SAT 960 or higher  $12,000 ($3,000 Annually)  2.75 cumulative GPA, completion of 12 or more semester hours (Spring & Fall) and good judicial standing 
AIM High SUCCESS U Scholarship 2.5+ Unweighted 15 or higher ACT Total Score or SAT 880 or higher $8,000 ($2,000 Annually) 2.5 cumulative GPA, completion of 12 or more semester hours (Spring and Fall) and good judicial standing

Transfer Students Requirements

Scholarship Required GPA Scholarship Amount Renewal Criteria
AIM HIGH Transfer Scholarship 2.75+ 4.0 Scale Earned a minimum of 24 semester credit hours $12,000 ($6,000 Annually) 2.75 cumulative GPA, completion of 12 or more semester hours (Spring and Fall) and good judicial standing


FAQs

A. The AIM High Pilot Grant program was signed into law on June 4, 2018 with the intent of increasing enrollment at Illinois Universities and decreasing the amount of student loan debt. AIM High funds are awarded by Chicago State University to first time freshmen and Transfer students beginning with the 2019-20 award year. Students must meet the criteria of the grant.
A. All students who complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the Alternative Application for the appropriate award year and, are enrolled as a first-time freshman or a transfer student with 24 or more transfer credit hours will be reviewed to determine eligibility for the AIM High Scholarship.
A. Yes. In addition to your financial aid notice of eligibility, you will receive a letter of congratulations indicating that you are eligible for the AIM High Scholarship.
A. Yes. The CSU AIM High funds are intended to offset tuition and mandatory fees before all other merit and gift aid is applied to a student’s account. Additional aid such as loans and student employment can also be received in order to assist in paying other educational expenses such as room and board, supplies and other personal or miscellaneous expenses. However, your total financial aid package cannot exceed the cost of attendance.

A. In addition to meeting the gpa requirement and hours of transfer credit for transfer students, you must: be a resident of Illinois who attended an Illinois high school, not be in default, and meet the income eligibility requirements.

 A. You must be enrolled as a full-time student (minimum 12 credit hours) for the Fall and Spring semester in order to be eligible for the AIM High scholarship.

 

 A. No. The AIM High scholarship is a newly available scholarship beginning with the Fall 2019 semester. Only students enrolled as a first-time full-time freshmen or transfer student (with 24 transfer credit hours) beginning Fall 2019 or later are eligible for the scholarship.
 A. You are eligible for AIM High for a maximum of eight consecutive semesters (Fall and Spring) as long as you continue to meet the renewal criteria, full time enrollment, maintain satisfactory academic progress and good judicial standing. You must complete a FAFSA each year. Funding is contingent upon continued funding from the state of Illinois.
 A. Please contact the Office of Student Financial Aid with any questions regarding the AIM High Scholarship in person at the Cook Administration Building, Rm. 207, via telephone at (773) 995-2304 or via email at csu-finaid@csu.edu