The Crown Scholarship is the College of Architecture’s most prestigious and selective scholarship. The College of Architecture seeks incoming students with exceptional potential who will be challenged by the Illinois Tech curriculum to pursue a professional commitment to excellence in architecture.
Scholarship Benefits
- Full tuition for five years of study at Illinois Tech, based on the tuition rates of the student’s first year. The same amount is awarded each consecutive year and does not cover the cost of a tuition increase.
How to Apply
Crown Scholarship candidates must apply to Illinois Tech and must submit the following to the Office of Undergraduate Admission no later than November 15:
- Apply via the Early Decision I (binding) or Early Action I (non-binding) application deadline.
- Complete and submit an application for admission through the Common Application.
- Complete and submit an application, which will include:
- A one-page essay explaining your interest in studying architecture and specifically studying the discipline at Illinois Tech
- Creative work consisting of 4–20 pieces of work expressing your interest in architecture; it must include at least one freehand drawing. You will upload your creative work electronically, but please remember that the originals will be required for the campus interview taking place in mid-February
- One letter of recommendation from an individual who knows you well and can assess your creativity and leadership potential. The scholarship application contains the option for you to share information about your recommender. You may also use a letter submitted through the Common Application if it is on topic.
Your application will be reviewed by the College of Architecture studio faculty and representatives from the Chicago architecture community. After a review of all applications, finalists will be invited to interview on campus during the Leadership Symposium in early February. You will be notified if you are selected for the Crown Scholarship. The recipient of the Crown Scholarship is required to inform the College of Architecture of their acceptance/denial decision by April 1.
Application Timeline
| November 15 | Crown Scholarship application due along with application to Illinois Institute of Technology |
| December | Crown Scholarship finalists are notified |
| Early February | Crown Scholarship finalists will attend the Leadership Symposium, where their scholarship interview will take place |
| Late February | Crown Scholarship recipients will be notified of their selection |
| April 1 | Decision deadline to accept the Crown Scholarship |
| May 1 | Confirm enrollment to Illinois Tech |
Crown Interview Itinerary
- Interview with a panel of studio faculty and leading Chicago architects
- Meet current Crown Scholarship students from around the country
- Take a tour of Chicago, one of the greatest cities in the world
- Learn about the opportunities within the College of Architecture by speaking with faculty and touring the facilities
- Spend the night in the residence halls or fraternity and sorority houses, and see what it’s like to be a student at Illinois Tech.
Eligibility Requirements
Candidates competing for the scholarship must satisfy very high selection standards. Open only to incoming first-year students who are United States citizens or permanent residents, the scholarship has been awarded to candidates who demonstrate the following strengths:
- Outstanding academic achievement
- Excellent artistic skills in freehand drawing
- Involvement in extracurricular activities, demonstrating leadership and independence
Additional Information
The Crown Scholarship cannot be combined with other Illinois Tech institutional scholarships such as Elevate, Heald, FIRST Robotics, VEX Robotics, Duchossois, Camras, Leadership Academy, Chicago Police and Fire, Collens, and more. If a student earns multiple Illinois Tech institutional scholarships throughout the admission process, the university will award the highest institutional award for which the student is qualified but will not combine multiple awards. This scholarship covers costs for the bachelor’s degree program only. If a student chooses to pursue an accelerated master’s degree at Illinois Tech, they can apply their original Heald Scholarship award toward their tuition for graduate-level courses at the undergraduate tuition rate.
If you are awarded the Crown Scholarship and the Illinois MAP Grant: The Crown Scholarship is restricted to tuition charges only and the Illinois MAP Grant is restricted to tuition and mandatory fee charges. For this reason, the total of the two awards cannot exceed the total of tuition charges, activity fees, and student service fees. Moreover, the Crown Scholarship cannot exceed the total value of tuition charges from the first year the scholar attends Illinois Tech.