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The application program will be available again in mid-February. Please return then to view the updated Eligibility and Awards for the upcoming academic year! If you are an applicant who would like to discover more scholarship opportunities you might qualify for, please continue to the Scholarship America Hub and sign up!

CME Group Foundation Scholars Program
Application status: Closed

CME Group Foundation has established a scholarship program to assist Black and LatinX students who are current or rising undergraduate sophomores, juniors or seniors or rising juniors, seniors, or graduate students enrolled in the 4+1 MS Finance degree program.

This program is administered by Scholarship America®, the nation’s largest designer and manager of scholarship, tuition assistance and other education support programs for corporations, foundations, associations, and individuals. Awards are granted without regard to creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender, disability, or national origin.

Applicants to the CME Group Foundation Scholars Program must be:

    • Black or LatinX;
    • A current or rising undergraduate sophomore, junior or senior student (students enrolled in a 4+1 MS Finance degree program are eligible, but must be a rising junior, senior or graduate student in the 4+1 MS Finance program);
    • Enrolled or planning to enroll full-time at one of the following CME Group Foundation partner schools for the entire upcoming academic year:

Partner Schools:

  • DePaul University
  • Loyola University Chicago
  • National Louis University
  • Northern IL University
  • Southern IL University – Carbondale
  • Stevens Institute of Technology
  • University of IL – Chicago
  • University of IL Urbana – Champaign
  • St. Xavier University
  • Illinois Institute of Technology
    • Majoring in:
  • Information Technology
  • Computer Science
  • Finance
  • Data Science
  • Cyber Security
  • Math
  • Statistics
  • Financial Engineering
  • Have a minimum grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale (or its equivalent);
  • Willing to attend a one-day market education program at CME Group in Chicago in August 2021 to learn about the industry and summer internship opportunities. Recipients will be reimbursed for travel expenses for the day. Market Education Day may be virtual, based on health guidelines.

Awards

If selected as a recipient, the student will receive up to $20,000. Award amounts may vary based on financial need.

Awards may be renewed until a bachelor’s degree (or a 4+1 MS Finance degree) is earned on the basis of continued full-time enrollment and satisfactory academic performance.

Awards are for undergraduate study only with the exception of the 4+1 MS Finance degree. Awards may be used for all education-related expenses.

Notification

Applicants will be notified in late May. Not all applicants to the program will be selected as recipients. Students may reapply to the program each year they meet eligibility requirements.

Payment of Scholarships

Scholarship America processes scholarship payments on behalf of CME Group Foundation. Payments are made in one installment in early August.

Selection of Recipients

Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of academic record, demonstrated leadership and participation in school and community activities, work experience, a statement of career and educational goals and aspirations, unusual personal or family circumstances, and two additional essays*.

Recipients must demonstrate financial need.

Selection of recipients is made by CME Group Foundation. All applicants agree to accept the decision as final.

*Essay Topics

  • Why have you chosen to pursue a degree in your major and what excites you about that field?
  • Financial services is a broad industry. Are you interested in exploring it as a career? If so, how will you learn about opportunities there?

As part of your application, you must upload the following document(s):

  • A current, complete transcript of grades. Grade reports are not accepted. Unofficial or online transcripts must display student name, school name, grades and credit hours for each course and term in which each course was taken.

Your application is not complete unless all required documents are submitted electronically through the Scholarship America Student Hub.

CME Group Foundation has partnered with Scholarship America. Select the button below to be directed to the Scholarship America Student Hub!