GFAI Scholarships

Scholarship Value: $5,000

Awards Available: 3

Award Deadline: Apr 15, 2025


Members of the Grain and Feed Association of Illinois represent a sector of the ag industry that is comprised of grain elevators, multi-national companies, single grain handling facilities, feed mills, ethanol plants, processors, feed mills and more. There are many career opportunities across Illinois and in a variety of capacities such as merchandising, origination, safety, accounting, engineering and more. The careers are steady, the pay is competitive and the prospect to become a part of the industry that feeds the world is exciting!

2025 Applications Open January 1- April 15, 2025

You Should Consider Applying for GFAI Scholarships If You….

  • Want to work in ag and have an interest in the grain handling and feed industries
  • Want a steady career, competitive pay and to become a part of the industry that helps feed the world

Have an interest in grain merchandising/originating, safety, operations, feed milling, management and more

​Industry Immersion Scholarship

Recipients Receive:

  • Networking and career-building opportunities – Learn about the grain industry, network, build your resume and meet new people who can open doors for your career!
  • A $3,500 scholarship – 40% of the scholarship is provided at the Summer Kickoff Tour and the remaining amount upon completion of the program in the spring.
  • Real work experience – Students will work 4 days at a member facility (2 days each in the spring and fall) and provide two blog posts detailing their experiences. Students can suggest their preferred host.
  • A 3-day Summer Kickoff Tour on August 4-6, 2025, complete with site visits around the state, educational programs and social events!
  • Hotel accommodations & registration at GFAI's Annual Convention & Trade Show where recipients of the scholarship will be recognized during general session on February 16, 2026 in St. Louis.  

Eligibility:

  • Permanent Illinois address and a full-time freshman, sophomore or junior at an accredited college or university
  • Students must be willing to:
    • Work four days at a member facility (2 days each in spring and fall)
    • Attend the Summer Kickoff Tour on August 4-6, 2025
    • Write two blog posts detailing their experiences
  • Applicants may only be awarded this GFAI Scholarship once. Previous winners who are sophomores or juniors are eligible for a $1,000 “Renewable Scholarship,” with requirements to interview a facility manager, complete a 30-60 second video, or job shadow 2 days at a member facility and write blog posts about their experience.
  • Students must be interested in a career in the grain handling or feed industries, submit a transcript and three (3) professional letters of recommendation from a school adviser, faculty, employer, etc.

Country Grain Elevator Management Scholarship 

(May Apply for Both This Scholarship AND Industry Immersion Scholarship if Eligible)

Recipients Receive:

  • Networking and career-building opportunities – Learn about the grain industry, network, build your resume and meet new people who can open doors for your career!
  • A $5,000 scholarship – $1,000 awarded upon selection, $2,000 awarded upon accepting a full-time position at an IL country grain elevator in either management, accounting, origination, or merchandising, $2,000 awarded upon completion of first year in said position.
  • A 3-day Summer Kickoff Tour on August 4-6, 2025, complete with site visits around the state, educational programs and social events!
  • Hotel accommodations & registration at GFAI's Annual Convention & Trade Show where recipients of the scholarship will be recognized during general session on February 16, 2026 in St. Louis. 

Eligibility:

  • Full-time junior at an accredited college or university at the time of application: must be a senior during the fall 2025 semester.
  • Students must:
  • Plan to work full-time at an Illinois country elevator after graduation. If hired, position must be in either management (including trainee type of position), accounting, origination, or merchandising.
  • Attend the Summer Kickoff Tour on August 4-6, 2025
  • Students must be interested in a career in the grain handling or feed industries, submit a transcript and three (3) professional letters of recommendation from a school adviser, faculty, employer, etc.
  • You may apply, and if chosen, receive both this scholarship and the Industry Immersion Scholarship. Only one student will be selected for this scholarship. 
How to Apply:

Be Bold Scholarship

Deadline: Dec 01, 2024
$25,000
The "Be Bold" Scholarship is a no-essay scholarship that will be awarded to the applicant with the boldest profile. It takes less than 2 minutes to apply.To us, boldest does not mean "best", or "most accomplished". Being bold means being:EarnestDeterminedMovingThe scholarship will be awarded to the student whose profile is most bold, according to these characteristics.Furthermore, the scholarship will be...

Niche $50,000 Scholarship

Deadline: Dec 31, 2024
$50,000
Covering the cost of college expenses for four years without writing a single essay? Sounds too good to be true.It isn't with Niche. We are giving one student $50,000 (our biggest scholarship yet) to help pay for tuition, living expenses, books, and other educational expenses.Who Can ApplyAll high school and college students, as well as anyone looking to attend college...

ScholarshipOwl No Essay Scholarship

Deadline: Nov 29, 2024
$1,000
ScholarshipOwl is your source of relief from the dreaded application process. We put students on the fast-track to success by providing direct access to the scholarships they need the most. Take the hassle out of financial aid and maximize your chance at a free ride in college. No matter how much funding you need for school, we have the opportunities...

$3,500
The Christian Connector offers various scholarship drawings for Christian colleges. All of the information services provided by The Christian Connector are offered absolutely free!Eligibility:Students applying to the Christian Connector Scholarship must be current high school students (Class of 2025, 2026, or 2027) interested in attending a Christian university or college.About:The Christian Connector offers a "one-stop-shop" for receiving free information from...

Sallie Mae "No Essay" Scholarship

Deadline: Nov 30, 2024
$2,000
The $2,000 Sallie Mae Scholarship is only open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and any US Territory age 17 or older at the time of entry, and who meet one (1) of the four (4) following eligibility requirements at the time of entry:A parent who currently has a child enrolled in an accredited...

Future Leaders Scholarship

Deadline: Nov 30, 2024
$1,500
Since 1995, our mission has been to help connect students with the right schools for them. Carnegie Dartlet, the organization that houses CollegeXpress, is an educational publisher and higher education marketing agency. Every year, thousands of students across the United States and around the world discover their colleges using our websites, magazines, and services.To be eligible for the Scholarship you:A)...

The Future is Now Scholarship

Deadline: Nov 30, 2024
$1,001
The Lenny Scholarship offers $1,001 US to support young individuals aged 16 and above, enrolled in college and residing in the US or India. Automatic disqualification may occur for multiple applications.EligibilityYou must be a resident of the US or IndiaYou must be 16 years of age or olderYou must be enrolled in a college

$10,000
The Scholarships360 $10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship is open to all students who want some extra help paying for their education. Whether you are a high school student who hopes to go to college, a graduate student who’s in a master’s program, or an adult learner who wants to return to school, you are eligible for our no essay scholarship.This scholarship...

Appily Easy Money Scholarship

Deadline: Nov 30, 2024
$1,000
The Appily scholarship application is fast and easy.Scholarship Eligibility: This scholarship is open to high school sophomores, juniors, and first semester senior students for all majors and schools. We will judge this scholarship based on other criteria such as volunteer work, extracurricular activities, special circumstances, etc.About the sponsors of the scholarship (EAB and Appily):EAB is the market leader in helping colleges...

Common App Scholarship

Deadline: Nov 30, 2024
$2,000
To encourage students to spend more time preparing for the Common App, Scholarship Guidance has created an annual scholarship to reward students.To be eligible for the Scholarship Guidance "Common App Scholarship" a student must:A) Be in Grade 11 or Grade 12B) Be attending college or university no later than October 1, 2026.C) Have achieved a GPA of 2.5 or greater...