The Wheeler Foundation Scholarships were established in 2011 to provide tuition assistance to students in the Department of Special Education who demonstrate financial need and intend to work with students with disabilities in classroom settings.
For the 2026-2027 academic year, scholarships ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 will be awarded, depending on the total available funding and the number of qualified applicants. These scholarships are available to undergraduate students (juniors or seniors) and master's students enrolled in Special Education programs.
Criteria
Selection criteria for the Wheeler Foundation Scholarship include:
Full-time enrollment in a Special Education program (at least 12 credit hours per semester during Fall 2026 and Spring 2027)
A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 over the most recent 30 credit hours
A commitment to teaching in classroom settings after graduation
Demonstrated financial need, including the lack of other tuition assistance/waiver
Application Process
Interested students should submit a résumé and a typed statement (maximum of two pages) describing (a) their interest in and plans for teaching students with disabilities in classroom settings and (b) their financial need.
Application materials should be emailed to Dr. Matt Lambert at matt5@illinois.edu by 5:00 p.m. CST on September 8, 2026.
Scholarship recipients will be selected by a Department of Special Education. Recipients are expected to attend the College of Education Awards Banquet during the 2026-2027 academic year.
For more information
Contact: Dr. Matt Lambert Department of Special Education University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 1310 South Sixth Street Champaign,
IL 61820 matt5@illinois.edu
Congratulations! You've taken the first step to becoming a student of the College of Education. The application process is different for undergraduate and graduate studies.