Gateways Scholarship Recipient Responsibilities

Applicants must read the Gateways to Opportunity Scholarship Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and have a clear understanding of their responsibilities with the Gateways Scholarship Program.

When to Contact Your Gateways Scholarship Counselor

• Three to six weeks before registering for coursework.
• After completing registration.
• If there are any changes in the scholarship recipient’s coursework status (e.g., dropped or withdrawn from courses).
• If there are any changes to the scholarship recipient’s employment status.
  • Scholarship recipients who leave their current employment during a contract period must be re-employed in ECE or school-age care for a minimum of one year before re-applying to the Gateways Scholarship Program.
   

Coursework

• Scholarship recipients are responsible for enrolling in classes in a timely manner.
• Scholarship recipients must commit to attend classes and successfully complete agreed upon coursework for each contract signed.
• The Gateways Scholarship Program will only pay for a course one time.
  • If a scholarship recipient must repeat course due to receiving a “D” or “F,” the recipient will be responsible for paying for the course him/herself.

Billing and Reimbursement

• Applicants failing to register before allotted time may be required to pay the cost of tuition and fees up front and then may be reimbursed by the Gateways Scholarship Program.
• It is the recipient’s responsibility to provide prompt payment upon receipt of an invoice or balance due to the Gateways Scholarship Program.
  
  • Failure to pay may result in recipients being ineligible to participate in the program, revised payment schedules, and/or being sent to a collection agency.

End of Semester, Term, and Contract Requirements

• At end of semester/term, scholarship recipients must have all grades submitted and balance paid before being allowed to register for more coursework.
  • Grade report (must have name or SSN, student ID, etc.).
• At end of a contract (June 30th), scholarship recipients must provide the following in order to renew his/her contract/application:
  • Current W-2 (cannot be handwritten)
  • Current W-9 (required for name changes)
  • IRS Schedule C (family child care only)
  • IRS Form 8829 (family child care only)
  • Four weeks of most recent pay stubs (center employees/school-age employees/family child care provider assistants only)
  • Signed contract/application
  • Official Transcript

*Scholarship recipients must have all grades submitted and balance paid before being allowed to register for more coursework.

Commitment to Early Care and Education or School-Age Care

• Upon completion of any contract, scholarship recipients must make a work commitment to ECE or school-age care, as follows:
  • 6 months for CDA/CCP completion.
  • 1 year for completion of a coursework contract (for scholarship recipients completing 9–15 semester or equivalent quarter hours only).
  • 1 year for associate's degree completion.
  • 1 year for bachelor's degree or master's degree completion.
    
    
• Scholarship recipients who do not complete their work commitment period in an ECE or school-age care setting are responsible for reimbursing Gateways the cost of tuition and fees paid for the last contract.

• The work commitment period must be completed in one of the following ECE or school-age care settings:
  
  • IDCFS licensed full-day, full-year family/group child care home.
  • IDCFS licensed full-day, full-year child care center or Head Start.
  • IDCFS licensed Head Start or licensed school-age program operating a minimum of nine months a year.
  • Preschool for All program.