Section 312.20  Definitions

For the purpose of this Part, the following definitions shall apply:

"Accredited High School" means any public or non-public high school that meets the general operational recognition standards for schools established by the State Board of Education pursuant to the Illinois School Code [105 ILCS 5].

"Adopted Youth" means a youth for whom the Department had court-ordered guardianship immediately before achieving their permanency goal through adoption.

"Applicant" means a youth for whom the Department is legally responsible, or an adopted youth, or a youth in private guardianship (as those terms are defined in this Section), who submits a completed:

Scholarship and Fee Waiver Program application package in accordance with Subpart B;

Tuition and Fee Waiver Program application package in accordance with Subpart C; or

Apprenticeship Incentive Program application in accordance with Subpart D of this Part.

"College or university maintained by the State" means any community college, university, or college maintained by the State of Illinois. [20 ILCS 505/8]

"Department" means the Department of Children and Family Services.

"FAFSA" means Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

"GED" means all segments of the General Educational Development test.

"High School Equivalency Certificate" is an alternative to a high school diploma that is awarded to eligible individuals who take and pass all segments of the GED.

"OETS" means the Department's Office of Education and Transition Services.

"Recipient" means any applicant to whom the Department awards a scholarship under Subpart B, any applicant who receives a tuition and fee waiver under Subpart C, or any applicant who receives an apprenticeship incentive under Subpart D.

"SASC" means the Scholarship Awards Selection Committee.

"Scholarship" means monetary and other aid awarded to an individual to pursue post-secondary educational studies.

"Youth For Whom The Department Is Legally Responsible" means a youth for whom the Department has court-ordered guardianship, or a youth whose parent has signed an adoptive surrender or voluntary placement agreement with the Department, or a youth for whom the Department had court-ordered guardianship when they aged out of the Department's care at age 18 or older.

"Youth in Private Guardianship" means a youth for whom the Department had court-ordered guardianship immediately before achieving their permanency goal through private guardianship.

"Youth of a Veteran" means a youth for whom the Department is legally responsible, or a youth in private guardianship, or an adopted youth, whose birth parent, adoptive parent or private guardian served in a branch of the United States Armed Forces and was honorably discharged.  The words "honorable discharge" and "honorably discharged" include a discharge under other than honorable conditions or general discharge under honorable conditions if only due to a person's sexual orientation or gender identity but does not include a bad conduct discharge or a dishonorable discharge. [20 ILCS 70/1.44]

(Source:  Amended at 50 Ill. Reg. 9789, effective July 6, 2026)