Gateway Program

Become a Gateway Scholar

If you have studied for and earned your HSD (HiSET/GED®) or learned English at City Colleges of Chicago, you may be able to take college credit courses for up to four terms at half price.

2025 – 2026 Gateway eligibility*

Students may be eligible for the Gateway Scholarship if they meet the following criteria:

  • Completed one or more Adult Education classes at City Colleges during the 2023-2024, 2024-2025, and 2025-2026 Academic Years
  • Qualify for in-district tuition (meaning living in or working 35+ hours per week in the city of Chicago)
  • Earned a high school diploma or equivalency OR plan to earn your high school equivalency before your anticipated first college credit term if required by your desired program of study
  • Meet with a Transition Specialist before transitioning to Credit classes
  • Enroll in at least 6 credit hours, including English if required by your program of study. Students interested in becoming a Gateway Scholar should complete the online interest form, and a Transition Specialist will contact students with the next steps. In addition to the requirements above, students will need to:
  • Complete the online credit application
  • Place at minimum one level below college-level English or into college-level English by scoring:

 

– CCC Read-to-Write: 3+ (or 33 or higher for the CCC-RTW-ESL)

– GED Language Arts: 165+

– HiSET Reading & Language Arts: 16+ on both and 5+ on HiSET Writing

· Place one level below college-level Math or into college-level Math by scoring***:

– ALEKS exam: 30+ or placement into Math 90.

– GED Math: 150+ or placement into Math 90.

– HiSET Math: 10+ or placement into Math 90

If eligibility requirements change, current Gateway Scholars may continue in the program without meeting the new eligibility requirements.

  • Eligibility Limitations: Students with F-1, F-2, J-1, or J-2 visas are ineligible for the Gateway Scholarship
  • This scholarship does not apply to ESLINT 98, 99, or Foundational Studies.

 

*Eligibility requirements may be adjusted in future academic years for new cohorts

**Students in programs that do not require English are not required to enroll in English.

***Students in programs that do not require Math are not required to meet the Math placement requirement.

 
The Interest form will require you to log in with your CCC username and password.           

Can’t log in? Reset your password at passwordreset.ccc.edu. If you don’t know your username, retrieve it here.         

                   

   

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