Little Sparks Tuition Assistance Eligibility and Program Details

To be eligible for the Little Sparks Tuition Assistance Program, parenting students must meet the following criteria

• Priority is given to undergraduate students and then graduate students as funding allows
• Enrolled full-time in degree-seeking coursework as an undergraduate or graduate see Office of the Registrar for definition of full-time status
• For undergraduate students – Receiving or eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant, Illinois MAP grant, or equivalent.
• For Graduate students- Gross monthly income and family size in accordance with the Illinois Department of Human Services (e.g., A family of 2 max annual income $50,000, adjusting with additional members.)
• Minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA
• Students who have already earned a terminal degree are not eligible
• Child(ren) must become enrolled at a participating child care center:
  • UIC Children’s Center – Ages 2.5 – 5 years
  • Partnering YMCA (TBA) – Ages 6 weeks – 2.5 years

IMPORTANT: An application to the Little Sparks Tuition Assistance Program should not be confused with an application for child care services; these are two separate processes. Students are responsible for securing a space for their child at one of the eligible child care centers. All child care fees charged prior to confirmation of admittance to the Little Sparks program are the responsibility of the student and will not be reimbursed by Little Sparks.

• Students will be notified of a decision after reviewing of submitting a completed application.
  • If accepted into the Little Sparks Tuition Assistance Program, participants must sign a Letter of Agreement outlining the responsibilities, rules, and requirements of the program.
  • If the Little Sparks Tuition Assistance Program is full, a waiting list will be maintained for applicants who meet the eligibility criteria.
  • Ineligible applicants will be notified of the reason for denial
• Participants looking to receive subsidy for infant and/or toddler child care MUST be eligible for the Child Care Assistance Program
• The Little Sparks Tuition Assistance Program may pay up to 100% of monthly child care tuition at participating child care centers; participants are responsible for paying any remaining monthly balance.
• Tuition payments are made directly to the campus child care centers.
• Ongoing Little Sparks assistance is subject to funding availability and a student’s ability to meet the above eligibility criteria; if any of the above criteria are no longer met, the student will be removed from the Little Sparks Tuition Assistance Program.
• Participants will meet with the Little Sparks Program Coordinator after each semester.
• Documentation showing continued eligibility and academic progress must be provided each semester.
• Participants must report changes to course load, household income, and any other circumstance affecting eligibility within 10 days of the change.
• Participants are required to participate in at least one events hosted by UIC Little Sparks Program each year.
• Participants must complete an annual survey regarding the impact and outcomes of the Little Sparks Tuition Assistance Program.
• The children of Little Sparks participants must attend care on a regular basis as contracted with the child care center; consistent absenteeism without documented cause may result a student’s removal from the Little Sparks Tuition Assistance Program.
• The Little Sparks Tuition Assistance Program strives to maintain a balance of undergraduate or graduate student participants which aligns with the current UIC enrollment.
• A participant may be removed from the Little Sparks Tuition Assistance Program at any time if there is reason to believe they are not attending classes during the time child care services are provided or are otherwise not adhering to the responsibilities, rules, and requirements detailed in the Letter of Agreement.

Updated July 2024