Can You Be Required to Pay for Your Child’s College After an Illinois Divorce?

 Posted on October 16, 2026 in Child Support

Parents who once agreed on their child’s future might disagree about how much each should pay when college tuition arrives. Illinois courts can require either or both parents to contribute to a child’s college expenses after divorce.

These payments are separate from ordinary child support and are based on the family’s finances and other legal factors. If you have questions about how college expenses fit into your support agreement in 2026, our Naperville, IL family law attorneys will help explain your obligations.

Does Paying Child Support in Illinois Mean You Must Also Pay for College?

Paying child support does not automatically require you to pay for college. Under 750 ILCS 5/513, the court can order separate contributions toward an adult child’s education, even after ordinary child support ends.

Your divorce judgment might already state how college costs will be shared. If it leaves that issue unresolved, either parent can ask the court to decide each parent’s contribution when college approaches.

What College Expenses Can Illinois Parents Be Ordered to Pay?

An order for college contributions can cover more than tuition. Illinois law allows the court to address expenses connected to attending school, including:

• Tuition and required fees
• On-campus or off-campus housing and meals
• Books and supplies needed for classes
• Medical and dental expenses, including medical insurance
• Reasonable living expenses during the school year and school breaks

Unless there is good cause to exceed them, tuition and fees are limited to the cost of attending the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as an in-state student. Housing costs are limited to the cost of a shared dorm room and standard meal plan at that university.

If the student lives with a parent while attending college, covered living expenses include reasonable costs for food, utilities, and transportation. The order should identify which expenses each parent must pay and how payments will be made.

How Does an Illinois Court Decide Each Parent’s Share of College Costs?

The court considers each parent’s ability to contribute rather than automatically dividing the bill in half. The judge then reviews both parents’ current and future financial resources. This includes their own needs and retirement savings.

The court also considers the standard of living the child would have enjoyed if the marriage had continued. The child’s financial resources and academic performance are additional factors.

College savings accounts affect this assessment. A 529 account or another qualifying education account established before the divorce is treated as a resource of the child. Contributions a parent makes after the divorce count as contributions from that parent.

Financial aid awards and school cost statements should also be reviewed before deciding how much remains to be paid. A request for contributions should show the actual expenses and the funds available to cover them.

When Does the Obligation to Pay College Expenses End in Illinois?

Unless the parents agree otherwise, educational expenses must be incurred before the student turns 23. The court can extend that period for good cause, but not beyond age 25.

The law also ends the court’s authority to order these expenses when the child earns a bachelor’s degree or marries. Payments could also end if the student fails to meet academic requirements. This typically means maintaining a C average unless illness or another valid reason accounts for the lower grades.

When a court orders college payments, the student and parents must sign forms allowing the paying parent to see the student’s grades and other academic records. Those records help confirm whether the student is meeting the academic requirements. If you believe payments should end, have your attorney review the order before stopping them.

Can You Request College Contributions After the Illinois Divorce Is Final?

You can ask the court to order college contributions after your divorce if your judgment left that issue undecided. To make the request, you file a petition in your divorce case showing the college costs and each parent’s financial situation.

When the court creates a new payment obligation, it will only cover expenses going back to the date you filed the petition. If you wait until after paying tuition, those earlier expenses could be left out.

Enforcing an existing college-expense agreement is a different issue. Your attorney should review whether you need to establish a contribution obligation or enforce one already included in your judgment.

Contact a Naperville, IL Non-Minor Support Lawyer

College-expense disputes affect both your child’s education and your financial future. The attorneys at Fay & Farrow will review your divorce judgment and help you seek an arrangement that reflects your family’s circumstances.

Our firm focuses exclusively on family law and has served Naperville families for decades. We work toward civil and effective solutions whenever possible. Contact our Lake County, IL family law attorney or call 630-961-0060 today to schedule a free consultation.