Important Notices
2020-2021 State of IL MAP Grant Deadline
ISAC is suspending the announcement of 2020-21 Monetary Award Program (MAP) grants for applicants whose initial 2020-21 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is received by the Central Processing System (CPS), or whose initial Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid is received by ISAC, on or after Wednesday, July 1, 2020. For more information on the State of IL MAP Grant Program please visit this link.
CARES Act Covid-19 Emergency Financial Aid Grant
The recent implementation of the CARES Act will allow institutions to establish COVID-19 emergency programs in order to provide emergency financial aid grants to students currently enrolled with extraordinary one-time education-related costs that have arisen as a result of disruption of campus operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
More information about the grant and how to apply is available here.
Now Accepting Summer Financial Aid Applications
Summer 2020 Financial Aid Applications are now available here. The deadline for Summer 2020 applications is Monday, July 13, 2020. Check the Summer Financial Aid Application Policy page for additional information.
Apply Now for 2020-2021 Financial Aid and Scholarships
The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships encourages all students to apply early for financial aid and scholarships. To ensure full consideration for aid, submit your FAFSA as soon as possible after October of each year and search for scholarships using our scholarship search engine as soon as possible after Nov. 1 of each year. We recommend filing by Feb. 15 in order to meet possible state deadlines. If you need more information on how to apply, please visit the links below:
- How to fill out the FAFSA
- After the FAFSA: What Happens Next
- View the FSA ID video tutorial
- Scholarship Tips
- Scholarship Site
Our federal school code is 001674.
Helpful Videos from Federal Student Aid
To find out how to complete various processes for financial aid, watch a YouTube video here.
Retention of Illinois Students & Equity (RISE) Act
On June 21, 2019, the Retention of Illinois Students & Equity (RISE) Act was signed into law, with an effective date of Jan. 1, 2020.
As a result, the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid will be available to students on ISAC’s website on Jan. 6. This application will provide a pathway to apply for Monetary Award Program (MAP) Grants for qualifying undocumented students and for transgender students who are not eligible for federal financial aid because they did not register for selective service beginning with the 2020-2021 academic year. Most Illinois students will still file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) to simultaneously apply for federal, state and institutional aid, including MAP grants. In order to receive a MAP grant, all students, whether completing the FAFSA or the Alternative Application, must still meet the eligibility criteria of the MAP program itself.
More information about the RISE Act and the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid is available on the ISAC website.
