JB Pritzker, Governor, State of Illinois

ISAC Update

VOL. 42, NO. 6F
December 2024

Messages sent to:   Multiple Subscription Groups
  ISAC Update

Welcome to the December 2024 ISAC Update for financial aid administrators and business officers. This version of the electronic ISAC Update is a compilation of e-Messages sent through ISAC's e-Messaging service throughout December.

The articles in this Update have been organized according to the FAA subscription groups to which the messages were distributed.

Questions?

Questions regarding information in this ISAC Update can be directed to School Services at 866.247.2172 or at isac.schoolservices@illinois.gov. On occasion, you may be directed to a specific contact person or area; when this occurs, we will provide the appropriate information in the individual article or message.

MULTIPLE SUBSCRIPTION GROUPS

Information for Students Regarding Reduction of 2024-25 MAP Awards
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAP Users, and Business Officers on December 30, 2024.

The following is being shared to assist colleges as they communicate with students regarding the reduction factor that has been applied to 2024-25 Monetary Award Program (MAP) annual award amounts.

In an effort to make information directly available for students, links to the PDF version of the FAQs: Reduction in 2024-25 MAP Awards resource have been added to the Students & Parents – MAP area and the "Featured" section of the ISAC website (isac.org) home page.

As a reminder, this same resource is also available to the financial aid community for sharing with students (as an HTML page or printable PDF) via the MAP section of the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs area.

Further details about the award reduction have been provided to partners in e-Messages dated December 24 and December 17.

2025-26 MAP Start-up Implemented
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAP Users, and Business Officers on December 30, 2024.

2025-26 Monetary Award Program (MAP) records – reflecting the start-up formula that was approved at the September 19, 2024 Commission meeting – are now available to access via the MAP system. Effective immediately, all 2025-26 Institutional Student Information Records (ISIRs) and Alternative Application Student Records received by ISAC through (including) Friday, December 27, 2024 are available with their accompanying eligibility status information. Daily processing of 2025-26 ISIR, Alternative Application, and eligibility status information has commenced.

Processing Details

  • The 2025-26 start-up formula:
    • uses 2021-22 reported tuition and fees;
    • uses the 2021-22 Pell Grant Payment Schedule;
    • uses a $5,200 living allowance; and,
    • has a maximum annual award amount of $8,400.
  • The MAP system can be experienced best using the Google Chrome browser.
  • The ISAC Gift Assistance Programs (GAP) Access portal, which includes the MAP system, is available each day between the hours of 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. (CT).

More Information Available Online

Notification to Applicants

Reminders

  • Colleges should encourage students to submit the 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) or the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application) as soon as possible.
  • Encourage your students to visit the ISAC Student Portal to access these helpful resources:
    • MAP Paid Credit Hours Display (located in the Program Applications & Status Checks area) – MAP grant recipients may use this option to track the number of MAP Paid Credit Hours they have remaining, and
    • Student Resources Beyond Financial Aid (located in the Resources area) – students can find resources for food (including listings of Illinois food pantries on or near college campuses, as well as across the state), housing, medical care, child and dependent care assistance and consideration because of special circumstances.

Watch for Future Updates

Additional updates regarding the 2025-26 MAP processing cycle will be provided via ISAC's usual means of communication: the FAA Message Board; the MAP Program News area; and/or, this e-Messaging service.

2024-25 Monetary Award Program (MAP) Mid-Year Recompute Implemented in GAP Access
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAP Users, and Business Officers on December 24, 2024.

As of Monday, December 23, 2024, a 4% reduction factor has been applied to the 2024-25 Monetary Award Program (MAP) maximum annual award amount and implemented in the MAP system in the GAP Access portal. The maximum amount that a student can be eligible for with the reduction factor applied is an annual award of $8,064.

This mid-year recompute, while it is applicable to the full annual award that a student is eligible for, is only impacting second and third term eligibility amounts.

The award amounts displaying in the MAP system continue to show the original maximum eligible amount for the fall term, which was not impacted by the reduction factor. To account for the reduction that was not applied to the fall term, a higher percentage was used to reduce original second and third term eligibility amounts as follows:

  • For semester schools, the maximum eligible amounts for the spring term were reduced by 8%; and
  • For quarter schools, the maximum eligible amounts for second and third quarters were reduced by 6%.

Maximum eligible amounts provided for students are based on full-time enrollment of 15 credit hours, and the actual amount a student can be paid will be adjusted based on the number of hours in which the student is enrolled.

Colleges may now use the award amount information in the MAP system to notify students of changes to their award amounts for the second and third terms. Information about school requirements regarding award notifications and general information that can be provided to students about the reduction (available as an HTML page or printable PDF) can be found in the MAP section of the FAA area at isac.org.

Payment processing for the spring term/second quarter is expected to begin the week of December 30. Watch for an upcoming e-Message with specific details.

2024-25 Monetary Award Program (MAP)  Announcement
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAP Users, and Business Officers on December 17, 2024.

Now that the fall-term claim deadline date for the 2024-25 Monetary Award Program (MAP) has passed and fall claim rates have been analyzed, it has been determined that ISAC will need to apply a reduction factor to the 2024-25 maximum annual MAP award amount before opening for spring semester and second/third quarter claims.

A significant increase in the number of enrolled students at MAP-approved institutions for the Fall 2024 term resulted in much higher claim rates than the program has experienced in over a decade. While this is great news for the students, colleges, and the State of Illinois, it has had a significant and unexpected impact on the administration of 2024-25 MAP, and will not feel like great news for this year’s MAP recipients.

In order to remain within appropriation as we continue to provide MAP awards for the remainder of the 2024-25 award year, the maximum annual MAP award amount will be reduced by 4% for all MAP-eligible students. However, to minimize administrative challenges that would occur by reducing already paid fall-term claims, the reduction amount will only be reflected in second semester and second/third quarter eligible amounts and payment claims. For semester institutions, this means that the spring term will see an 8% reduction in the maximum eligible award amount, and for quarter institutions, there will be a 6% reduction in the maximum eligible award amount for both second and third quarters.

ISAC is working rapidly to make the needed updates for institutions in GAP Access. Please note that there will be a period when the MAP Program will be unavailable in GAP as these processes are updating. Additional details regarding the implementation timeline for recomputed award amounts and the start of Spring 2025 payment claim requests will be provided soon in a follow-up e-message. In the interim, this message serves to make you aware of the reduction for planning purposes.

Please plan to join ISAC’s Partner Services Department at their Monthly Update Webinar on Wednesday, December 18 at 2 p.m., where they will provide more details and will be available to answer your questions. To participate, visit the Partner Training page in the e-Library on the day of the event to access the webinar link and presentation materials.

2024-25 NES Awards Announced and Payment  Request Being Accepted
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, Business Officers, and NES Schools on December 6, 2024.

Unless otherwise noted, links in this message are to corresponding pages at the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) website (isac.org).

2024-25 Nursing Education Scholarships (NES) have been announced, and payment requests for the fall term are being accepted.

Awards Announced

All renewal applicants who have been certified as eligible by their college received priority consideration for awarding, followed by eligible new applicants.

Notifications will be mailed to award recipients by ISAC on Monday (December 9, 2024).

Resources regarding the awarding process may be accessed via the NES Electronic Processing area, as well as the Award Determination for Nursing Education Scholarships page.

Submit Payment Requests

The 2024-25 NES payment processing cycle has commenced, and colleges may submit payment requests (claims) for the fall term via the NES system.

The first payment run of the 2024-25 academic year will take place tonight, and payment will continue to run on a nightly basis every weekday.

  • Payment records that have been saved display a "U" status.
  • Payment records that have been submitted display an "S" status.
  • Only "S" status records will receive payment results.
  • A Payment Results Summary and Invoice Detail Report can be viewed or printed by selecting the Report tab in the NES system the day after a payment request has been processed. The report includes payment requests, payment exceptions and invoice detail.
  • The Payment Results/Exceptions report should be reviewed the day after submitting payment requests to see if any requests did not process as expected.

Although the fall-term NES priority claim deadline date has not yet been determined, schools are urged to submit payment requests as soon as possible.

Details regarding the payment process are available via the Nursing Education Scholarships Payment page and the NES User Guide.

Watch for Updates

Program updates – including the fall-term priority claim deadline, once determined – will be announced via our usual means of communication: the FAA Message Board, the NES Program News page, and/or this e-Messaging system.

2025-26 FAFSA, Alternative Application, and Important  Dates
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, Public Schools – Participating in the ING Grant and IVG Programs, MAP Users, Business Officers, ECACE Administrators, and NES Schools on December 6, 2024.

The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) would like to make you aware of the following information, which may be of interest to you and/or your students.

Unless otherwise noted, links in this message are to corresponding pages at ISAC's website (isac.org).

You may either scroll through the remainder of this message, or click on the appropriate link(s) to go directly to a specific section:

2025-26 (July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026)

2024-25 (July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025)

2023-24 (July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024)

General Information (Not Specific to One Academic Year)

2025-26 ACADEMIC YEAR

2025-26 FAFSA and Alternative Application

The 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) cycle – including availability of the online FAFSA for all students – has opened, and the FAFSA Processing System (FPS) is transmitting 2025-26 FAFSA results (for the online FAFSA and paper/PDF FAFSAs) to colleges. Students (and any contributors, if applicable) who successfully submitted the 2025-26 FAFSA form during the fall 2024 beta testing period do not need to resubmit it.

Details regarding the 2025-26 application cycle may be accessed via the Applying for Financial Aid section of the e-Library for Partners.

The 2025-26 Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application) is also available (in English and Spanish). Further details are provided at ISAC's Retention of Illinois Students & Equity (RISE) Act page.

Encourage your students to check out the Financial Aid Planning area for information regarding resources that are available to help students complete the financial aid process.

Federal Student Aid 2025-26 FAFSA Webinar on December 10

Join Federal Student Aid staff on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, for a webinar designed to guide students (independent and dependent), parents and college/career professionals through submitting the 2025–26 FAFSA form. Help spread the word that online registration is now available for this free event.

MAP Processing Cycle

As was previously announced, at its September 19, 2024 meeting, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission approved a start-up formula for 2025-26 academic year Monetary Award Program (MAP) grants, with a maximum award of $8,400. Additional details regarding the formula are provided in a September 23 e-Message.

The 2025-26 Required School-Issued Award Notification Language is available on the MAP Award Announcements page, and the 2025-26 MAP 160-Byte File Layout Specifications document is available on the Electronic Tools page in the e-Library.

ISAC will announce when the 2025-26 MAP processing cycle has begun and 2025-26 MAP eligibility information is available in the MAP system.

2024-25 ACADEMIC YEAR

2024-25 ISAC Administrative Rules

ISAC Administrative Rules for the 2024-25 academic year are available for reference at the ISAC website. The rules are accessible in two locations:

  • in the e-Library, by clicking on #4, Administrative Rules, and
  • in the About ISAC area, by clicking on Administrative Rules.

The online rules are posted in two formats: alphabetical by program and by program type/topic.

Continue Certifying iGROW Tech Scholarship Eligibility

Colleges are reminded to continue certifying eligiblility for 2024-25 Illinois Graduate and Retain Our Workforce (iGROW) Tech Scholarship Program awards using the iGROW system. In order to ensure qualified applicants are considered when awarding takes place, colleges are encouraged to complete and submit all certifications as soon as possible, and preferably before December 15, 2024. Further details are provided in a November 13 e-Message.

December 6: Fall-Term Claim Deadline Date for MAP

2024-25 MAP first-term payment requests (i.e., claims) are due on or before December 6, 2024.

When submitting claims, remember that ISAC has suspended the announcement of 2024-25 MAP grants for all students whose initial 2024-25 FAFSA is received by the federal processor, or whose initial Alternative Application is received by ISAC, on or after August 21, 2024.

Future updates – including, once determined, the claim deadline dates for subsequent terms – will be announced via our usual means of communication: the FAA Message Board; the MAP Program News page; and/or ISAC's e-Messaging system.

December 31: Fall-Term Priority Payment Request Date for ECACE Scholarship

Fall-term claims for the 2024-25 Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) Scholarship Program are due on or before Tuesday, December 31, 2024.

Further details are provided in a September 24 e-Message.

December 31: Fall-Term Priority Payment Request Date for MTI and Golden Apple

First-term claims for the 2024-25 Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship and Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois (Golden Apple) programs are due on or before Tuesday, December 31, 2024. Further details are provided in e-Messages dated September 19 (MTI) and September 11 (Golden Apple).

Future updates – including, once determined, the priority claim deadlines for subsequent terms – will be announced via our usual means of communication: the FAA Message Board; the MTI Scholarship and Golden Apple "Program News" pages; and/or ISAC's e-Messaging system.

Continue Certifying MTI Eligibility

Colleges are encouraged to continue certifying eligibility for 2024-25 MTI Scholars.

Further details are provided via the Certification Procedures for MTI page, the MTI User Guide, and an August 5 e-Message.

December 31: Fall-Term Priority Payment Request Date for Social Work Scholarships

2024-25 Post-Master of Social Work School Social Work Professional Educator License Scholarship payment requests for the fall term can be completed online and submitted electronically to ISAC via the Social Work Scholarship Program (SWSP) system. The priority payment request deadline for the fall term is Tuesday, December 31, 2024.

December 31: Fall-Term Date for Timely Reporting of Benefit Usage for IVG and ING Grant

An August 13 e-Message announces that ISAC is accepting fall-term benefit usage data for the 2024-25 Illinois Veteran Grant (IVG) and Illinois National Guard (ING) Grant programs.

To be considered timely, IVG and ING Grant benefit usage data for the fall term is due on or before Tuesday, December 31, 2024.

Benefit usage data for the IVG and ING Grant programs is submitted to ISAC by colleges via the benefit usage functionality within each program's system, allowing colleges to report enrollment hours and dollar amounts for initial, in-district and out-of-district benefit usage by students, as well as adjustments to previously-submitted data. Even though ISAC may not be able to fully reimburse institutions for 2024-25 IVG or ING Grant awards, reporting of benefits used must still take place so that usage can be accurately reflected on students' accounts.

March 1: Spring-Term Application Deadline for Grant Programs for Dependents of Police, Fire, or Correctional Officers

March 1, 2025 is the spring- and summer-term application deadline for the 2024-25 Grant Programs for Dependents of Police/Fire/Correctional Officers. Applications received after March 1 will be considered for summer term only awards.

March 1: Spring-Term Application Deadline for the Displaced Energy Worker Dependent Transition Scholarship Program

March 1, 2025 is the spring- and summer-term application deadline for the 2024-25 Displaced Energy Worker Dependent Transition Scholarship Program. Applications received after March 1 will be considered for summer term only awards.

2023-24 ACADEMIC YEAR

December 31: Enrollment Verification Data for ISAC-Administered Teacher Education Programs Due

ISAC is accepting 2023-2024 enrollment verification data for students who previously received funds from the following ISAC-administered teacher programs:

Further details and instructions regarding the enrollment verification process are provided in a November 4 e-Message, and via the resources listed below:

GENERAL INFORMATION

Register for 2025 Success Network Conference

Registration is now open for the 12th annual College Success Network conference – Building the Future We Want: Increasing Equitable Postsecondary Attainment – being held on February 25, 2025, at I Hotel & Illinois Conference Center in Champaign. Further details, including access to online registration, are provided in a November 15 e-Message.

December Webinars for FAAs

ISAC will offer the following webinars for financial aid administrators during the month of December.

  • Tuesday, December 10, 10 a.m. – A Review of ISAC’s Loan Repayment/Forgiveness Programs
  • Wednesday, December 18, 2 p.m. – Monthly Operational Update and Program News*

To participate, visit the Partner Training page in the e-Library on the day of the event to access the webinar link and presentation materials.

*Note that this webinar is one week earlier than our usual schedule, due to the Christmas holiday.

April 17: Next Commission Meeting

The next meeting of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission is scheduled to take place on Thursday, April 17, 2025. Further details, including a listing of tentative agenda items, will be available prior to the meeting via the ISAC's Governing Board: The Commission section of the About ISAC area.

Visit the Commission Meeting Schedule page for information regarding all meetings scheduled in 2025.

Holiday Schedules

ISAC staff will be unavailable for these holidays:

  • Wednesday, December 25, 2024 – Christmas Day
  • Wednesday, January 1, 2025 – New Year's Day
  • Monday, January 20, 2025 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
  • Wednesday, February 12, 2025 – Lincoln's Birthday
  • Monday, February 17, 2025 – Presidents' Day

Staff will again be available the first business day immediately following each holiday.

Processing Schedules

Although ISAC staff will be unavailable on the days listed above, all systems for ISAC-administered programs within the GAP Access portal will be available during regularly scheduled hours. For MAP and other programs administered through components of the GAP Access portal, results for payment requests submitted from 5 p.m. (CT) the business day prior to the holiday through 5 p.m. (CT) the business day following the holiday will be available via the appropriate program's system on the morning of the second business day after the holiday.

For Assistance

Access the Financial Aid Administrators area anytime, or send an e-mail message to School Services. With the exception of days when ISAC staff members are unavailable, we will review and respond to messages during regular business hours of Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (CT).

Commission Meeting Thursday, December 5 – No Executive Briefing Scheduled
Sent to Financial Aid Directors and Financial Aid Administrators on December 3, 2024.

The next regular meeting of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) will be held at 1 p.m. on Thursday, December 5, 2024. Those interested in attending the meeting in person may do so at either the ISAC Deerfield or Springfield office location; see below for addresses. There will be no videoconference access to the meeting from ISAC's website.

Some of the items on the tentative agenda are:

  • Fiscal Year 2026 appropriated funds budget request
  • College Illinois!® Prepaid Tuition Program investment and program updates

The Agenda Book, providing the complete listing of agenda items, is available via the 2024 Agenda Books page, which is located within the ISAC's Governing Board: The Commission section of the About ISAC area of isac.org. The online Agenda Book will be updated within 1-2 days following the meeting to reflect action taken.

No Executive Briefing Conference Call

There is no Executive Briefing conference call scheduled following the December Commission meeting.

Commission Meeting Sites

Deerfield office
1755 Lake Cook Road
Conference Room 3030, 3rd floor
Deerfield
Enter through the east door and check in at the desk

Springfield office
500 West Monroe
Conference Room, 3rd floor
Springfield
Enter from the rear parking lot through the east door, use the elevator or stairs

December Webinars for FAAs
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, Public Schools – Participating in the ING Grant and IVG Programs, MAP Users, Business Officers, ECACE Administrators, and NES Schools on December 3, 2024.

The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) will offer the following webinars for financial aid administrators during the month of December.

  • Tuesday, December 10, 10 a.m. – A Review of ISAC Loan Repayment/Forgiveness Programs
  • Wednesday, December 18, 2 p.m. – Monthly Operational Update and Program News*

To participate, visit the Partner Training page in the e-Library on the day of the event to access the webinar link and presentation materials.

*Note that this webinar is one week earlier than our usual schedule, due to the Christmas holiday.

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ISAC UPDATE

November 2024 Electronic ISAC Update
Sent on December 2, 2024.

The November 2024 edition of the ISAC Update is now available for your review, and may be accessed via the Partner e-Messages & Newsletters section of the e-Library for Partners at isac.org. This version of the electronic ISAC Update is a compilation of e-Messages sent to financial aid administrators and business officers via ISAC's e-Messaging service over the past month.

Topics covered in the November 2024 ISAC Update include:

  • Invitation to Elevate Equity: Illinois
    (sent November 20, 2024)
  • Registration Open for 12th Annual Success Network Conference – Register Today!
    (sent November 15, 2024)
  • Certify 2024-25 iGROW Tech Scholarships
    (sent November 13, 2024)
  • November Training Events from ISAC & ILASFAA
    (sent November 6, 2024)
  • Teacher Program Enrollment Verification Update
    (sent November 4, 2024)
  • October 2024 Electronic ISAC Update
    (sent November 1, 2024)

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