JB Pritzker, Governor, State of Illinois

ISAC Update

VOL. 42, NO. 9F
March 2025

Messages sent to:   Multiple Subscription Groups
  ISAC Update

Welcome to the March 2025 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 March.

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

2024-25 MAP Payment Updates: Second-Term Claims Due April 4; Third-Term Claims Due May 9
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAP Users, and Business Officers on March 31, 2025.

The following information is being shared to assist colleges in the administration of the 2024-25 Monetary Award Program (MAP).

Third-Term Claims Now Being Accepted; Due May 9

Starting today (Monday, March 31, 2025), ISAC is accepting 2024-25 MAP third-term payment requests (i.e., claims for the for the third quarter, or for the second semester at institutions where the second semester begins after February 15th).

The 2024-25 MAP claim deadline for the third term is Friday, May 9, 2025.

Second-Term Claims Due April 4

As originally announced in January, the 2024-25 MAP claim deadline for the second term (winter for quarter schools; spring for semester schools) is Friday, April 4, 2025. Initial claims and upward adjustment amounts submitted for the second term after the April 4th deadline date will be held as late, to be considered for payment later in the year.

2024-25 MAP Payment Reminders

  • The timely submission of claims and cancellations/adjustments allows ISAC to better monitor remaining funds based on actual claim rates rather than projections.
  • Colleges may submit claims via the MAP system, as well as by File Transfer Protocol (FTP).
    • When submitting second- and third-term claims, remember that analysis of fall-term claim data resulted in a reduction factor being applied to second semester and second/third quarter eligible amounts and payment claims in order to remain within the fiscal year 2025 appropriation.
    • Even though the claim deadline date of December 6, 2024 has passed, ISAC is continuing to accept fall-term claims; however, initial claims and upward adjustment amounts for the fall term will be held as late, to be considered for payment later in the year.
  • ISAC has suspended the announcement of MAP grants for all students whose initial 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) is received by the federal processor, or whose initial 2024-25 Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid is received by ISAC, on or after August 21, 2024.
  • MAP payment results are available for review every weekday.
    • Colleges should always review the Payment Results/Exceptions report, which is available the day after claims are processed.
  • More information regarding payment functionality is available online:

Disbursement and Reconciliation

The disbursement of funds is processed by the State Comptroller's Office.

  • Visit the State Comptroller's Website page, located within the Processes section of the Financial Aid Administrators area, for information on how to track payment.
  • Refer to the 2024-25 MAP Payment area to view information regarding a report for tracking payment vouchers and warrants available via the online system.
  • After receiving funds for a term, colleges are required to reconcile the payment for accuracy.
  • Because Payment Offset and Reconciliation procedures apply to MAP, cancellations of prior payments will be deducted from any future payments until the end of the academic year.
  • Refund checks should not be sent for cancellation/adjustments made in the MAP system throughout the award year.
    • Checks should be returned to ISAC only after a final reconciliation has been completed at the end of the regular school year.
    • All schools with an outstanding amount owed to ISAC at the end of the school year will receive a notice indicating the total amount to be returned.

Watch for Future Updates

Any future 2024-25 MAP updates will be shared via ISAC's standard methods of communication (i.e., the MAP Program News page, the FAA Message Board, and this e-Messaging service).

2025-26 ECACE Scholarship Application Available – Priority Consideration Date: May 19 
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, Business Officers, and ECACE Administrators on March 31, 2025.

The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) is sharing the following information to assist colleges in the administration of the Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) Scholarship Program.

ECACE Scholarship applications for the 2025-26 academic year are now being accepted. The priority consideration date for the application process to be completed – including submission of the 2025-26 ECACE Scholarship application and the 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) or 2025-26 Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application) – is Monday, May 19, 2025. Applications received after that date will be considered only if funding remains after all timely, complete qualified applicants have been awarded.

What's New for the 2025-26 Application and Awarding Processes?

While most program details remain the same, one change – effective beginning with the 2025-26 ECACE Scholarship processing cycle – is that applicants are now asked to provide their anticipated graduation date on the ECACE application.

  • An applicant's response to the question regarding their anticipated graduation date will be available for colleges to view in the ECACE system, once the 2025-26 "Student List Eligibility: View" screen becomes available later this year.
  • As part of the certification process, colleges will have the ability to confirm if an applicant is within 30 credit hours of graduation.
  • An applicant's anticipated graduation date will come into play during the awarding process, which will prioritize applicants in the following order:
    1. Renewal status – eligible applicants who were awarded and received ECACE Scholarship funds during the 2024-25 academic year will receive first priority, followed by eligible applicants who were awarded and received ECACE Scholarship funds during the 2023-24 academic year (but not during the 2024-25 academic year).
    2. Proximity to graduation – if funding remains after all applicants who meet the "renewal status" criteria have been awarded, then eligible applicants who are within 30 credit hours of graduation (as certified by the college) will be awarded, as funds permit.
    3. Financial need – if funding remains after all applicants who meet the "renewal status" and "proximity to graduation" criteria have been awarded, then any remaining funds will be awarded to applicants with the highest financial need.

Reminders

  • Program details – including eligibility requirements – are available on our website, along with a link to the online application.
    • As always, we ask our partners to encourage those who may be interested in applying to learn about the program before completing the application.
    • Note that, in an effort to provide assistance to as many qualified students as possible, the eligibility requirements for the 2025-26 academic year reflect changes from prior academic years – financial aid administrators are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the current requirements so they may best assist students.
  • In addition to completing the ECACE application, the FAFSA or Alternative Application must be filed for the same academic year.
    • The ECACE-participating college the applicant plans to attend must be listed on the FAFSA or Alternative Application.
  • Although there is no teaching commitment connected to the award, recipients are expected to continue or return to teaching or direct services in the early childhood care and education field after they complete their program of study.

Looking Ahead

  • When 2025-26 applicant data is available for each college to access via the "Student List Eligibility: View" screen of the ECACE system later this year, data will be displayed for all applications listing the institution as the college the student plans to attend (i.e., complete, incomplete and ineligible applications will be included). Certification functionality is anticipated to become available during the same timeframe.
  • 2025-26 ECACE Scholarship payment processing will commence later this year.
  • As it becomes available, more information – including announcement of when the 2025-26 "Student List Eligibility: View" screen and certification functionality become available, and when 2025-26 payment requests are being accepted – will be provided via ISAC's usual means of communication (i.e., the ECACE Scholarship Program News area, the FAA Message Board, and this e-Messaging system).

ISAC Sessions During 2025 ILASFAA Conference
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 March 19, 2025.

The Illinois Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (ILASFAA) annual conference – Together Towards Tomorrow – will be an in-person event taking place March 26-28, 2025, at the Embassy Suites by Hilton in East Peoria, IL.

Please plan to join us for one or more of the following sessions during which Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) staff members will be presenting and/or participating.

ISAC General Sessions

  • ISAC Update
    Thursday, March 27th
    10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
    Room River E,F

    ISAC Presenters:
    Eric Zarnikow – Executive Director
    Katharine Gricevich – Director, Government Relations
    Stephanie Schmitz-Bechteler – Managing Director, Program Services & Compliance
  • Illinois Higher Education Panel
    Friday, March 28th
    10:30 – 11:45 a.m.
    Room River E, F

    Panel Participants:
    ISAC
    Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE)
    Illinois Community College Board (ICCB)

ISAC Interest Sessions

  • Equitable Access: Navigating Barriers for Undocumented Students in Illinois
    Wednesday, March 26th
    1:15 – 2:15 p.m.

    Presenter:
    Ana Moya – Manager, Professional Development
  • A Review of New ISAC Programs
    Wednesday, March 26th
    1:15 – 2:15 p.m.

    Presenters:
    Sherry Schonauer – Manager, Partner Services
    Kim Eck – Assistant Director, Partner Services
  • Trends on Financial Aid Application Completion & What They Tell Us
    Thursday, March 27th
    1:15 – 2:15 p.m.

    Presenter:
    Manuel Talavera – Professional Development
  • The ISAC Payment Trail, from Claim Requests to Close Out
    Thursday, March 27th
    1:15 – 2:15 p.m.

    Presenters:
    Sherry Schonauer – Manager, Partner Services
    Kim Eck – Assistant Director, Partner Services
  • Ask an ISAC Member Panel, Open Q & A
    Friday, March 28th
    8:30 – 9:30 a.m.

All times listed are Central.

Registration for the conference is still open. Find more information and register on the ILASFAA website conference page. This year ILASFAA will also be offering single day registration on Thursday, March 27th for individuals who can't attend the entire conference.

Once onsite for the conference, refer to the conference agenda to verify the time and location of each session. For more details regarding the 2025 ILASFAA conference, visit the conference area of the ILASFAA website.

We hope to see you there!

2024-25 iGROW Tech Claims Being Accepted
Sent to Financial Aid Directors and Financial Aid Administrators on March 17, 2025.

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

The 2024-25 Illinois Graduate and Retain Our Workforce (iGROW) Tech Scholarship Program payment processing cycle has commenced, and colleges may submit payment requests (claims) for Term 1 (fall) and Term 2 (winter for quarter schools; spring for semester schools) via the iGROW Tech 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.

The iGROW Tech priority claim deadline date for both Term 1 and Term 2 is Friday, May 2, 2025, and schools are urged to submit payment requests as soon as possible.

More information regarding payment functionality, including detailed instructions, is available at the following locations:

Reminders for Submitting Claims

  • Colleges are always encouraged to submit claims as soon as they are able to do so.
    • Regularly check the "Payment List" (located within the iGROW Tech system) to identify newly-added records that are available for payment.
    • The timely submission of claims and cancellations/adjustments allows ISAC staff to monitor remaining funds and award other students, as applicable.
  • By submitting an iGROW Tech claim, the institution is verifying that the student is enrolled and continues to meet all eligibility requirements for the program.
    • If not submitting a claim, the institution reports the reason for the student's ineligibility.
  • Submitting claims is a two-step process, which involves generating the request (either individually or in a batch) and then submitting the request.
  • Payment results are available on a daily basis.
    • A Payment Results Summary and Invoice Detail Report – which includes payment requests, payment exceptions and invoice detail – can be viewed or printed by selecting the Report tab in the iGROW Tech system the day after a payment request has been processed.
    • The Payment Results/Exceptions report should be reviewed the day after submitting payment requests to see if any requests did not process as expected.
  • The disbursement of funds is processed by the State Comptroller's Office.
  • Because Payment Offset and Reconciliation procedures apply to the iGROW Tech Scholarship Program, refund checks should not be sent for cancellations/adjustments made throughout the award year.
    • Funds should only be returned to ISAC after a final reconciliation has been completed at the end of the regular school year.

Watch for Updates

Program updates will be announced via our usual means of communication: the FAA Message Board, the iGROW Tech Program News page, and/or this e-Messaging system.

2025-26 MAP Start-up Formula Is Being Revised to Keep Awards at 2024-25 Levels
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAP Users, and Business Officers on March 12, 2025.

Consistent with usual practice, the FY26 MAP Start-Up Formula that was approved at ISAC’s September 19, 2024 Commission Meeting was a carryover of the prior year's (FY25) MAP Recompute Formula, which had an $8,400 maximum annual award amount. However, as ISAC has been monitoring 2025-26 FAFSA application volume and comparing FY26 data to FY25 data, there continue to be indications that FY26 application volume may be higher than FY25, along with expectations that enrollment levels will remain at the increased levels we are seeing in FY25.

As a result, ISAC is announcing that the Start-Up formula for the 2025-26 academic year will be adjusted to remain at the current FY25 level (announced in December for 2024-25), maintaining the FY25 4 percent reduction factor. Thus, FY26 annual MAP awards will be calculated with a 4 percent reduction factor. The effective maximum annual award for 2025-26 will be reduced from $8,400 to $8,064.

Keeping the Start-Up formula at the current FY25 level will allow the program to serve a greater number of eligible applicants than would otherwise receive grants, without sacrificing significant purchasing power.

The 2025-26 Start-Up Formula will be implemented in the GAP Access portal, beginning after 4 pm on Friday, March 14. Updated award amounts are expected to be available to institutions in the MAP system on Monday, March 17, 2025. The GAP Access system and Student Portal will be unavailable while the updates are made.

The maximum annual award amount set by the revised MAP Start-Up Formula will continue to be an estimated amount based on analysis and projections. Until the state’s budget is approved by the Illinois General Assembly and signed by the Governor later this spring or in early summer, the maximum annual award amount is not considered to be a final, approved amount.

As colleges send out award notifications, it’s important to identify MAP as "State of IL MAP Grant (Est)" and to ensure that the 2025-26 Required School-Issued Award Notification Letter is provided to students when they are notified of their eligibility for a MAP award.

The next phase in the 2025-26 MAP cycle will be the Recompute Formula, which will be based on the MAP appropriation in the finalized state budget and presented for approval at the June 26, 2025 Commission Meeting.

At this time, a 2025-26 MAP suspense date has not been announced.

ISAC truly appreciates your partnership and support as we navigate the phases of the MAP cycle and the state budget process during these changing and uncertain times. We will continue to monitor application volume, claim rates, and enrollment trends, and provide you with future updates as soon as we possibly can.

March 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 March 6, 2025.

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

  • Tuesday, March 11, 10 a.m. – Operational Update and Q & A Open Forum
  • Monthly Update – Will not offer in March (Hope to see you at the ILASFAA annual conference!)

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.

2025-26 NES Applications Due April 30
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, Business Officers, and NES Schools on March 3, 2025.

The application for the 2025-26 Nursing Education Scholarship (NES) Program (known as "Nursing Education Scholarships" prior to the 2025-26 processing cycle) is now available.

Program Highlights

  • This program provides assistance to individuals who are pursuing a certificate in practical nursing, an associate degree in nursing, a hospital-based diploma in nursing, a bachelor's or graduate degree in nursing, or a graduate degree in nursing to become a nurse educator and who demonstrate the greatest financial need among qualified students.
  • The application process must be completed each year an applicant wishes to receive funding, regardless of whether the applicant has received a previous award (renewal).
  • To be considered for funds during the 2025-26 academic year, the complete NES Application/Work Agreement/Promissory Note – along with either the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) or the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application) – must be submitted as outlined below.
    • The 2025-26 NES Application/Work Agreement/Promissory Note must be submitted on or before Wednesday, April 30, 2025 (no applications will be accepted after this date).
    • When the NES Application/Work Agreement/Promissory Note is submitted on or before April 30:
      • Applicants have until Saturday, May 31, 2025 to submit the FAFSA or the Alternative Application.
      • Because it is the most secure means of completing this portion of the application process, applicants are strongly encouraged to provide their signatures electronically when they first complete and submit their 2025-26 NES Application/Work Agreement/Promissory Note.
        • If a signature is not provided at the time the NES Application/Work Agreement/Promissory Note is submitted, applicants will have until Saturday, May 31, 2025 to print, sign and submit this document to ISAC via the "NES Print & Sign your Application" option (located on the Program Applications & Status Checks page of the ISAC Student Portal).
  • NES awards pay a portion of tuition and fee charges, plus – for full-time students only – a living allowance.
  • The scholarship pays for coursework within the nursing curriculum, but does not pay for pre-requisite coursework.
  • The number of years for which NES funding may be received is based on the certificate, diploma, or degree being pursued.
  • Scholarship recipients must begin full- or part-time employment as a licensed practical or registered nurse or nurse educator in Illinois within six months of graduating, and remain employed for a period equivalent to the educational time supported by the scholarship.
    • If this commitment is not fulfilled, the scholarship converts to a loan, which must be repaid with interest.

Learn More

The following NES resources are available at the ISAC website (isac.org).

What's Next?

Colleges utilize the NES system to administer NES awards, and will be notified as certification functionality becomes available, awarding takes place, and payment processing begins later this year. Future updates will be provided via ISAC's standard methods of communication, including: the NES Program News page; the FAA Message Board; and, this e-Messaging service.

Return to Top

ISAC UPDATE

February 2025 Electronic ISAC Update
Sent on March 3, 2025.

The February 2025 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 February 2025 ISAC Update include:

    • Updates Regarding GAP Access Security
      (sent February 26, 2025)
    • Alternative Application Student Record School File Layout Updates
      (sent February 21, 2025)
    • Registration Is Open for the 2025 ILASFAA Conference
      (sent February 10, 2025)
    • February Webinars for FAAs
      (sent February 4, 2025)
    • January 2025 Electronic ISAC Update
      (sent February 3, 2025)

      Return to Top