ISAC Student PortalIllinois Graduate and Retain Our Workforce (iGROW) Tech Scholarship Program
Program News
(last updated April 1, 2025)
2024-25 Program Funding
2024-25 Payment
2024-25 Award Determination
2024-25 Certification
2024-25 Application
2024-25
Program Funding
The 2025 fiscal year (July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025) appropriation for the Illinois Graduate and Retain our Workforce (iGROW) Tech Scholarship Program is $2,000,000.
Payment
Important dates and reminders for 2024-25 iGROW Tech Scholarship payment processing:
- As part of our ongoing efforts to best leverage appropriated funds to award as many eligible students as possible, priority payment request (i.e., claim) deadline dates are established for each term.
- ISAC is accepting claims for Term 1 (fall), Term 2 (spring for semester schools; winter for quarter schools), and Term 3 (spring for quarter schools).
- In order to be considered timely, claims for Term 1 and Term 2 must be submitted on or before Friday, May 2, 2025.
- In order to be considered timely, claims for Term 3 must be submitted on or before Friday, May 30, 2025.
- ISAC is accepting claims for Term 1 (fall), Term 2 (spring for semester schools; winter for quarter schools), and Term 3 (spring for quarter schools).
As announced in e-Messages dated March 17 and April 1, colleges may submit to ISAC 2024-25 iGROW Tech Scholarship Term 1, Term 2, and Term 3 claims via the iGROW Tech system.
Submitting payment requests is a two-step process, which involves generating the request (either individually or in a batch) and then submitting the request.
Payment results display on the iGROW Student Detail: Payment screen the day after payment requests are processed. In addition, a Payment Result Summary and Invoice Detail Report can be viewed or printed by selecting the Report tab in the iGROW system the day after a payment request has been processed. The report includes Payment Results, Payment Exceptions and Invoice Detail about the payment claim. The Payment Results/Exceptions report should be reviewed the day after submitting payment requests to see which requests, if any, did not process as expected.
The disbursement of funds is processed by the State Comptroller's Office. Refer to the State Comptroller's Website page for information on how to track payment.
For more information, refer to the following locations on ISAC's website:
iGROW Tech Payment
iGROW Tech Electronic Processing
iGROW Tech User Guide
Award Determination
As announced in a January 21 e-Message, 2024-25 iGROW Tech Scholarship awarding has taken place for all applicants who have been certified as eligible. Award notifications are mailed to all eligible applicants by ISAC.
The maximum award amount and award date for eligible students are available via the Student List Eligibility: View screen of the iGROW system.
Refer to the iGROW Tech Award Determination area for more information about the awarding process, award amounts and notifications. Details about the iGROW system are available at the iGROW Tech Electronic Processing page.
Certification
A November 13 e-Message announces that colleges may certify 2024-25 iGROW Tech eligibility via the iGROW system. The system is available to enter certification data each Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. (CT).
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.
An overview of the online certification process is available on the iGROW Tech Certification page. The iGROW Tech User Guide also includes details regarding functionality to certify student eligibility for this program.
Application
Students may access the application for the 2024-25 Illinois Graduate and Retain Our Workforce (iGROW) Tech Scholarship Program online via the Program Applications & Status Checks area of the ISAC Student Portal. In order to complete the application process for this program, a 2024-25 FAFSA or, if applicable, Alternative Application also must be submitted.
The priority application consideration date for the 2024-25 academic year was November 30, 2024. Complete applications submitted after that date will be considered only if available funding remains after all timely complete applicants have been awarded.
Further details are provided in an August 29 e-Message.
