ISAC Student PortalUpcoming Important Dates from ISAC
01/24/2025
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) would like to make you aware of the following information, which may be of interest to students and their families.
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)
General Information (Not Specific to One Academic Year)
FAFSA and Alternative Application Remain Available
The 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) remains available online, and should be completed as soon as possible by students who will be attending college between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026. FAFSA results are used to determine eligibility for the Monetary Award Program (MAP) grant, as well as several other forms of federal, state and institutional financial assistance.
In addition, the 2025-26 Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application) also remains available (in English and Spanish). Qualifying students may file the Alternative Application – which is patterned after the FAFSA – to apply for the MAP grant. Further details are provided at ISAC's Retention of Illinois Students & Equity (RISE) Act page.
Financial Aid Support & Resources
ISAC is dedicated to helping educate students and parents about all aspects of financial aid. We devote resources to public outreach activities to help families plan for college. Public awareness and education regarding our programs is our priority as we provide students and their families with the most current information available.
The ISACorps™ are recent college graduates trained to serve as near peer mentors to high school students and provide free services to help complete financial aid applications.
Connect with an ISACorps member in your area or schedule an appointment for a free one-on-one virtual meeting.
To find an in-person event closest to you and to view a list of virtual events, please visit the Events page at the ISAC Student Portal. Advance registration may be required for online events.
English- and Spanish-Speaking Counselors Available to Assist You
If you have questions regarding the financial aid application process and ISAC's programs, you may speak with an ISAC Student Engagement representative by calling 800.899.ISAC (4722). English- and Spanish-speaking counselors are available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (CT).
June 30: College Assessment Exam Deadline for State Scholar Consideration
Eligibility for the State Scholar Program is based, in part, on a student's highest qualifying ACT or SAT score. High school juniors who are potential candidates will need to take one of the accepted exams during the specified timeframe to be considered for State Scholar designation, even though Illinois' public institutions are now prohibited from requiring the submission of student test scores as part of the admissions process.
For students who are currently high school juniors, only exams taken between August 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025 qualify for consideration in the State Scholar announcements that will be made during their senior year (i.e., high school juniors, who will be college freshmen during the 2026-27 academic year, will be named Scholars during the fall of 2025). Further details are provided at the State Scholar Program page of our website.
FAFSA and Alternative Application Remain Available
Although 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), these 2024-25 applications remain available online. If not already done, an application should be completed and submitted as soon as possible by students who will be attending college between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025. FAFSA results are used to determine eligibility for other forms of federal, state and institutional financial assistance. The suspension of 2024-25 MAP award announcements does not impact any other financial aid programs.
First Generation Scholars Network
If your child is the first in your family to earn a college degree, encourage them to join the First Generation Scholars Network to get support and resources from ISAC, their peers, and colleges across the state. They'll find events and programs that provide tools, resources, mentoring, and connections that can help make the transition to college life easier.
ISAC Student Portal Provides MAP Resources
Encourage your student to visit the ISAC Student Portal to access these helpful resources related to MAP grants:
- MAP Estimator (located in the Toolbox area) – students planning on attending an Illinois college may use this tool, which now reflects the 2025-26 academic year, to get an idea of their eligibility for the MAP grant; and,
- 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.
Holiday Schedules
ISAC staff will be unavailable for these holidays:
- 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.
For Assistance
Access the Parents area anytime, or send us an email at ISAC.StudentServices@illinois.gov. 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).
You are receiving this message because you registered for ISAC's e-Messaging service through the Parents subscription group.
If you have any questions regarding this e-Message, please contact an ISAC Student Engagement Representative by calling toll-free at 800.899.ISAC (4722). You may also reach out to ISAC Student Services by e-mail at isac.studentservices@illinois.gov. We are happy to assist you.
