JB Pritzker, Governor, State of Illinois

Upcoming 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)

2025-26 ACADEMIC YEAR

March 1: Illinois SETTW Application Deadline

The application for the 2025-26 Illinois Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver (SETTW) Program is available to complete and submit online via the Program Applications & Status Checks area of the ISAC Student Portal.

The priority application consideration date is March 1, 2025. Once this date has passed, applications will continue to be accepted only if available tuition waivers remain after all timely eligible applicants have been awarded.

Further details – including access to other resources for current teachers, as well as students planning to become teachers – is provided in a January 15 e-Message.

March 31: MTI Scholarship Application Deadline

The application for the 2025-26 Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship Program is available to complete and submit online via the Program Applications & Status Checks area of the ISAC Student Portal.

The priority application consideration date is March 31, 2025. Once this date has passed, applications will continue to be accepted for as long as funds remain available after all timely eligible applicants have been awarded.

In addition to the MTI application, a 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) or Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application) (if applicable) must also be submitted by March 31.

Further details – including access to other resources for current teachers, as well as students planning to become teachers – is provided in a January 15 e-Message.

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

The 2025-26 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 is also 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). Students with general questions may also have a real-time conversation with an ISAC staff member by simply clicking on the "Live Support – Online" button, which appears in the right margin of all pages within the During College and After College sections of the Students & Parents area. English- and Spanish-speaking counselors are available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (CT).

2024-25 ACADEMIC YEAR

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 Program for Dependents of Police or Fire Officers and the 2024-25 Grant Program for Dependents of Correctional Officers. Applications received after March 1 will be considered for summer term only awards.

March 1: Spring-Term Application Deadline for the Dispaced 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.

Applications for Several 2024-25 Programs Remain Available

Grant Programs

Scholarship Programs

Loan Repayment Programs

* The deadline to apply for funds for the Fall 2024 term has passed, but there is still time to apply for the Winter/Spring 2025 and/or Summer 2025 terms.

** Although the priority application consideration date for this program has passed, applications will continue to be accepted as long as funds remain after all timely qualified applicants have been awarded.

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.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Join the First Generation Scholars Network

If you are the first in your family to earn a college degree, join the First Generation Scholars Network to get support and resources from ISAC, your peers, and colleges across the state. You'll find events and programs that provide tools, resources, mentoring, and connections that can help make the transition to college life easier.

Listen to season two of ISAC's first gen podcast series, First Up. Episodes are filled with informative conversation, advice, and stories about the challenges and triumphs that many first generation college students and their families experience.

ISAC Student Portal Provides MAP Resources

Be sure to visit the ISAC Student Portal to access these helpful resources related to MAP grants:

  • MAP Estimator (located in the Toolbox area) – if you are planning on attending an Illinois college, use this tool, which now reflects the 2025-26 academic year, to get an idea of your eligibility for the MAP grant; and,
  • MAP Paid Credit Hours Display (located in the Program Applications & Status Checks area) – if you are a MAP grant recipient, use this option to track the number of MAP Paid Credit Hours you 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 Students & Parents area or the ISAC Student Portal anytime, or send us an e-mail 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 Students 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) or chat with a representative live through the "Live Support-Online" button in the Students & Parents area of our website. You may also reach out to ISAC Student Services by e-mail at isac.studentservices@illinois.gov. We are happy to assist you.

Get information anytime about the college-going process and ISAC programs on ISAC's website and Student Portal, both accessible at isac.org.