JB Pritzker, Governor, State of Illinois

ISAC Gift Assistance Programs (GAP) Access

Assigning an Administrator
GAP Access User Guides
GAP Access Login
Functionality Available via GAP Access

ISAC Gift Assistance Programs Access (or GAP Access) is the portal through which online interactions for the purpose of data inquiries and submissions, eligibility announcements and payment requests for ISAC-administered programs are conducted. Due to the confidential nature of the student-specific data involved, a secure authentication process is required before access can be granted.

Assigning an Administrator

All users need a valid GAP Access ID and password (for example, users who need access to the FTP site, but are not in the financial aid office). The links to the GAP Access User Guides below provide step-by-step instructions for activating accounts for administrators and users of the GAP Access portal. ISAC will rely on an administrator (contact person) at each institution to authorize users. The GAP Access Administrator will ultimately be responsible for monitoring passwords, staff access, and security for a variety of ISAC programs. The initial request for institutional access should be made by the Financial Aid Director or High School Principal.

Ultimately, one entry point, user name and password will be used to gain access to all programs to which a user has been granted access by their school’s administrator. As additional ISAC gift assistance programs are added to the GAP Access portal, the administrator must access the User Maintenance area and update the program access and level for each user.

GAP Access User Guides

User Guides for all GAP Access functionality are below. General questions, user name and password maintenance, and technical information about GAP Access are answered in the Activating and Authentication User Guides.

If you have a question about information that is not addressed in the Guides, contact a School Services Representative.

GAP Access Login

This link takes you to the GAP Access Login page. Once your account has been activated, enter your user name and password to gain access to administrator and user maintenance functions, as well as any ISAC Gift Assistance Program currently available. Refer to the user guide for each program listed below to learn how to select a program, view screen examples and how to enter and submit data to ISAC.

In an effort to improve the security of ISAC partner-facing websites containing personally identifiable information (PII), a 2-factor authentication security measure is utilized in GAP Access. Each time a user logs in to the portal, the 2 -factor authentication process will require the use of a one-time verification code – which is obtained through an application – in conjunction with a user ID and password. Refer to the step-by-step instructions link above or in the right menu.

Functionality Available via GAP Access

AIM HIGH Grant Pilot Program Data Reporting
Community Behavioral Health Care Professional Loan Repayment Program
Deceased, Disabled, and MIA-POW Veterans' Dependents Scholarship Program
Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) Scholarship Program
Financial Aid Application Completion Initiative
GAP Access User Verification
Gift Assistance Programs Budget Entry (MAP, IVG & ING Grant)
Golden Apple Scholarship of Illinois Program
Illinois National Guard (ING) Grant Program
Illinois Optometric Education Scholarship Program (IOESP)
Illinois Special Education Teachers Tuition Waiver (SETTW) Program
Illinois Veteran Grant (IVG) Program
MAP Advising Data Collection
Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship Program
Monetary Award Program (MAP)
Nursing Education Scholarships (NES)
Post-Master of Social Work School Social Work Professional Educator License Scholarship Program
State Scholar Program (SSP)

AIM HIGH Grant Pilot Program Data Reporting

Annual data reporting for the AIM HIGH Grant Pilot Program is completed through the GAP Access portal. Each year, participating public 4-year universities must submit program (both state-funded and matching) recipient information by the established deadline. Required data includes summary information, awarding data, student information, awarding criteria, Maintenance of Effort (MOE) data and (in the program's second year) retention and status information.

Community Behavioral Health Care Professional Loan Repayment Program

Employment certification for applicants of the Community Behavioral Health Care Professional Loan Repayment Program takes place through the GAP Access portal. Certification of data verifying applicants' past and current employment status is completed and submitted by authorized facility officials at community mental health centers as part of the program application process.

Deceased, Disabled, and MIA-POW Veterans' Dependents Scholarship Program

Deceased, Disabled, and MIA-POW Veterans' Dependents Scholarship Program processing and management of information by colleges takes place through the GAP Access portal, including access to student eligibility data and processing of benefit usage data.

Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) Scholarship Program

All ECACE Scholarship electronic processing and management of information by colleges takes place through the GAP Access portal, including access to student prequalification data and payment processing.

Financial Aid Application Completion Initiative

The Financial Aid Application Completion Initiative provides the means for high schools across the state to identify which of their students have completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) or the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application) in a given academic year. Data available includes names of students; aggregate data for the entire student body; how many students are eligible for MAP and the federal Pell Grant Program; expected family contribution (EFC) ranges and a listing of the first-choice colleges to which students have sent their application results.

Illinois law (P. A. 101-180) requires all Illinois public high school students to complete either the FAFSA or the Alternative Application as a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma. Refer to the Illinois FAFSA Mandate: Training and Support page for further details.

GAP Access User Verification

GAP Access User Verification is completed through the GAP Access portal.  After receiving an e-mail from ISAC that the user verification process is under way, the school’s Primary Administrator is responsible for checking, updating and verifying GAP Access users at the school, then submitting a confirmation of the verification online to ISAC by the due date provided in the e-mail.

Gift Assistance Programs Budget Entry (MAP, IVG & ING Grant)

Budget data for MAP and the Illinois Veteran Grant (IVG) and ING Grant programs is collected via the "School: Budget" area of GAP Access typically beginning in April of each year.  Step-by-step instructions for accessing and navigating the GAP Access "School: Budget" screens are provided on the Gift Assistance Budget Instructions page, and may also be viewed in a separate browser window via a link in the top right corner of the "School: Budget" screens. After logging in to GAP Access, only those staff members who have been granted authority to do so will be able to access the "Budget" option from within the "School" area.

Golden Apple Scholars (GA) of Illinois Program

All processing of the Golden Apple Scholars has been converted to the GAP Access portal, replacing processing that was previously done via the My Zone system. The Application, Certification and Award Determination functions is performed by the Golden Apple Foundation. Colleges will be able to view application and award information on the Student Eligibility List: View screen in the GA system. The role of colleges starts with payment processing. Specific details regarding access to student eligibility data and payment processing are provided in the GA User Guides and on the GA Electronic Processing page.

Illinois National Guard (ING) Grant Program

All ING Grant electronic processing and management of information by colleges takes place through the GAP Access portal, including access to student eligibility data and processing of benefit usage data. Details are available on the ING Grant Electronic Processing page.

Illinois Optometric Education Scholarship Program (IOESP)

Reporting of enrollment verification data for students who previously received funds from the Illinois Optometric Education Scholarship Program takes place through the GAP Access portal. Data verifying award recipients’ current enrollment status is completed and submitted by colleges as part of the monitoring process to ensure award requirements are being met.

Illinois Special Education Teachers Tuition Waiver (SETTW) Program

Effective with the 2021-22 processing cycle, functionality to certify eligibility for Illinois SETTW Program newly-awarded students – as well as transfer students – is available in the GAP Access portal.

Reporting of enrollment verification data for students who previously received funds from the Illinois SETTW Program also takes place through the GAP Access portal. Data verifying award recipients’ current enrollment status is completed and submitted by colleges as part of the monitoring process to ensure award requirements are being met.

Illinois Veteran Grant (IVG) Program

IVG Benefit Usage processing takes place through the GAP Access portal. Specific details regarding the IVG Benefit Usage, including the IVG File Specifications, are provided on the IVG Benefit Usage page and the IVG Electronic Processing page.

MAP Advising Data Collection

The MAP Advising Data component of GAP Access provides a streamlined and standardized means of reporting course completion rates and descriptions of advising and support programs that are available for MAP recipients on college campuses.

Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship Program

All MTI electronic processing and management of information by colleges takes place through the GAP Access portal, including access to student eligibility data, submission of certifications, payment processing and enrollment status verification for award recipients.

Monetary Award Program (MAP)

All MAP electronic processing and management of information by colleges takes place through the GAP Access portal, including access to student eligibility data and submission of requests for payment.

Nursing Education Scholarships (NES)

Starting with the 2023-24 processing cycle, all NES electronic processing and management of information by colleges takes place through the GAP Access portal, including certification of eligibility and submission of requests for payment.

Post-Master of Social Work School Social Work Professional Educator License Scholarship Program

Starting with the 2022-23 processing cycle, the eligibility certification and payment request processes for the Post-Master of Social Work School Social Work Professional Educator License Scholarship Program take place through the GAP Access portal.

State Scholar Program (SSP)

The sixth semester data used to determine State Scholars must be submitted via the GAP Access portal. High schools may choose from two online options when submitting the required sixth semester data. Individual records may be submitted or Excel spreadsheets (following ISAC’s formatting specifications) may be uploaded through the batch process. The Required Sixth Semester Data page contains information about the required data and using GAP Access for submissions.