JB Pritzker, Governor, State of Illinois

Monetary Award Program (MAP)

Program News

(last updated February 27, 2024)

2024-25 Alternative Application Student Record School File Layout Specifications
2024-25 Operational Guide for Alternative Application Processing
2024-25 Start-up Update (priority deadline date for returning MAP recipients extended to April 1)
2024-25 Award Announcements
2024-25 Start-up Formula
2024-25 File Layout Specifications
2023-24 Program Funding
Suspension of 2023-24 Award Announcements
2023-24 Payment (second-term claims due March 22; late first-term claims being held)
2023-24 Recompute Formula
2023-24 Award Announcements
2023-24 File Layout Specifications 
2023-24 Alternative Application Student Record School File Layout Specifications
2023-24 Operational Guide for Alternative Application Processing
2023-24 Start-up Implementation
Additional MAP References

2024-25

Alternative Application Student Record School File Layout Specifications

An Alternative Application Student Record is created for each student who completes an Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application). The application data that is critical to determining eligibility for MAP is provided to schools in the GAP Access portal for each student who has listed that college as a school choice on the student's Alternative Application. The 2024-25 Alternative Application Student Record School File Layout Specifications document is available (in both PDF and Excel formats) via the Electronic Tools page within the e-Library.

Operational Guide for Alternative Application Processing

A 2024-25 Operational Guide for Alternative Application Processing is available to assist schools with issues such as resolving MAP eligibility questions, dealing with conflicting information, correcting data, and managing Alternative Application student records in GAP Access, once 2024-25 data becomes available. The Guide provides ISAC's guidance for each issue and the applicable regulatory and/or rules reference.

As a reminder, the 2024-25 MAP processing cycle will commence after the FAFSA Processing System (FPS) begins providing FAFSA results to colleges and state agencies (anticipated for later in January 2024).

Start-up Update

Both the 2024-25 FAFSA and Alternative Application (English and Spanish) are now available.

ISAC anticipates 2024-25 MAP records – reflecting the start-up formula that was approved at the September 21, 2023 Commission meeting – to be available to access via the MAP system after the FAFSA Processing System (FPS) begins releasing Institutional Student Information Records (ISIRs), which is expected for the first half of March 2024. Further details will be provided as they become available.

A February 1 e-Message announces that the 2024-25 priority deadline date by which returning MAP recipients are to submit their FAFSA or Alternative Application in order to receive priority access to appropriated funds has been extended from February 1 to April 1, 2024 (through and including). Returning recipients are students who received MAP funds during the previous academic year (i.e., for 2024-25, students who received MAP for 2023-24). All MAP eligibility requirements must continue to be met.

Award Announcements

Colleges are required to announce MAP awards to eligible students enrolled at their institutions. Refer to the MAP Award Announcements area for details regarding college requirements, including the 2024-25 Required School-Issued Award Notification Language.

Start-up Formula

On September 21, 2023, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission approved the 2024-25 (FY25) MAP start-up formula, which follows the FY24 recompute formula and – as necessitated by FAFSA Simplification – replaces "Expected Family Contribution (EFC)" with "Student Aid Index (SAI)" and includes clarification regarding how to handle negative SAIs. See Table One in Agenda Item 5 from the September 21, 2023 Commission meeting, as well as the 2024-25 MAP Formula page, for specific details.

More information – including the 2024-25 Start-up Hand Calculation Forms and information about related file layout specifications – will be posted at this website as it becomes available.

File Layout Specifications

Effective November 22, 2023, the 2024-25 MAP 160-Byte File Layout Specifications document is available via the Electronic Tools page within the e-Library. The file specifications are pertinent to schools that utilize the file extraction features of the MAP system or send MAP payment requests to ISAC via File Transfer Protocol (FTP).

An October 19 e-Message had announced that draft MAP file specifications were available for the 2024-25 processing cycle.

2023-24

Program Funding

The 2024 fiscal year (July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024) appropriation for the Monetary Award Program (MAP) is $701,566,200.

Suspension of Award Announcements

ISAC has suspended the announcement of 2023-24 MAP award announcements for all students whose initial 2023-24 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) is received by the Central Processing System (CPS), or whose initial Alternative Application for Illinois Financial is received by ISAC, on or after September 23, 2023. The suspension of MAP award announcements is reflected on the appropriate screens and reports of the MAP system, as well as in the MAP Eligibility File Extraction.

Operational information can be found in the September 20 e-Message and on the Suspension of MAP Award Announcements page.

Payment

Important dates and reminders for 2023-24 MAP payment processing:

  • e-Messages dated December 21 and February 21 announce the following regarding 2023-24 MAP payment requests (claims):
    • colleges may submit second-term claims;
    • the priority claim deadline date for the second term is March 22, 2024;
    • even though the priority claim deadline date of December 8, 2023 has passed, ISAC is continuing to accept first-term claims (including initial claims and increases to previously-submitted claims) and will hold them as late, to be considered for payment later in the year; and
    • the MAP system is anticipated to be available for the submission of third-term claims (i.e., for the third quarter, or for the second semester for institutions where the second semester begins after February 15) on March 21, 2024.
  • When submitting claims, be sure to keep in mind the suspension of 2023-24 MAP award announcements for applications submitted on or after September 23, 2023.
  • Any initial claims submitted after a term's priority claim deadline date will be considered late and will only be paid if funds remain after paying all timely claims.

Colleges can submit claims by accessing the MAP system, as well as by File Transfer Protocol (FTP). Second-term payment requests are processed on a nightly basis as they are received from colleges, and then submitted to the State Comptroller for payment per standard operating procedures. Colleges will be notified if first-term claims submitted after December 8, 2023 are released for payment.

View the 2023-24 MAP Payment page for more information regarding the payment process.

Recompute Formula

The FY24 MAP recompute formula has been implemented and – effective June 26, 2023 – all 2023-24 Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) data received from the Central Processing System (CPS) through (including) June 23, 2023 is reflected in the MAP system. Daily processing of ISIR data has resumed.

At its June 22, 2023 meeting, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission approved a recompute formula that increases the maximum 2023-24 MAP award from $7,200 to $8,400 and the living allowance from $5,020 to $5,200.

The approved FY24 recompute formula is outlined on the 2023-24 MAP Formula page within this section. Also available within the MAP section is information regarding calculating a term award for both semester and quarter schools, guidance for rounding, and access to information about MAP electronic processing.

Award Announcements

Colleges are required to announce MAP awards to eligible students enrolled at their institutions. Refer to the MAP Award Announcements area for details regarding college requirements, including the 2023-24 Required School-Issued Award Notification Language.

File Layout Specifications

The MAP file specifications have been updated for the 2023-24 processing cycle, and are pertinent to schools utilizing the file extraction features of the MAP system or for sending MAP payment requests to ISAC via File Transfer Protocol (FTP). The 2023-24 MAP 160-Byte File Layout Specifications document is available via the Electronic Tools page within the e-Library.

Alternative Application Student Record School File Layout Specifications

An Alternative Application Student Record is created for each student who completes an Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application). The application data that is critical to determining eligibility for MAP is provided to schools in the GAP Access portal for each student who has listed that college as a school choice on the student’s Alternative Application. The 2023-24 Alternative Application Student Record School File Layout Specifications document is available via the Electronic Tools page within the e-Library.

Operational Guide for Alternative Application Processing

2023-24 Operational Guide for Alternative Application Processing is available to assist schools with resolving MAP eligibility questions, dealing with conflicting information, correcting data and managing Alternative Application student records in GAP Access, as well as other issues. The Guide provides ISAC's guidance for each issue and the applicable regulatory and/or rules reference.

Start-up Implementation

Both the 2023-24 FAFSA and Alternative Application (English and Spanish) became available on October 1, 2022.

2023-24 MAP records – reflecting the start-up formula that was approved at the September 22, 2022 Commission meeting – are available to access via the MAP system. All 2023-24 Institutional Student Information Records (ISIRs) and Alternative Application Student Records received by ISAC through (including) Friday, October 7, 2022 are available with their accompanying eligibility status information. Daily processing of 2023-24 ISIR, Alternative Application, and eligibility status information has commenced. Further details are provided in an October 11 e-Message.

The 2023-24 priority deadline date by which returning MAP recipients are to submit their FAFSA or Alternative Application in order to receive priority access to appropriated funds is December 1, 2022 (through and including). Returning recipients are students who received MAP funds during the previous academic year (i.e., for 2023-24, students who received MAP for 2022-23). All MAP eligibility requirements must continue to be met.

Also available in the 2023-24 MAP Formula area are the 2023-24 Start-up Hand Calculation Forms and information regarding rounding and calculating term awards.

Additional MAP References

To access general information about the MAP program, click on one of the links in the right-hand menu. To access the page within the MAP section that addresses the topics listed below, click on the topic.

Creating a Report for the Release of Shutdown Records