JB Pritzker, Governor, State of Illinois

Grants

The number of grants made through programs administered by ISAC, as well as the individual dollar amount awarded, are subject to sufficient annual appropriations by the Illinois General Assembly and the Governor.

A grant is a type of “gift aid” that does not need to be paid back. The amount awarded is usually based on financial need and is generally provided by the government or the college you plan to attend. After submitting your FAFSA®, you are automatically considered for three types of grants – the State of Illinois Monetary Award Program (MAP) grant, (for Illinois residents), the Federal Pell Grant (Pell), and the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG). Contact your college’s financial aid department about the grants you’ll receive.

Note: Programs denoted below by an asterisk (*) are available to undergraduate students only. All other programs are for both undergraduate and graduate students.

Illinois Grants

Many other scholarships and grants are available, as well. Check out the free Cappex tool on the ISAC Student Portal to search a large financial aid database. Review the websites of the colleges you are interested in or attending, or contact the college financial aid office to learn about institutional scholarships they may offer. For help with financial aid planning, connect with your local ISACorps member for free one-on-one assistance.

Every grant program - including those funded by the federal or state government, colleges, or other organizations - has its own unique awarding and processing cycle. If a student plans to use funds from a grant to pay a balance owed the college, but those funds are not received by the scheduled due date(s), it is the student's responsibility to work with the appropriate office at the college to make satisfactory arrangements.

While some colleges may agree to temporarily postpone due dates (sometimes for a fee) until funds are received, others might require that the student make a full or partial payment by the established due date. If, once received, the grant funds are more than the remaining balance due to the college, the student may receive the excess funds to reimburse out-of-pocket expenses or to apply toward other education-related costs. Students who are uncertain of the college's policy regarding anticipated financial assistance should contact their Financial Aid Office for clarification.