JB Pritzker, Governor, State of Illinois

2024-25 ECACE Scholarship Application Available – Priority Access to Funding Date: August 11

07/18/2024

The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) is sharing the following information to assist colleges in the administration of the Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) Scholarship Program.

Effective with the 2024-25 academic year, several important changes have taken effect for this program. Please be sure to carefully read this communication before assisting students who may be interested in submitting an application.

ECACE Scholarship applications for the 2024-25 academic year are now being accepted. In order to receive priority access to funding, the application process – including submission of the 2024-25 ECACE Scholarship application and the 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) or 2024-25 Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application) – must be completed on or before Sunday, August 11, 2024. Applications received after that date will be considered only if funding remains after all timely, complete qualified applicants have been awarded.

What's New for the 2024-25 Application and Awarding Processes?

While most program details remain the same for the 2024-25 ECACE Scholarship processing cycle, the decrease in available funding has necessitated the changes outlined below.

  • For the first time since the program's creation, it will be funded by the State of Illinois rather than by federal funds.
    • Because considerably less funding is available, the number of recipients in 2024-25 will likely be significantly limited, and – while new applicants may apply – the program is expected to be able to support only a portion of renewal applicants (i.e., applicants who received program funding in the prior year).
    • The maximum annual award a student may receive is the lesser of $7,500 or the cost of attendance after other aid is considered.
  • Post-baccalaureate students (i.e., graduate students) are not eligible to complete the 2024-25 ECACE Scholarship application – only undergraduate students may apply.
  • 2024-25 ECACE Scholarships will not fund the summer 2025 term (i.e., awards will be made for the fall, winter and spring terms only).
  • Program eligibility is based on an applicant's financial need, as determined by the Student Aid Index (SAI).
  • Awarding prioritization is as follows:
    1. Timely renewal students who: received an ECACE Scholarship under the federally-funded program in the prior academic year; continue to meet all program eligibility requirements; and, demonstrate financial need as indicated via the SAI.
    2. Timely new students who: meet all program eligibility requirements; and, demonstrate financial need as indicated via the SAI. (Please note that is very unlikely there will be sufficient funding to award any new students during the 2024-25 academic year.)

Reminders

  • Program details – including eligibility requirements – are available on our website, along with a link to the online application.
    • As always, we ask our partners to encourage those who may be interested in applying to learn about the program before completing the application.
    • Note that, in an effort to provide assistance to as many qualified students as possible, the eligibility requirements for the 2024-25 academic year reflect changes from the 2023-24 academic year – financial aid administrators are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the current requirements so they may best assist students.
  • In addition to completing the ECACE application, the FAFSA or Alternative Application must be filed for the same academic year.
    • The ECACE-participating college the applicant plans to attend must be listed on the FAFSA or Alternative Application.
  • Although there is no teaching commitment connected to the award, recipients are expected to continue or return to teaching or direct services in the early childhood care and education field after they complete their program of study.

Looking Ahead

  • When 2024-25 applicant data is available for each college to access via the "Student List Eligibility: View" screen of the ECACE system (anticipated for the late summer of 2024), data will be displayed for all applications listing the institution as the college the student plans to attend (i.e., complete, incomplete and ineligible applications will be included). Prequalification functionality is anticipated to become available during the same timeframe.
  • 2024-25 ECACE Scholarship payment processing is anticipated to commence in the early fall of 2024.
  • As it becomes available, more information – including announcement of when the 2024-25 "Student List Eligibility: View" screen and prequalification functionality become available, and when 2024-25 payment requests are being accepted – will be provided via ISAC's usual means of communication (i.e., the ECACE Scholarship Program News area, the FAA Message Board, and this e-Messaging system).

You are receiving this message because you registered for ISAC's e-Messaging service through one or more subscription groups for FAAs.

If you have any questions regarding this e-Message, please contact ISAC's School Services Department by calling toll free at 866.247.2172 or sending an e-mail message to [email protected].