JB Pritzker, Governor, State of Illinois

Upcoming Important Dates from ISAC

08/04/2022

The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) would like to make you aware of the following information, which may be of interest to you and/or your students.

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:

2023-24 (July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024)

2022-23 (July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023)

2021-22 (July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022)

General Information (Not Specific to One Academic Year)

2023-24 ACADEMIC YEAR

September 28: FAFSA® Symposium

Mark your calendar for ISAC's 4th annual Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) Symposium, taking place at the College of DuPage from 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. (CT) on Wednesday, September 28, 2022. Further details regarding this in-person event, which is offered free of charge, are provided in an August 3 e-Message.

2022-23 ACADEMIC YEAR

MAP Recompute Formula

At its June 16, 2022 meeting, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission approved a recompute formula that increases the maximum 2022-23 Monetary Award Program (MAP) award from $5,496 to $7,200, uses 2021-22 reported tuition and fees, and uses the 2021-22 Pell Grant Payment Schedule. Additional details regarding the formula and its implementation are provided via e-Messages dated June 22 and June 27.

Now Available: ECACE Prequalification Data

Colleges may access prequalification data for 2022-23 Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) Scholarship Program via the "Student List Eligibility: View" screen of the ECACE system. Data is displayed for all applications listing the institution as the college the student plans to attend (i.e., complete, incomplete and ineligible based on student-reported data applications are included). Further details are provided in a July 26 e-Message.

ECACE Scholarship Applications Still Being Accepted

The 2022-23 ECACE Scholarship Program application continues to be accepted, even though the July 15, 2022 priority consideration date has passed. Complete applications – including the 2022-23 FAFSA – received after this date will continue to be considered for the ECACE Scholarship Program for as long as funding remains after all timely complete applicants have been awarded. Based on the fiscal year 2023 appropriation and projected application volume, ISAC anticipates that funds will remain to be awarded to eligible untimely applicants.

Now Available: ING Grant Application and Eligibility Data

The interactive application for the 2022-23 Illinois National Guard (ING) Grant Program is available for students to complete and submit online via the Program Applications & Status Checks area of the ISAC Student Portal. 2022-23 ING Grant eligibility data is available in the ING Grant system.

Specific details regarding the ING Grant system, including important reminders and guidelines, are provided at the ING Grant Electronic Processing page.

Now Available: Grant Programs for Dependents of Police/Fire/Correctional Officers Application

The application for the 2022-23 Grant Programs for Dependents of Police, Fire, and Correctional Officers is available for students to access via the Applications page of the Students & Parents area.

Verification Process for ISAC's Programs

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) issued Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) GEN-22-06, confirming that verification process changes, which were originally made for the 2021-22 award year, are being continued into the 2022-23 award year. For the remainder of the 2022-23 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) processing and verification cycle, ED is waiving verification requirements for most FAFSA information, except for the identity/statement of educational purpose and high school completion status under verification tracking groups V-4 and V-5.

A July 14 e-Message announces that, consistent with ED's action, ISAC is not requiring colleges to complete federal verification for students receiving ISAC program benefits for the 2022-23 award year, and advises schools to follow ED guidance in regard to when verification must be completed. However, colleges are still required to confirm Illinois residency for all students receiving ISAC program benefits for which Illinois residency is a requirement.

FAFSA® and Alternative Application Remain Available

The 2022-23 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) remains available online, and – if not already done – should be completed and submitted as soon as possible by students who will be attending college between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023. FAFSA results are used to determine eligibility for several forms of federal, state and institutional financial assistance, including the MAP grant.

In addition, the 2022-23 Alternative Application is also available (in English and Spanish). As a reminder, students meeting the criteria of the Retention of Illinois Students and Equity (RISE) Act may file the Alternative Application – which is patterned after the FAFSA – to apply for the MAP grant. Because the failure to register for Selective Service no longer disqualifies an applicant from receiving federal student aid, students who have not registered may want to consider completing the FAFSA instead of the Alternative Application to maximize their financial aid opportunities. Further details are provided at ISAC's RISE Act page.

Details regarding the 2022-23 application cycle may be accessed by counselors and other professionals via the Applying for Financial Aid section of the e-Library for Partners.

Continue Certifying Eligibility for MTI Scholarships Throughout the Year

Colleges are encouraged to continue certifying eligibility for 2022-23 Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholars on a daily basis.

As a reminder, the Golden Apple Foundation certifies eligibility for the Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program. The college's role for the Golden Apple Scholars program starts with payment processing.

Further details, including information about screen changes in the 2022-23 MTI system, are provided via the Certification Procedures for MTI page, the recently-updated MTI User Guide, and a May 11 e-Message.

MTI Scholarship Applications Still Being Accepted

The FY23 state operating budget, which was signed into law by the governor in April, includes an appropriation for the MTI Scholarship Program that increases the maximum annual award amount to $7,500 for the 2022-23 and subsequent academic years. In addition, the FY23 MTI Scholarship Program funding level initiates – to the extent allowed by the amount of funding that remains – at least 30 percent of the appropriated funds being reserved for qualified bilingual minority applicants, with priority given to those applicants who are enrolled in an educator preparation program with a concentration in bilingual, bicultural education.

The 2022-23 MTI Scholarship Program application continues to be accepted, even though the March 31, 2022 priority consideration date has passed. Complete applications – including the 2022-23 FAFSA (or Alternative Application, if applicable) – received after this date will continue to be considered for the MTI Scholarship Program for as long as funding remains after all timely complete applicants have been awarded. All minority students and qualified bilingual minority applicants who meet the program's eligibility requirements should be encouraged to complete and submit their applications as soon as possible.

Reminder: Do Not Yet Submit Summer 2022 IVG Benefit Usage Data

In order to prevent having to resubmit data in the future, never submit Illinois Veteran Grant (IVG) Program benefit usage data via File Transfer Protocol (FTP) until after ISAC has announced it is accepting the data for that academic year. Remember that summer leads the academic year for IVG, and ISAC is not yet accepting summer 2022 benefit usage data. Any 2022-23 benefit usage data submitted via FTP prior to ISAC announcing that IVG data is being accepted for the summer term will not be processed, and will have to be resubmitted by the college. ISAC will announce via the standard communication methods (i.e., the IVG Program News page, the FAA Message Board, and/or this e-Messaging service) once summer 2022 IVG benefit usage data is being accepted (anticipated for later this summer).

2021-22 ACADEMIC YEAR

August 5: Adjustments to Claims and Benefit Usage Data Due

As announced in a July 13 e-Message, adjustments to cancel or reduce previously-submitted MAP, MTI Scholarship, and Golden Apple claims, as well as ING Grant and IVG benefit usage data for all terms, will continue to be accepted through (including) Friday, August 5, 2022.

Remember that, due to the MAP, MTI Scholarship, and Golden Apple payment offset process, only data reconciliation activities should take place until after ISAC has determined that all payment processing is final. At that time, colleges with an outstanding amount owed to ISAC will receive an e-mail notice indicating the total amount to be returned. Until then, no funds should be returned to ISAC.

August 8: Data Available for Historical View Only

Effective Monday, August 8, 2022, data for the 2021-22 processing cycle will be available for historical view only in the GAP Access component for each of the following programs.

As a reminder, reports continue to be available for colleges to access after data has been moved to historical view. However, after submitting adjustments, colleges are encouraged to always review the Payment/Benefits Results Exceptions report that is available the next business day.

GENERAL INFORMATION

August 31: Webinar

The following webinar for financial aid administrators will be offered later this month:

  • August 31 at 2 p.m. (CT) – ISAC Operational Update and Program News

To participate in this webinar, visit the Partner Training page in the e-Library at isac.org to access the webinar link and presentation materials, both of which will be posted on the day of the session. Registration is not required for the webinar.

Throughout August: Public Service Loan Forgiveness Webinars

Recent temporary changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF), including a limited waiver, may benefit public sector and non-profit employees. If you want to learn more about PSLF, or if you have applied for PSLF and been denied, plan to attend one of the free webinars being offered by ISAC staff throughout the month of August. Further details, including specific dates and access to online registration, will soon be provided at https://www.isac.org/pslf.

September 22: Next Commission Meeting

The next meeting of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission is scheduled to take place at 1 p.m. (CT) on Thursday, September 22, 2022. Further details, including a listing of tentative agenda items, will be available prior to the meeting via the ISAC's Governing Board: The Commission section of the About ISAC area.

Visit the Commission Meeting Schedule page for information regarding all meetings scheduled in 2022.

In the Fall: MAP Advising Data Collection

The 2022 collection period for MAP Advising data – including advising and support program information and course completion rates – is anticipated to open in the fall. As a reminder, both components of the required data are submitted through the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs (GAP) Access portal.

2022 CCE Conference Recordings Available Online

Interest session recordings and presentation files from the 2022 College Changes Everything® (CCE) virtual conference are now available on the conference website. Further details are provided in a July 15 e-Message.

Holiday Schedules

ISAC staff will be unavailable for these holidays:

  • Monday, September 5 – Labor Day
  • Monday, October 10 – Columbus Day

Staff will again be available the first business day immediately following each holiday.

Processing Schedules

Although ISAC staff will be unavailable on the days listed above, the MAP system will be available during regularly scheduled hours and will reflect records processed by the Central Processing System (CPS) through the last business day immediately preceding each respective holiday. Results for payment requests submitted from 5 p.m. (CT) the business day prior to the holiday through 5 p.m. (CT) the business day following the holiday will be available via the MAP system on the morning of the second business day after the holiday.

For Assistance

Access the Financial Aid Administrators area anytime, or send an e-mail message to ISAC's School Services Department. 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 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 isac.schoolservices@illinois.gov.