JB Pritzker, Governor, State of Illinois

2023-24 FAFSA, Alternative Application, and Important Dates

10/03/2022

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)
New FAFSA and Alternative Application Now Available

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

FAFSA® and Alternative Application Now Available

The 2023-24 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) cycle, including FAFSA on the Web, opened – and the Central Processing System (CPS) began processing 2023-24 FAFSA data – on October 1, 2022. Details regarding the 2023-24 application cycle may be accessed via the Applying for Financial Aid section of the e-Library for Partners.

The 2023-24 Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application) is also available (in English and Spanish). Qualifying undocumented students may file the Alternative Application – which is patterned after the FAFSA – to apply for the Monetary Award Program (MAP) grant. Further details are provided at ISAC's Retention of Illinois Students & Equity (RISE) Act page.

Encourage your students to check out the Financial Aid Planning area for information regarding resources that are available to help students complete the financial aid process.

MAP Start-up Formula Approved

At its September 22, 2022 meeting, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission approved a 2023-24 MAP start-up formula that follows the 2022-23 recompute formula by using 2021-22 reported tuition and fees and the 2021-22 Pell Grant Payment Schedule for 2023-24 academic year MAP grants, with a maximum award of $7,200. Additional details regarding the formula are provided in a September 23 e-Message.

December 1: Priority Deadline Date for Returning MAP Recipients

Eligible applicants must have received MAP funds during the 2022-23 academic year and submit their 2023-24 FAFSA or Alternative Application on or before December 1, 2022 (which is the 2023-24 priority deadline date) in order to receive priority access to 2023-24 MAP funds.

2022-23 ACADEMIC YEAR

December 9: First-term Claim Deadline for MAP

2022-23 MAP payment requests (i.e., claims) are due on or before December 9, 2022.

Future updates – including, once determined, the priority claim deadlines for subsequent terms – will be announced via our usual means of communication: the FAA Message Board; the MAP Program News page; and/or ISAC's e-Messaging system.

December 30: First-term Claim Deadline for MTI and Golden Apple

Claims for the 2022-23 Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship and Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois (Golden Apple) programs are due on or before December 30, 2022.

Future updates – including, once determined, the priority claim deadlines for subsequent terms – will be announced via our usual means of communication: the FAA Message Board; the MTI Scholarship and Golden Apple "Program News" pages; and/or ISAC's e-Messaging system.

Continue Certifying MTI Eligibility

Continue using the MTI system to certify eligibility throughout the year, in order to ensure that your students will be included in any rounds of awarding that take place. Details regarding the certification process are provided in 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 maxium 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.

December 30: Fall-Term Deadline to Report Benefit Usage Data for IVG and ING Grant

An August 31 e-Message announced that ISAC is accepting fall-term benefit usage data for the 2022-23 Illinois Veteran Grant (IVG) and Illinois National Guard (ING) Grant programs.

Deadline dates are as follows:

  • IVG data for the fall term is due December 30, 2022.
  • ING Grant data for the fall term is due December 30, 2022.

Benefit usage data for the ING Grant and IVG programs is submitted to ISAC by colleges via the benefit usage functionality within each program's system, allowing colleges to report enrollment hours and dollar amounts for initial, in-district and out-of-district benefit usage by students, as well as adjustments to previously-submitted data. Although ISAC is not able to reimburse institutions for 2022-23 ING Grant or IVG awards, reporting of benefits used must still take place so that usage can be accurately reflected on students' accounts.

ECACE Scholarship Applications Still Being Accepted

The application for the 2022-23 Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) Scholarship Program 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 (i.e., untimely applications) will continue to be considered for the ECACE Scholarship Program for as long as funding remains after all timely complete applicants have been awarded.

FAFSA and Alternative Application Remain Available

The 2022-23 FAFSA and Alternative Application remain available online. If not already done, an application 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.

2021-22 ACADEMIC YEAR

Mid-October: Reporting Enrollment Verification Data for ISAC-Administered Teacher Education Programs

ISAC anticipates beginning to accept 2021-22 enrollment verification data in mid-October for students who previously received funds from the following ISAC-administered teacher programs:

Watch for more details – including when enrollment verification data may be submitted and the date by which it will be due – in a future e-Message.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Throughout October: Public Service Loan Forgiveness Webinars

There is now less than a month remaining for federal student loan borrowers to take advantage of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program temporary changes, which end on October 31, 2022. Dates for PSLF webinars that will take place during the month of October will soon be posted at the PSLF page of ISAC's website. Don't miss this opportunity to learn how you might benefit from these temporary changes.

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.

December 8: Next Commission Meeting

The next meeting of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission is scheduled to take place at 1 p.m. (CT) on Thursday, December 8, 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.

The Commission Meeting Schedule page will soon be updated with information regarding all meetings scheduled in 2023.

Holiday Schedules

ISAC staff will be unavailable for these holidays:

  • Monday, October 10 – Columbus Day
  • Tuesday, November 8 – General Election Day
  • Friday, November 11 – Veterans Day
  • Thursday, November 24 – Thanksgiving Day
  • Friday, November 25 – Day after Thanksgiving
  • Monday, December 26 – Christmas (observed)
  • Monday, January 2 – New Year's (observed)

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.

Click on the following link to access holiday processing schedules for MAP records.

MAP Records [System Availability (via GAP Access) and Payment Request Data]

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.