ISAC Student PortalISAC Update
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Welcome to the May 2023 ISAC Update for financial aid administrators and business officers. This version of the electronic ISAC Update is a compilation of e-Messages sent through ISAC's e-Messaging service throughout May.
The articles in this Update have been organized according to the FAA subscription groups to which the messages were distributed.
Questions?
Questions regarding information in this ISAC Update can be directed to School Services at 866.247.2172 or at isac.schoolservices@illinois.gov. On occasion, you may be directed to a specific contact person or area; when this occurs, we will provide the appropriate information in the individual article or message.
2023-24 ECACE Scholarship Program Applications Due August 7
Sent to Financial Aid Administrators, Business Officers, and ECACE Administrators on May 31, 2023.
NOTE: If you do not work directly with the administration of the ECACE Scholarship Program, please forward this message to the appropriate colleague(s) at your institution and encourage them to sign up for the "ECACE Administrators" e-Messaging subscription group.
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.
2023-24 ECACE Scholarship Application Now Available
(Due August 7th)
Effective today, ECACE Scholarship applications for the 2023-24 academic year are being accepted. In order to receive priority access to funding, the application process – including submission of the 2023-24 ECACE application and the 2023-24 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) – must be completed on or before Monday, August 7, 2023. Applications received after that date will be considered only if funding remains after all timely, complete qualified applicants have been awarded.
Remember:
- 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 2023-24 academic year reflect changes from the 2022-23 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 must be filed for the same academic year.
- The ECACE-participating college the applicant plans to attend must be listed on the FAFSA.
- Eligibility is not based on financial need, but the FAFSA results will be used to prioritize awards among the neediest of applicants.
- 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 2023-24 applicant data is available for each college to access via the "Student List Eligibility: View" screen of the ECACE system (anticipated during the month of July 2023), 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).
- 2023-24 ECACE Scholarship payment processing is anticipated to commence during the month of August 2023.
- More information – including announcement of when the 2023-24 "Student List Eligibility:View" screen and prequalification functionality become available, and when 2023-24 claims are being accepted – will be provided over the summer via ISAC's usual means of communication (i.e., the ECACE Scholarship Program News area, the FAA Message Board, and this e-Messaging system).
Join "ECACE Administrators" Subscription Group
If you work directly with your approved institution's administration of the ECACE Scholarship Program – or if you simply are interested in receiving general announcements and processing updates regarding the program – be sure to join the "ECACE Administrators" e-Messaging subscription group.
Existing e-Messaging subscribers may join this group by clicking on the "Unsubscribe" link that appears at the bottom of all ISAC e-Messages, selecting the "ECACE Administrators" group in the listing that appears, and then clicking on "Update Profile."
Individuals who may be interested in the "ECACE Administrators" group, but do not currently subscribe to ISAC's e-Messaging service, may sign up at the Financial Aid Administrators (FAAs) e-Messaging page.
2022-23 MAP Late Claims Update
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAP Users and Business Officers on May 26, 2023.
Unless otherwise noted, links in this message are to corresponding pages at the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) website (isac.org).
The following information is being provided to assist colleges in the close-out process for the 2022-23 Monetary Award Program (MAP).
Payment of Late Claims
In order to best leverage available funds by assisting the greatest number of eligible students without overspending program appropriations, ISAC staff monitors both payment request (i.e., claim) rates and remaining funding levels throughout the year.
Based on our current analysis, payment has taken place for 2022-23 MAP second- and third- term late claims received through the dates noted below. As a reminder, second-term claims are considered late if submitted after March 10, 2023, and third-term claims are considered late if submitted after May 5, 2023.
Payment results are now available in the MAP system for:
- second-term initial claims and increases that were received from March 11, 2023 through (including) March 20, 2023; and
- third-term initial claims and increases that were received from May 6, 2023 through (including) May 15, 2023.
Note that late claims for the first term (which had a priority claim deadline of December 9, 2022) were paid previously for requests submitted through (including) March 10, 2023.
Information regarding how to access payment results is provided in the "Payment" chapter of the MAP User Guide.
Continue Submitting Claims and Reconciling Data
- Continue to report adjustments for all terms – including initial claims, increases and decreases to previously-submitted claims, and cancellations.
- You will be notified as deadline dates are established for reporting 2022-23 MAP adjustments.
- Colleges are encouraged to complete the process of reconciling 2022-23 MAP data as soon as possible.
- As part of the payment offset process, timely processing of cancellations and decreases will affect your institution's 2022-23 MAP "Due to ISAC" amount.
- Only data reconciliation activities should take place at this time.
- After ISAC determines that all payment processing is final, colleges with outstanding funds "Due to ISAC" will receive an e-mail notice indicating the total amount to be returned (anticipated to be sent to financial aid directors during the month of August 2023). Until then, no funds should be returned to ISAC.
- As part of the payment offset process, timely processing of cancellations and decreases will affect your institution's 2022-23 MAP "Due to ISAC" amount.
Next Steps
ISAC will continue to monitor institutions' claims and adjustments and the remaining appropriations and – based on the analysis of that data – decisions will be made regarding whether additional 2022-23 MAP late claims will be paid. Updated information will be shared with you via the usual means of communication (i.e., the MAP Program News page, the FAA Message Board, and ISAC's e-Messaging service).
ISAC Webinar on Preparing for Federal Loan Repayments to Resume Will Be Offered on May 19
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, Public Schools – Participating in the ING Grant and IVG Programs, MAP Users, Business Officers, ECACE Adminstrators and NESP Schools on May 12, 2023.
In response to requests received at the recent ILASFAA Annual Conference, ISAC will offer a repeat of the Preparing for Federal Loan Repayments to Resume: What You and Your Students Need to Know! session as a webinar on Friday, May 19, 2023, from 12 – 1 p.m. (CT).
Grab your lunch and join us for a presentation that will be provided by ISAC Professional Development Specialists Meghan Chrum and Elizabeth Groves.
In August of 2022, President Biden announced a three-part debt relief plan which included a final extension of the COVID-19 payment pause. As the payment pause winds down, federal student loan borrowers will enter repayment for the first time since March of 2020. This session will discuss the steps you can take to prepare borrowers for repayment, repayment options available, and how to stay out of default.
Registration is not required for the webinar. To participate, 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.
Upcoming Important Dates from ISAC
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, Public Schools – Participating in the ING Grant and IVG Programs, MAP Users, Business Officers, ECACE Administrators and NESP Schools on May 11, 2023.
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:
2024-25 (July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025)
2023-24 (July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024)
2022-23 (July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023)
General Information (Not Specific to One Academic Year)
By End of December 2023: 2024-25 FAFSA® Available
As part of implementation of the FAFSA Simplification Act, the 2024-25 federal process for requesting financial assistance is anticipated to reflect the changes outlined below. Because these changes will take time to properly implement, the 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) is expected to be available in December 2023 (rather than in October). ISAC anticipates availability of the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid for the 2024-25 academic year to coincide with the launch of the 2024-25 FAFSA.
With the 2024-25 FAFSA:
- up to 20 different colleges can be listed on the online FAFSA and have information sent to them (in prior years, only ten colleges could be listed);
- due to a change in the methodology used to determine aid, a Student Aid Index (SAI) – rather than an expected family contribution (EFC) – is used to measure the student's (and, if applicable, the family's) ability to pay for college;
- the new need analysis formula no longer factors the number of family members attending college into the calculation;
- separate criteria to determine eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant Program, linking eligibility to family size and the federal poverty level, make program funds available to more students; and,
- revisions to several of the processes and systems used to award federal student aid are required, including a new interface to directly receive federal tax information from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
The e-Library's 2024-25 FAFSA Completion area is updated on a regular basis as details are released regarding the 2024-25 federal process for requesting financial aid.
Students and families seeking information can be directed to the Financial Aid: Completing the FAFSA area of ISAC's website – which will also be regularly updated as new information becomes available – and the Federal Student Aid studentaid.gov website.
By the End of May: ECACE Scholarship Application
The 2023-24 application for the Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) Scholarship Program is anticipated to be available via the Applications area by the end of May.
Join "ECACE Administrators" Subscription Group
If you work directly with your approved institution's administration of the ECACE Scholarship Program – or if you simply are interested in receiving general announcements and processing updates regarding the program – be sure to join the "ECACE Administrators" e-Messaging subscription group.
Existing e-Messaging subscribers may join this group by clicking on the "Unsubscribe" link that appears at the bottom of all ISAC e-Messages, selecting the "ECACE Administrators" group in the listing that appears, and then clicking on "Update Profile."
NOTE: If you do not work directly with the administration of the ECACE Scholarship Program, please forward this message to the appropriate colleague(s) at your institution and encourage them to sign up for the "ECACE Administrators" e-Messaging subscription group.
- Individuals who may be interested in the "ECACE Administrators" group, but do not currently subscribe to ISAC's e-Messaging service, may sign up at the Financial Aid Administrators (FAAs) e-Messaging page.
By End of May: ING Grant Application
The interactive application for the 2023-24 Illinois National Guard (ING) Grant Program is anticipated to be available for students to complete and submit online via the Program Applications & Status Checks area of the ISAC Student Portal, and 2023-24 ING Grant eligibility data is anticipated to be available in the ING Grant system, by the end of May 2023.
Specific details regarding the ING Grant system, including important reminders and guidelines, are provided at the ING Grant Electronic Processing page.
By End of May: PFC Applications Available
We anticipate that the application for the 2023-24 Grant Programs for Dependents of Police, Fire and Correctional Officers (PFC) will be available for students to access via the Applications page of the Students & Parents area by the end of May 2023.
June 1: Budget Data Due
The annual reporting of postsecondary institutions' budget information is underway, and colleges participating in the Monetary Award Program (MAP) and the Illinois Veteran Grant (IVG) and ING Grant programs are to submit 2023-24 budget data to ISAC no later than Thursday, June 1, 2023. Further details regarding the budget reporting process are provided in an April 3 e-Message.
Hear an overview of what's new for the 2023-24 MAP, IVG and ING Grant budget reporting process – as well as an update from Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs (IDVA) staff on the 2023-24 budget reporting process for the Deceased, Disabled, and MIA/POW Scholarship program – during webinars being offered on the following dates:
- Tuesday, May 16th – 10-11 a.m.
- Tuesday May 30th – 1-2 p.m.
Information regarding how to participate in the webinar is provided in a May 3 e-Message.
2023-24 FAFSA and Alternative Application Remain Available
The 2023-24 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, 2023 and June 30, 2024. FAFSA results are used to determine eligibility for several forms of federal, state and institutional financial assistance, including the MAP grant.
In addition, the 2023-24 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 MAP grant. Further details are provided at ISAC's Retention of Illinois Students & Equity (RISE) Act page.
ECACE Scholarship Summer-Term Claims Being Accepted
An April 17 e-Message announces that colleges may submit ECACE Scholarship payment requests (i.e., claims) for the summer 2023 term. Claims for all previous terms also continue to be accepted. Colleges will be notified once the priority claim deadline date for the summer term has been determined.
May 15: ECACE Applications Due
In order to request funding for the fall 2022, winter/spring 2023, and/or summer 23 terms, the 2022-23 ECACE Scholarship Program application process – which includes submitting both the 2022-23 ECACE Scholarship application and the 2022-23 FAFSA – must be completed no later than Monday, May 15, 2023.
May 26: IVG Spring Term Benefits Used Data Due
(Continue Submitting IVG and ING Grant Benefit Usage Data for All Terms)
The spring-term deadline for submission of benefit usage data for the 2022-23 IVG Program is Friday, May 26, 2023.
Even though the summer- (for the IVG Program) and fall-term (for the IVG and ING Grant programs) deadline dates have passed, as well as the spring-term deadline date for the ING Grant, colleges are still encouraged to submit benefit usage data for those terms as soon as possible.
Although ISAC is not able to reimburse institutions for 2022-23 IVG awards, reporting of benefits used must still take place so that usage can be accurately reflected on students' accounts.
Note that summer-term benefit usage data for the 2022-23 ING Grant Program is due on the final close-out date of July 1, 2023.
Further details are provided in the benefit usage areas for the IVG and ING Grant programs.
June 15: ING Grant Summer Term Application Deadline
June 15, 2023 is the final date of acceptance for summer term applications for the 2022-23 ING Grant Program. Students may access the application via the Interactive Application (Apply Online) section of the Applications page, which is located within the Students & Parents – During College – Applying for Financial Aid area and may also be obtained via the "Applications" link that appears at the bottom of all pages on the ISAC website.
June 15: PFC Summer Term Application Deadline
June 15, 2023 is the final date of acceptance for the 2022-23 PFC application for the summer term. Students may access the application via the Applications page, which is located within the Students & Parents – During College – Applying for Financial Aid area and may also be obtained via the "Applications" link that appears at the bottom of all pages on the ISAC website.
June 15: Displaced Energy Worker Dependent Transition Scholarship Program Application Deadline
The application for the 2022-23 Displaced Energy Worker Dependent Transition Scholarship Program, which allows students to apply for awards to cover the entire 2022-23 academic year, must be submitted on or before June 15, 2023. The application may be completed and submitted via the Program Applications & Status Checks area of the ISAC Student Portal.
Continue Submitting Claims for MTI Scholarship and Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Programs
Claims for the 2022-23 Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship and Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois programs continue to be accepted.
- The third-term priority consideration claim deadline for these programs will be announced once it has been determined.
- Although the priority consideration claim deadlines have passed, colleges are encouraged to submit first- and second-term claims as soon as they are able to do so.
Submitting claims via the MTI and Golden Apple systems is a two-step process that involves first generating the request (either individually or in a batch) and then submitting the request. Further details are available in the MTI and Golden Apple user guides.
The timely submission of initial claims and cancellations/adjustments for previously-submitted data allows ISAC staff to monitor remaining MTI Scholarship and Golden Apple funds and award other students, as applicable.
July 1: Gift Assistance Programs Final Close-out Date
All submissions of 2022-23 payment requests, including initial claims and supplemental claims, for ISAC-administered gift assistance programs must be received on or before July 1, 2023. Adjustments to cancel or reduce awards will be accepted after this date for MAP and the MTI Scholarship, Golden Apple, ECACE Scholarship, ING Grant and IVG programs.
Colleges are encouraged to continue the process of reconciling 2022-23 MAP, MTI Scholarship, Golden Apple and ECACE Scholarship data, which assists ISAC staff in determining whether sufficient funds will be available to pay late claims. Remember, due to the payment offset process, only data reconciliation activities should take place at this time. After ISAC determines that all payment processing is final, 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.
Specific details regarding close-out of 2022-23 ISAC-administered gift assistance programs will be provided via a separate e-Message as we move closer to July 1. In the meantime, continue to visit the Program News sections for individual gift assistance programs for status updates and operational details.
First Generation Scholars Network
Encourage your incoming students who will be the first in their family to earn a college degree to join the First Generation Scholars Network to get support and resources from ISAC, their peers, and colleges across the state. Students heading to their first year of college this fall will find events and programs that provide tools, resources, mentoring, and connections that can help make the transition easier.
Campus Partnerships
ISAC and our First Generation Scholars Network mentors are available to work with colleges and universities to support existing campus programming for first generation college students and to collaborate to develop new student supports. Contact ISAC.FirstGen@illinois.gov to start the conversation on ways ISAC can partner with your campus for student success.
Further details are provided in a March 27 e-Message.
Online Resource Helps Students Find Leads for Summer Employment/Internships
Be sure your students who may be seeking summer employment or internships are aware of the "Internship and Summer Jobs" online resource, which may be accessed via the Toolbox area of the ISAC Student Portal.
Upcoming Webinars
The following monthly "ISAC Operational Update and Program News" webinars will be offered by ISAC staff throughout the second quarter of 2023:
- Wednesday, May 31 at 2 p.m. (CT)
- Wednesday, June 28 at 2 p.m. (CT)
Further details, including how to participate in the webinars, are provided in an April 13 e-Message.
June 22: Next Commission Meeting
The next meeting of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission is scheduled to take place on Thursday, June 22, 2023. 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 2023.
July 13: 2023 College Changes Everything® Conference
Register today for the annual College Changes Everything® conference – DEIA: The Work We Need to Do – which will be an in-person event taking place on July 13, 2023, at the Tinley Park Convention Center in Tinley Park, Illinois. Further details are provided at the College Changes Everything conference website, as well as in a May 9 e-Message.
Holiday Schedules
ISAC staff will be unavailable for these holidays:
- Monday, May 29 – Memorial Day
- Monday, June 19 – Juneteenth
- Tuesday, July 4 – Independence 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, all systems for ISAC-administered programs within the GAP Access portal (including 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.
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).
Invitation to 2023 CCE Conference
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, Public Schools – Participating in the ING Grant and IVG Programs, MAP Users, Business Officers, ECACE Administrators and NESP Schools on May 9, 2023.
Register for the 2023 CCE Conference
July 13, 2023 – Tinley Park Convention Center
You're invited to join other equity designers as we come together at the 2023 College Changes Everything® (CCE) conference – DEIA: The Work We Need to Do.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) must consist of more than just policies, edicts and committees tacked onto the side of our organizations. Each of us and each of our organizations are a part of the larger educational system that impacts our students, their careers, and their entire life journey. DEIA work must take a holistic approach and be ingrained in the everyday work we do and in us who are doing the work. While we won't change everything that needs to be changed in the system in one day, we can in one day have an impact on ourselves and scaffold collaboration with others. We make up the system, and change starts with us. Each of us has a perspective and a power to make positive change.
At the conference we will leverage the knowledge, expertise and personal experiences each attendee brings with them to examine how we bring more equity to Illinois students and families. Together we can focus on the DEIA issues needing attention and identify when and how they can be addressed. Please RSVP by registering online. Registration is $40.00, and only credit card payments are accepted. Space is limited and fills quickly. Please share this e-Message with your colleagues and others in your network so they can register, too. More information about the conference is available on the conference website.
Who Should Attend
The annual conference is the state's preeminent college access and success and career readiness event and brings together stakeholders to help Illinois reach its Goal 2025 – to increase the proportion of adults in Illinois with high-quality degrees and postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025. Since the first CCE conference, equity has been an underlying tenet of the annual convening as it brings together caring professionals who want to ensure all students have opportunities for college access and success and are career ready. A key strength of the conference is in bringing together a diverse audience from across the state to focus on educational opportunity and student success: college access practitioners; high school leaders, counselors, and case managers; college and university leaders and administrators; employers and workforce development professionals; and policymakers and elected officials interested in higher education and career readiness. The conference also serves as an opportunity for stakeholders to improve their practice of collaboration and collective leadership as we work toward the state's goal. We hope you will attend the conference as we stand together as a group of like-minded professionals committed to improving outcomes for all learners.
Sessions
Breakout interest sessions provide timely information and engage the audience in thoughtful discussions on the serious issues we face in reaching the state goal, and are presented by state and national experts and practitioners. The full agenda will be provided later this spring. Topics will include: college readiness; navigating the college-going process; supporting special student populations; student support services; career readiness; changes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®), and more.
Tinley Park Convention Center and Hotel
The Tinley Park Convention Center is located at 18451 Convention Center Drive, Tinley Park, IL, and is connected to the EVEN Hotel Chicago-Tinley Park Convention Center. We have secured a conference hotel rate of $159.00 before tax and fee charges. You can book a reservation by phone at 708-444-1100 and mention "ISAC Conference" to get the rate, or you can book online here and use Group Code: ISA. The conference rate is available for reservations made by June 21, 2023.
2023 College Changes Everything Conference Planning Committee
- Illinois Student Assistance Commission
- Illinois Board of Higher Education
- Illinois Community College Board
- Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
- Illinois State Board of Education
- Illinois College Access Network
- Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities
- Advance Illinois
- Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University
- ACT Now
- Women Employed
by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.
of adults in Illinois with high-quality college degrees and
postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025
Budget Reporting Process – May 9, 16 & 30 Webinars
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, Public Schools – Participating in the ING Grant and IVG Programs, MAP Users and Business Officers on May 3, 2023.
ISAC will provide an overview of what's new for the 2023-24 budget reporting process during webinars offered throughout the month of May. The discussion will include submitting 2023-24 budget data for the Monetary Award Program (MAP) and the Illinois Veteran Grant (IVG) and Illinois National Guard (ING) Grant programs, as well as reporting differential rates. In addition, Dan Wellman from the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs (IDVA) will provide an update on the 2023-24 budget reporting process for the Deceased, Disabled, and MIA/POW Scholarship program.
For your convenience, this webinar will be offered on three different dates.
Tuesday, May 9th – 10-11 a.m.
Tuesday, May 16th – 10-11 a.m.
Tuesday May 30th – 1-2 p.m.
To participate, 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, and any specific topics or questions you would like addressed may be submitted via e-mail to sherry.schonauer@illinois.gov prior to the session.
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.
NESP Second Term Disbursements Begin – Action Needed from Some Colleges
Sent to NESP Schools on May 17, 2023.
Disbursement of second term awards for recipients of the 2022-23 Nursing Education Scholarship Program (NESP) has begun. Students who signed and returned their Promissory Note/Grant Agreements as required will soon begin receiving their stipend payments, and colleges will receive checks for the awards from the State Comptroller's office. Checks will continue to be co-payable to the college and the recipient, while stipend payments will be remitted directly to recipients.
Students for whom second term disbursements are being made can be identified by accessing the Certification List: View screen in the NESP system within the Gift Assistance Programs (GAP) Access portal, and then selecting "All" from the Certified Status drop-down menu. Payment information (amounts) for individual students is available by clicking on the student's name.
GAP Registration and Enrollment Status Certification Still Needed in Some Cases
As disbursements for second term awards begin, there remain a number of colleges that have not yet registered in the GAP Access portal for NESP administration and/or have not certified the eligibility status of applicants. Without completion of these required steps by your offices, your students will be unable to receive program funds. Consequently, colleges must move forward with the necessary activity(ies) immediately. Detailed instructions for registering in GAP Access and certifying eligibility are provided in these User Guides:
- Activating Your GAP Access Primary Administrator Account
- Activating Other GAP Access Administrators
- NESP Certification
Additionally, we are asking that you encourage any student who you are aware has not yet signed and submitted the 2022-23 NESP Promissory Note/Grant Agreement to do so as quickly as possible to allow us to move forward with disbursements. Promissory Note/Grant Agreements are accessed by students through the Student Portal, and may be either signed electronically (preferred, quickest method) or printed, signed in ink and mailed to ISAC's Deerfield office as instructed on the document.
April 2023 Electronic ISAC Update
Sent on May 1, 2023.
The April 2023 edition of the ISAC Update is now available for your review, and may be accessed via the Partner e-Messages & Newsletters section of the e-Library for Partners at isac.org. This version of the electronic ISAC Update is a compilation of e-Messages sent to financial aid administrators and business officers via ISAC's e-Messaging service over the past month.
Topics covered in the April 2023 ISAC Update include:
- 2022-23 ECACE Summer-Term Claims Being Accepted
(sent April 17, 2023) - ISAC Monthly Webinars for FAAs
(sent April 13, 2023) - Virtual Commission Meeting Thursday, April 13 – Executive Briefing Tuesday, April 18
(sent April 11, 2023) - April 2023 Webinars from ISAC Partner Training
(sent April 4, 2023) - 2023-24 Budget Data Due June 1
(sent April 3, 2023) - March 2023 Electronic ISAC Update
(sent April 3, 2023)
