ISAC Student PortalISAC Update
VOL. 42, NO. 12F
June 2025
| Messages sent to: | Multiple Subscription Groups |
| ISAC Update |
Welcome to the June 2025 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 June.
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 [email protected]. 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.
2025-26 MAP Recompute Formula Approved
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAP Users, and Business Officers on June 27, 2025.
Summary of June 26 Commission Meeting
The following highlights some of the agenda items included at the June 26, 2025 meeting of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC), and any action taken. The complete listing of agenda items is available in the June 26 Agenda Book, which can be accessed from the ISAC's Governing Board: The Commission section of the About ISAC area at isac.org.
FY2026 (2025-26 Academic Year) MAP Recompute Formula Approved – Agenda Item 5
Each year, ISAC is responsible for adopting an allocation (or, "start-up") formula for the Monetary Award Program (MAP) and then – once the state operating budget has been signed into law – the Commission approves a recompute formula based on the MAP appropriation. At its September 19, 2024 meeting, the Commission approved a start-up formula to enable financial aid administrators to calculate eligibility for applicants planning to attend college in the 2025-26 academic year. Because ongoing data analysis indicated that fiscal year 2026 (FY2026) application volume would likely exceed that of FY2025, and with the expectation of continuing higher claim rates, in April the Commission approved carrying over to the 2025-26 MAP start-up formula the same 4 percent reduction factor that had been implemented for 2024-25 MAP awards (see Agenda Item 6 from the April 17, 2025 Commission meeting for further details). By mid-May, FY2026 application volume and claim projections indicated that, even with the 4 percent award reduction, FY2026 award announcements for students who apply after June 5, 2025 must be placed in suspense status.
The FY2026 state operating budget has been approved and signed into law by the governor, and again includes a historic high MAP appropriation (approximately $721 million, which is $10 million more than had been appropriated for 2024-25 MAP awards). Given the early suspense date and uncertainty due to proposed changes to federal Pell Grants, the $10 million increase will provide some needed cushion for this MAP cycle.
Taking all factors into account, ISAC staff recommended – and the Commission approved – a recompute formula that is the same as the revised FY2026 MAP start-up formula approved at the April 17, 2025 Commission meeting (including the 4 percent reduction factor).
The approved recompute formula is outlined in Table Three of Agenda Item 5 from the June 26, 2025 Agenda Book. The formula may also be viewed in the 2025-26 MAP Formula section of ISAC's website, which has been updated to reflect "recompute."
Because the recompute formula mirrors the start-up formula, no changes are required in the MAP system and daily processing of ISIR data continues as usual.
Continue to monitor our established methods of communication (i.e., MAP Program News, the FAA Message Board, and this e-Messaging service) for operational updates throughout the year.
Other Items
The following items were also presented to the Commission:
- Legislative Update – Agenda Item 4
- FY2026 Budget Review and Approvals – Agenda Item 6
- College Illinois!® Prepaid Tuition Program Investment and Program Updates – Agenda Item 7
Next Meeting
The next Commission meeting is scheduled to take place on Thursday, September 18, 2025.
Certify 2025-26 Nursing Education Scholarships
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, and NES Schools on June 26, 2025.
Unless otherwise noted, links in this message are to corresponding pages at the Illinois Student Assistance (ISAC) website (isac.org).
The following provides important updates regarding the 2025-26 Nursing Education Scholarship (NES) Program.
2025-26 Certification Data Being Accepted
Effective today (Thursday, June 26, 2025), colleges may certify 2025-26 NES eligibility using the NES system.
In order to ensure qualified applicants are considered when awarding takes place later this year, colleges are encouraged to complete and submit all certifications as soon as possible.
New for 2025-26 NES certification processing, colleges have the ability to revise previously-submitted certification records up until the time of awarding (once the student has been awarded, colleges must contact School Services regarding any changes to certification data).
Reminders
- NES certification takes place prior to the awarding process [similar to the certification process of the Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship Program].
- NES certification is done for the academic year (rather than by term).
- Colleges verify recipients' enrollment status as part of the payment request process, which will be implemented later this year after awarding has taken place.
- As part of the certification process, Title IV institutions must provide the applicant's Student Aid Index (SAI).
- Enter a value from 0 [zero] through 999999.
- Report the SAI from the valid Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) on which a student's financial aid would be based, as of the date that certification is completed (i.e., the date the college submits NES certification data to ISAC).
- If changes are pending that will impact the student's SAI (e.g., corrections, verification, or professional judgment reviews), the college may choose to postpone submitting certification data for the student until after the ISIR transaction reflecting the revised SAI has been received.
- The SAI field is grayed out (not accessible) for non-Title IV institutions that do not receive ISIRs. ISAC will populate that data element for non-Title IV schools, using the most recent ISIR transaction.
- All certification records available in the system must be completed, regardless of whether the college certifies a student as eligible or ineligible and regardless of whether the student is currently enrolled.
- The NES system is available each day from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. (CT).
The NES User Guide – which will soon be updated to reflect the 2025-26 processing cycle – includes details regarding functionality to certify student eligibility for this program, as well as an explanation of cyclical program processes.
Looking Ahead
When 2025-26 NES payment processing becomes available later this year (after awarding has taken place), the following procedures will remain in effect:
- Any funds awarded as a living allowance are included in the scholarship amount requested by and paid to the college.
- Funds resulting from each payment request submitted via the NES system are delivered to the college in a lump sum (either electronically or as a check, depending on how the college has set up their payments), rather than as individual checks for each student.
- Payment Offset and Reconciliation procedures apply to the NES Program.
- Refund checks should not be sent for cancellations/adjustments made throughout the award year.
- Funds should only be returned to ISAC after a final reconciliation has been completed at the end of the regular school year.
Future Updates
Watch for future 2025-26 NES updates – including details about awarding and the payment process, once available – via our usual methods of communication (including the NES Program News area, the FAA Message Board, and ISAC's e-Messaging service).
ISAC Program FY26 Funding: Budget Bills Approved
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 NES Schools on June 23, 2025.
Governor Pritzker has signed SB 2510 (operating budget bill) and HB 1075 [budget implementation bill (BIMP)], which together provide funding and statutory authority for Illinois programs and services, including ISAC's programs for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26). Both bills were approved by the Illinois General Assembly by the session's scheduled adjournment date, in the late hours of May 31, and were then forwarded to the governor for signature.
The bills are now considered law and are officially Public Act 104-0003 and Public Act 104-0002 (before considering printing, please note the document length).
Given the expectation that the state's revenue growth will slow in the coming year, the overall budget for the upcoming academic year is a positive one for ISAC programs. One of the biggest highlights is another significant increase ($10 million) to the Monetary Award Program (MAP), which again represents historic funding (over $721.5 million) for the program. The budget also includes a new $1.25 million appropriation for the Human Services Professional Loan Repayment Program, which is in addition to authorization to spend down any funds that remain from the FY25 one-time transfer of $5 million from the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. As was the case last year, the budget includes funding ($6 million) for ISAC to reimburse public universities for a portion of the tuition and fees that have been waived on behalf of eligible veterans and guard members through the Illinois Veteran Grant (IVG) and Illinois National Guard (ING) Grant programs. [As in recent years, the budget also includes a little more than $4.2 million for the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) to reimburse Illinois community colleges for the costs associated with the same programs.]
Some ISAC programs will experience decreased (or eliminated) funding in the FY26 budget. The budget reduces to $2 million the lump sum that supports both the Post-Master of Social Work School Social Work Professional Educator License Scholarship Program and the School and Municipal Social Work Shortage Loan Repayment Program. (This is still sufficient to meet recent levels of demand.) Nurse Educator Loan Repayment Program funding was reduced to $400,000, which is still more than has been claimed for the program in recent years. In addition, neither the Illinois Graduate and Retain Our Workforce (iGROW) Tech Scholarship Program for students in IT and related fields nor the Prepare for Illinois' Future test preparation program received any funding. A grant to the N'DIGO Foundation to support a journalism internship program also had no funds appropriated.
FY26 ISAC Program Appropriation Highlights
MAP – $721,566,200 (increase)
Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) Scholarship – $5,000,000
Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois – $10,750,000
Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship – $8,000,000
Nursing Education Scholarship (NES) – $4,000,000
Grant Programs for Dependents of Police, Fire, or Correctional Officers – $1,300,000
Displaced Energy Worker Dependent Transition Scholarship – $1,100,000
Grant Program for Exonerees – $150,000
ING Grant and IVG reimbursement – $6,000,000
Post-Master of Social Work School Social Work Professional Educator License Scholarship Program and School and Municipal Social Work Shortage Loan Repayment Program (combined appropriation) – $2,000,000 (decrease)
Community Behavioral Health Care Professional Loan Repayment – $7,500,000
Human Services Professional Loan Repayment – $1,250,000 (plus remaining balance of FY25 funds)
Illinois Teachers Loan Repayment – $975,000
Nurse Educator Loan Repayment – $400,000 (decrease)
Veterans' Home Medical Providers' Loan Repayment – $26,400
Aspirational Institutional Match Helping Illinois Grow Higher Education (AIM HIGH) Grant – $50,000,000*
* AIM HIGH funds are disbursed in lump sums by ISAC to public universities.
With the approval of the budget, program implementation and operational activities for the 2025-26 academic year will begin to move forward. As always, we will regularly provide updates and processing details regarding each of our programs as we proceed through the year.
State Legislative Update
Additional details regarding the FY26 state budget, as well as highlights of action taken by the Illinois General Assembly during its spring legislative session that may be of interest to the state's financial aid community, are provided in a recent State Legislative Update (dated June 17, 2025).
CCE Conference Keynote Announced
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 NES Schools on June 23, 2025.
Register Now!
July 17, 2025 ● Tinley Park Convention Center
We're pleased to announce our conference keynote speaker is Dr. Teresa Ramos, the Inaugural Secretary of the Illinois Department of Early Childhood. Prior to this role, she served as the First Assistant Deputy Governor for Education for the Office of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. Learn more about Teresa's story and her contributions to student success on the conference website.
Over the years, the CCE conference attendees have modeled what it is to be a community through presenting peer-to-peer learning opportunities and engaging with a broad group of caring professionals and stakeholders. As practitioners, we are the closest to the issues and problems we and our students and organizations are facing, so we can be the closest to the solutions by working together. It's critical we address how our education ecosystem needs to evolve to meet the challenges of today and those of tomorrow. Don't wait – please register today and be part of the vibrant CCE community by attending this year's conference and take advantage of the opportunity to learn from others working on similar challenges as you, as well as share your expertise and experiences.
- Preliminary Agenda – While the agenda for the conference is still being finalized, you can view a preliminary agenda of interest sessions on the conference website. The agenda contains the conference schedule as it stands currently, and as such is subject to change.
- Registration – Registration is $40.00, and only credit card payments are accepted via Eventbrite. Space is limited and fills up quickly – Register Now!
More information about the conference is available on the conference website. Please share the information in this e-Message with colleagues in your organization and others in your network.
2025 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 Department of Employment Security
- 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
- iCan Dream Center
by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.
Helping Illinois reach its Goal 2025: to increase the proportion
of adults in Illinois with high-quality college degrees and
postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025.
Commission Meeting Thursday, June 26 – Executive Briefing Friday, June 27
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAP Users, and Business Officers on June 20, 2025.
The next regular meeting of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) will be held at 1 p.m. on Thursday, June 26, 2025. Those interested in attending the meeting may do so at either the ISAC Deerfield or Springfield office location (see below for addresses).
Some of the items on the tentative agenda are:
- Fiscal Year 2026 Monetary Award Program (MAP) Recompute Formula
- State Legislative Update
- Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Review
- College Illinois!® Prepaid Tuition Program Investment and Program Updates
The Agenda Book, providing the complete listing of agenda items, is posted on the 2025 Agenda Books page, which is located within the ISAC's Governing Board: The Commission section of the About ISAC area of isac.org. The online Agenda Book will be updated within 1-2 business days following the meeting to reflect action taken.
Executive Briefing Conference Call – Friday, June 27
An Executive Briefing conference call is scheduled for Friday, June 27 from 11 a.m. to noon (CT) for institutional financial aid staff. Executive Director Eric Zarnikow and ISAC staff will provide information about activity that took place at the Commission meeting and other ISAC updates.
On the day of the briefing, you can gain access as indicated below.
- Click on this link: https://illinois.webex.com/meet/kimberly.eck
- When prompted, enter the meeting number: 2452 142 5672
For the audio portion, select one of the available options:
- "Use computer audio" – for this option you will need to have a microphone to be able to interact with the briefing. Without a microphone, you will be in listen-only mode.
- "Call me" – for this option, enter your phone number, and Webex will call you for toll-free participation.
- "Call in" – this option is not a toll-free number, however, if you are not able to participate through the "Computer audio" or the "Call me" option, but would like to participate by phone, you can use one of these toll numbers: +1-312-535-8110 (US Toll Chicago) or +1-415-655-0002 (US Toll) and access code 2452 142 5672.
Access will also be available via the Partner Training page of the e-Library.
Deerfield office
1755 Lake Cook Road
Conference Room 3030, 3rd floor
Deerfield
Enter through the east door and check in at the desk
Springfield office
500 West Monroe
Conference Room, 3rd floor
Springfield
Enter from the rear parking lot through the door on the east, use the elevator or stairs.
CCE Conference Preliminary Agenda Available
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 NES Schools on June 16, 2025.
Register Now!
July 17, 2025 ● Tinley Park Convention Center
You belong at the 2025 College Changes Everything® (CCE) conference along with colleagues from across the state and from different sectors. As we come together in shared responsibility, we can better support students by engaging in meaningful dialogue, sharing best practices, and building a network of mutual aid to address the challenges of now and to prepare for the future. The conference provides a time and place that can spark creativity and collaboration leading to groundbreaking ideas that as individuals we might not be able to achieve. Don't miss this opportunity to foster stronger bonds for our education and career ecosystem, as well as uplift each other and our communities, by registering today.
- Preliminary Agenda – While the conference agenda is still being finalized, a preliminary agenda is now available on the conference website.
- Registration – Registration is $40.00, and only credit card payments are accepted via Eventbrite. Space is limited and fills up quickly – Register Now!
More information about the conference is available on the conference website. Please share the information in this e-Message with colleagues in your organization and others in your network.
2025 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 Department of Employment Security
- 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
- iCan Dream Center
by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.
Helping Illinois reach its Goal 2025: to increase the proportion
of adults in Illinois with high-quality college degrees and
postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025.
2025-26 ECACE Certification Now Open
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, and ECACE Administrators on June 11, 2025.
Effective today, certification data for the 2025-26 Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) Scholarship Program is being accepted.
Student List
As was the case last year, the opening of the certification function allows colleges to view a listing of applicant records in the ECACE system, as well as certify eligibility for qualified students. The "Student List Eligibility: View" screen displays applicants who listed your institution on their applications and whose applications have been reviewed by ISAC staff for completeness. Additional records will appear on the Student List on an ongoing basis as applications are reviewed. You may want to consider regularly checking the ECACE system for any new data that has been posted.
Certification
Certification records are created for applicants who have completed the application process – meaning that the ECACE application and either the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) or Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid, along with required documentation, have all been submitted – and the applicant meets all initial eligibility requirements (i.e., requirements other than those that must be verified by the college). These records appear on the "Certification List: View" screen, located under the "Certification" tab of the ECACE system. The individual certification records can be accessed by selecting the student's name from the list and navigating to the Certification Data screen.
For the 2025-26 certification process:
- Colleges will be asked to indicate if a student meets program eligibility criteria by selecting either "Yes" or "No."
- If "No" is selected, the college must select a reason that best describes why the student is considered ineligible.
- If the student was not paid benefits in 2024-25, the college will be asked if the student is close to completion of their program.
- The options are either "Yes" or "No."
- "Close to completion" is defined as 30 credit hours or less.
- Colleges will only have to provide this information for applicants who received ECACE Scholarship funds in years prior to 2024-25.
All certification records showing in the ECACE system must be completed regardless of whether the school determines an applicant to be eligible or ineligible. The only way an applicant will receive notification of their eligibility status from ISAC is if the certification record is submitted. Once the certification data is entered on the screen, clicking on the Save/Submit button will complete the process, and the applicant status information will be updated on the "Certification List: View" screen.
The certification process must be completed before awarding can take place later this summer, and colleges are asked to regularly check the ECACE system for new student records that are posted as ISAC continues the application review process.
Online Resources
- ECACE Scholarship Electronic Processing (includes the ECACE User Guide)
- ECACE Scholarship Certification
Future Updates
We will continue to share program updates through our usual means of communication – the FAA Message Board, the ECACE Program News page, and this e-Messaging service.
Space Is Filling Up – Register for 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 NES Schools on June 9, 2025.
Register Now!
July 17, 2025 ● Tinley Park Convention Center
Community is an important element of a student's learning because learning is a matter of belonging as well as an intellectual process. Connection is the lifeblood of our relationships and communities, and communities are a vehicle for tapping into each other's resources for mutual support and care. The phrase "we are greater than the sum of our parts" signifies that a group or a system achieves something more valuable or effective when its components work together synergistically than they would individually. It highlights the power of collaboration and the emergence of new possibilities and opportunities beyond what isolated efforts can afford. Please join us at the 2025 College Changes Everything® (CCE) conference – a terrific place of knowledge sharing, relationship building, and collaboration to build community throughout our education ecosystem.
Over the years, the CCE conference attendees have modeled what it is to be a community through presenting peer-to-peer learning opportunities and engaging with a broad group of caring professionals and stakeholders. As practitioners, we are the closest to the issues and problems we and our students and organizations are facing, so we can be the closest to the solutions by working together. It's critical we address how our education ecosystem needs to evolve to meet the challenges of today and those of tomorrow. Don't wait – please register today and be part of the vibrant CCE community by attending this year's conference and take advantage of the opportunity to learn from others working on similar challenges as you, as well as share your expertise and experiences.
Please share the information in this e-Message with colleagues in your organization and others in your network.
2025 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 Department of Employment Security
- 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
- iCan Dream Center
by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.
Helping Illinois reach its Goal 2025: to increase the proportion
of adults in Illinois with high-quality college degrees and
postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025.
June Webinars for FAAs
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 NES Schools on June 6, 2025.
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) will offer the following webinars for financial aid administrators during the month of June.
- Tuesday, June 10, 10 a.m. – 2024-25 Year-End Reconciliation & Close Out
- Wednesday, June 25, 2 p.m. – Monthly Program & Operational Update
To participate, visit the Partner Training page in the e-Library on the day of the event to access the webinar link and presentation materials.
2024-25 Year-End Program Updates
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 NES Schools on June 2, 2025.
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 with year-end processing for the ISAC-administered programs referenced below. Programs are listed in alphabetical order within each section [Payment Request (Claim) Data and Benefit Usage Data].
Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) Scholarship Program
- ISAC will continue to accept 2024-25 ECACE Scholarship initial claims and increases to previously-submitted claims for all terms through (including) Tuesday, July 1, 2025.
- Colleges are encouraged to submit 2024-25 ECACE payment requests as soon as possible.
- If funding will not be requested for an awarded student, colleges are asked to provide an ineligible reason as part of the ECACE Scholarship payment request process so that funds may be de-obligated and additional rounds of awarding can take place.
- Adjustments to cancel or reduce previously-submitted ECACE Scholarship claims will continue to be accepted for all terms through (including) Friday, August 1, 2025.*
- Effective Monday, August 4, 2025, 2024-25 data in the ECACE system will become available for historical view only.**
Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program
- ISAC will continue to accept 2024-25 Golden Apple initial claims and increases to previously-submitted claims for all terms through (including) Tuesday, July 1, 2025.
- Adjustments to cancel or reduce previously-submitted Golden Apple claims will continue to be accepted for all terms through (including) Friday, August 1, 2025.*
- Effective Monday, August 4, 2025, 2024-25 data in the Golden Apple system will become available for historical view only.**
Illinois Graduate and Retain Our Workforce (iGROW) Tech Scholarship Program
- ISAC will continue to accept 2024-25 iGROW Tech Scholarship initial claims and increases to previously-submitted claims for all terms through (including) Tuesday, July 1, 2025.
- Adjustments to cancel or reduce previously-submitted iGROW Tech Scholarship claims will continue to be accepted for all terms through (including) Friday, August 1, 2025.*
- Effective Monday, August 4, 2025, 2024-25 data in the iGROW Tech system will become available for historical view only.**
Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship Program
- ISAC will continue to accept 2024-25 MTI Scholarship initial claims and increases to previously-submitted claims for all terms through (including) Tuesday, July 1, 2025.
- Adjustments to cancel or reduce previously-submitted MTI Scholarship claims will continue to be accepted for all terms through (including) Friday, August 1, 2025.*
- Effective Monday, August 4, 2025, 2024-25 data in the MTI system will become available for historical view only.**
- Friday, June 6, 2025 will be the last date on which:
- 2024-25 Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) data will be received from the FAFSA Processing System (FPS) and reflected in the MAP system; and,
- the 2024-25 Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid will be available for students to complete and submit to ISAC.
- Although the priority claim deadline dates for all terms of the 2024-25 academic year have passed, ISAC will continue to accept and hold 2024-25 MAP initial claims and increases to previously-submitted claims for all terms through (including) Tuesday, July 1, 2025.
- A May 23, 2025 e-Message provides information regarding payment of some late claims.
- Schools should regularly monitor the MAP system to review payment results for initial claims and increases as we continue to monitor available funding and periodically release more claims.
- Colleges are encouraged to continue the process of reconciling 2024-25 MAP data, which assists ISAC staff in determining whether sufficient funds will be available to pay additional late claims.
- Adjustments to cancel or reduce previously-submitted MAP claims will continue to be accepted for all terms through (including) Friday, August 1, 2025.*
- Effective Monday, August 4, 2025, 2024-25 data in the MAP system will become available for historical view only.**
Nursing Education Scholarships (NES)
- ISAC will continue to accept 2024-25 NES initial claims and increases to previously-submitted claims for all terms through (including) Tuesday, July 1, 2025.
- 2024-25 NES summer-term claims submitted by July 1 will be considered timely.
- Adjustments to cancel or reduce previously-submitted NES claims will continue to be accepted for all terms through (including) Friday, August 1, 2025.*
- Effective Monday, August 4, 2025, 2024-25 data in the NES system will become available for historical view only.**
- ISAC will continue to accept initial claims and increases to previously-submitted claims for all terms of the 2024-25 Social Work Scholarship Program through (including) Tuesday, July 1, 2025.
- 2024-25 Social Work Scholarship summer-term claims submitted by July 1 will be considered timely.
- Adjustments to cancel or reduce previously-submitted claims for this program will continue to be accepted for all terms through (including) Friday, August 1, 2025.*
- Effective Monday, August 4, 2025, 2024-25 data in the Social Work Scholarship system will become available for historical view only.**
* Continue Reconciling Data
Remember, due to the payment offset process, only data reconciliation activities should take place at this time for the 2024-25 ECACE Scholarship, Golden Apple, iGROW Tech Scholarship, MTI Scholarship, MAP, NES and Social Work Scholarship programs. 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 for each program. Until then, no funds should be returned to ISAC.
Learn more at the "Reconciliation & Close-out" webinar that will take place at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. To participate, visit the Partner Training page in the e-Library on the day of the event to access the webinar link and presentation materials.
Illinois National Guard (ING) Grant Program
- The ING Grant system will continue to accept 2024-25 benefit usage data for all terms through (including) Friday, August 1, 2025.
- Summer-term benefit usage data submitted on or before Tuesday, July 1, 2025 will be considered timely.
- Although the dates by which fall- and spring-term benefit usage data must have been submitted in order to be considered timely have passed, colleges are still encouraged to report data for these terms no later than August 1.
- Even though ISAC may not be able to fully reimburse institutions for 2024-25 ING Grant awards, reporting of enrollment hours must still take place as soon as possible so that benefit usage (i.e., eligibility units) can be accurately assessed to students' accounts.
- Effective Monday, August 4, 2025, 2024-25 data in the ING Grant system will become available for historical view only.**
Illinois Veteran Grant (IVG) Program
- The IVG system will continue to accept 2024-25 benefit usage data for all terms through (including) Friday, August 1, 2025.
- Even though ISAC may not be able to fully reimburse institutions for 2024-25 IVG awards and all deadline dates have passed, reporting of enrollment hours must still take place as soon as possible so that benefit usage (i.e., eligibility units) can be accurately assessed to students' accounts.
- Effective Monday, August 4, 2025, 2024-25 data in the IVG system will become available for historical view only.**
** As a reminder, reports continue to be available for colleges to access after data has been moved to historical view. However, after submitting claims or adjustments and/or reporting benefits used, colleges are encouraged to always review the Payment/Benefits Results Exceptions report that is available the next business day. Refer to the appropriate program's "Payment" area (located in the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs area) to view information regarding a report for tracking payment vouchers and warrants.
2025-26 MAP Suspense: For Applications Received After June 5
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAP Users, and Business Officers on June 2, 2025.
Unless otherwise noted, links in this message are to corresponding pages at ISAC's website (isac.org).
2025-26 MAP Suspense: For all Applications Received AFTER June 5, 2025
Current data analysis indicates that the suspension of 2025-26 MAP award announcements is necessary to avoid overcommitting the program's available funding. Therefore, ISAC is suspending the announcement of 2025-26 Monetary Award Program (MAP) grants for applicants whose initial 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) is received by the FAFSA Processing System (FPS) or whose initial Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application) is received by ISAC after Thursday, June 5, 2025. “Suspense” means that MAP-eligible students who complete an application after June 5, 2025 will be put on a waiting list for MAP funding, and if ISAC determines that additional grants could be offered, they would be announced based on the order in which the applications were received. Students have until June 5 at 11:59 p.m. Central Time to submit their 2025-26 applications before being put on the waiting list for MAP.
Identifying Records in Suspense Status
Beginning as early as Monday, June 9, 2025, MAP records in suspense status will:
- be reflected in the MAP system;
- show on the appropriate screens and reports; and,
- appear in the MAP Eligibility File Extraction.
MAP records in suspense status will be indicated by a MAP Suspend Code of "S" (S = New application received after the suspense date will not be considered for an award this year) in the MAP system and in the MAP Eligibility File Extraction. The MAP system contains filters that will allow you to identify student records and create a report of those records placed in suspense status.
2025-26 MAP Applicant Award Announcement Status Chart
The 2025-26 MAP Applicant Award Announcement Status Chart provides an overview of categories for students based on the initial application receipt date.
Student Award Announcements
Colleges must suspend announcements of MAP awards to applicants whose initial 2025-26 application (FAFSA and Alternative Application) receipt date is after Thursday, June 5, 2025. Please note that ISAC is not notifying affected applicants that their awards have been placed in suspense status. Colleges are advised to follow their own policies and procedures regarding communication to students in suspended status.
Application Volume and Projected Claim Rates Being Monitored
ISAC staff will continue to monitor MAP application volume and claim rates. If future analysis indicates that a partial release of awards from suspense status is viable (i.e., if additional grants can be offered), we will communicate that information to the financial aid community.
Students Still Encouraged to Apply
We continue to encourage students who are contemplating college this fall to complete a FAFSA or, for qualifying students, the Alternative Application. MAP-eligible students who are put on a waiting list for MAP funding might still receive a grant if ISAC later determines that additional grants could be offered. If so, awards would be announced based on the order in which the applications were received. Students who meet the eligibility requirements for federal Pell Grants can still receive that funding for fall, and there may be other ISAC grant and scholarship programs, as well as those provided by institutions, that continue to have funding available.
Free assistance in completing the FAFSA or Alternative Application is available from ISAC by booking a one-on-one virtual session at ISAC Booking, or students can set up an in-person session with their local ISACorps member at https://studentportal.isac.org/isacorps.
Check ISAC's Website Periodically for Updates
As new information becomes available throughout the year – including the start of the payment processing cycle, which is anticipated by the end of August 2025 – ISAC will continue to update the MAP Program News page within the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs section, which may be accessed via the Financial Aid Administrators area. Be sure to check back periodically for the current processing status of the program.
May 2025 Electronic ISAC Update
Sent on June 2, 2025.
The May 2025 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 May 2025 ISAC Update include:
- Invitation to 2025 CCE Conference
(sent May 29, 2025) - 2024-25 MAP Late Claims: Additional Claims Paid
(sent May 23, 2025) - 2024-25 MAP Late Claims Update
(sent May 20, 2025) - Upcoming Important Dates from ISAC
(sent May 14, 2025) - Still Time to Submit Your CCE Conference Proposal
(sent May 12, 2025) - May Webinars for FAAs
(sent May 9, 2025) - Deadline Extended: Submit Your Proposal for CCE
(sent May 5, 2025) - April 2025 Electronic ISAC Update
(sent May 1, 2025)
