2024 Nonparticipation Form FAQs

For students who choose not to file an application, a Financial Aid Application Nonparticipation Form may be signed by a parent or guardian. If the student is at least 18 years old, the student can complete the form themselves. The 2023-24 Nonparticipation Form (used to opt-out of the 2024-25 FAFSA) can be submitted online on ISAC’s Student Portal. See the Financial Aid Application Nonparticipation Form Instructions for details on how to complete the electronic form.

Students who are NOT 18 years old will need their parent or guardian to sign a Financial Aid Application Nonparticipation Form on their behalf if they choose to opt-out of completing a Financial Aid Application as part of the graduation requirement. See the Financial Aid Application Nonparticipation Form Instructions for details on how to complete the electronic form.

Students who are at least 18 years old can complete a Financial Aid Application Nonparticipation Form themselves if they choose to opt-out of completing a Financial Aid Application as part of the graduation requirement. See the Financial Aid Application Nonparticipation Form Instructions for details on how to complete the electronic form.

For students who are under 18 years old, a legal guardian can sign the Financial Aid Application Nonparticipation Form on the student’s behalf. See the Financial Aid Application Nonparticipation Form Instructions for details on how to complete the electronic form.

Students who have graduated early in December 2023 can complete the paper version of the 2022-23 Nonparticipation Form (used to opt-out of the 2023-24 FAFSA). The paper 2022-23 Nonparticipation Form can be requested by emailing fafsa@isbe.net. The student must submit the paper form to their school. High school administration should note that the school will be required to login to GAP Access to check off the “paper waiver completed” box for reporting purposes and keep the form in their files for compliance and auditing purposes.

Under these circumstances, where a student has already graduated in December 2023, but the counselor is not able to get in contact with them to complete the 2022-23 Nonparticipation Form, the high school principal can complete the Principal Good Faith Effort Attestation that is available in ISAC GAP Access.

Students who are not graduating on time but are considered part of the senior graduating class can complete the Nonparticipation Form through ISAC’s Student Portal. See the Financial Aid Application Nonparticipation Form Instructions for details on how to complete the electronic form.

Students who are emancipated minors will need to complete the paper Nonparticipation Form, which can be requested by emailing fafsa@isbe.net. The student must submit the paper form to their school. High school administration should note that the school must login to GAP Access to check off the “paper waiver completed” box for reporting purposes and keep the form in their files for compliance and auditing purposes.

For students who are under 18 years old and are considered an unaccompanied youth, the principal or administrator can complete the Principal Good Faith Effort Attestation on ISAC GAP Access on behalf of the student.

For students who are under 18 years old and are under the guardianship of the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS), a case worker can complete the Financial Aid Application Nonparticipation Form on their behalf. See the Financial Aid Application Nonparticipation Form Instructions for details on how to complete the electronic form.

For students who are in a special education program and continue their educational services the following year(s), their parent can complete the Financial Aid Application Nonparticipation Form on their behalf. Students who are 18 years old or older can complete the form themselves. See the Financial Aid Application Nonparticipation Form Instructions for details on how to complete the electronic form. These students will not have to complete the form every year and can complete the form once and have it count towards the following years. High School administration should note that under these circumstances, the counselor will need to go into ISAC GAP Access to account for that student’s Nonparticipation Form by checking off the “paper waiver completed” if they are still considered part of the senior graduating class and completed the form the previous year.

To streamline the process, starting with the class of 2024, the electronic Nonparticipation Form has been created to take the burden off counselors from collecting and retaining paper Nonparticipation Forms in their files. The electronic Nonparticipation Form can be accessed and completed on ISAC’s Student Portal under the ‘Program Applications & Status Checks’ tab. The electronic forms will be collected and retained on ISAC GAP Access. If you are not currently using GAP Access, please reach out to ISAC Program Services (isac.schoolservices@illinois.gov) for assistance on creating a GAP Access account. GAP Access will enable schools to download a report to show which students completed a Nonparticipation form, submitted a Financial Aid Application, or if there is a Principal’s Good Faith Effort Attestation.

We highly encourage counselors and administrators to have students who wish to opt-out of completing a financial aid application as part of the graduation requirement to complete the electronic Financial Aid Application Nonparticipation Form unless the student is an emancipated minor. In that case, the student must request the form themselves from ISBE by emailing fafsa@isbe.net. If they submit a paper form to a counselor/administrator, the counselor/administrator must log into ISAC GAP Access to check off the “paper waiver completed” box for reporting purposes and keep the form in their files for compliance and auditing purposes.

If you feel your district needs a paper Nonparticipation Form, you can request and submit the completed District Nonparticipation Form Request from ISBE by emailing fafsa@isbe.net.