Award Determination for Nursing Education Scholarships

The below information describes the NES awarding process for the 2023-24 award year. This page will be updated when the 2024-25 NES awarding process begins.

{ISAC Rules, Section 2749.220}

Overview
Student Award Announcements
Award Amount and Years of Funding

The total number of scholarships awarded each year is contingent upon the funds appropriated by the Illinois General Assembly.

All timely applicants whose colleges or universities have certified their eligibility by the requested ISAC receipt date are included in each academic year’s awarding process.

When appropriated funds for this program are insufficient to provide scholarships for all qualified applicants during any fiscal year, available funds will be awarded to qualified students who submit complete timely applications (i.e., the complete NES application is submitted no later than April 30) based on the following priority order:

1. Scholarships will first be awarded to renewal applicants who continue to meet all of the program’s eligibility requirements. An applicant is considered a renewal applicant if, during the previous academic year, they received funds from the program for which they are currently applying.
2. If funds remain after all qualified renewal applicants have been awarded, then awards will be made to eligible new applicants in the categories listed below:

Note: to the extent that the applicant pool allows, the following is the priority order used to determine awards for new applicants within each of the above categories:

1. Lowest to highest expected family contribution (EFC), as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) or the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application)
2. Anticipated graduation date for current program of study
3. Date on which complete NES application was received by ISAC

Student Award Announcements

Based on the eligibility certification data submitted by the college, as well as the above factors, ISAC proceeds with the awarding process and sends the appropriate notification to each applicant.

ISAC sends eligible NES applicants one of the following notifications:

• Eligible - Funded – students who are eligible for the award
• Eligible - Unavailable Funds – students who are eligible for the award, but for whom funds are not available

Applicants determined to be ineligible for the award receive a Notice of Ineligibility, and have the option to appeal the denial.

Award Amount and Years of Funding

The certificate, diploma or degree being pursued by the recipient determines the NES maximum award amount and the maximum number of years the award may be received.

The 2023-24 NES maximum annual award amount is either $8,916 or $17,813.

Scholarship funds may be used during all terms of study (including summer).

• NES awards will pay a portion of tuition and fee charges, plus – for full-time students only – a living allowance (previously referred to as a stipend). The scholarship pays for coursework within the nursing curriculum, but does not pay for pre-requisite coursework.
• The total amount of NES assistance awarded to an eligible applicant in a given academic year, when added to the other financial aid available to the qualified applicant for that year, cannot exceed the cost of attendance.