ISAC Student PortalHELP Eligibility
NOTICE: 2026-27 Alternative Application
As of July 24, 2026, a federal district court ruled that undocumented students are no longer eligible to receive state financial assistance for the 2026-2027 school year. For this reason, the 2026-27 Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid is no longer available. Students that do not complete the 2026-27 FAFSA and would have completed the 2026-27 Alternative Application will not be able to be considered for this program.
The eligibility criteria for the 2027-28 Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid will be changing. This application is scheduled to be released on October 1, 2026. Please visit isac.org/AlternativeApp for more information.
{ISAC Rules, Section 2737.20}
A qualified applicant shall be:
- a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen (FSA Handbook, Volume 1 Chapter 2);
- a resident of Illinois;
- enrolled at a degree-granting, not-for-profit private college or university located in Illinois that participates in the collegiate license plate program through the Illinois Secretary of State;
- able to demonstrate financial need with the completion of the FAFSA;
- maintaining satisfactory academic progress as determined by the institution (for renewal applicants only); and
- an undergraduate student and have not received a baccalaureate degree.
