JB Pritzker, Governor, State of Illinois

Illinois Veteran Grant (IVG) Benefit Usage

{ISAC Rules, Sections 2700.30 (e) and 2733.40}

IVG Benefit Usage Overview
IVG Benefit Requests and Results
IVG Processing Reminders
IVG Benefit Usage Reporting Deadline Dates
IVG Payment Priority

IVG Benefit Usage Overview

The IVG Program is an entitlement program, meaning that, by statute, regardless of whether funding is appropriated for the program through the annual state budget process, the student is not responsible for payment of tuition and mandatory fees. In years when there is no funding for the IVG Program, ISAC is unable to reimburse colleges, however, data regarding IVG benefits used still must be submitted so eligibility units can be accurately assessed to students' accounts.

In addition, if an applicant is eligible for both the IVG Program and the Monetary Award Program (MAP) grant, the IVG benefits must be used first. A student cannot decline IVG benefits in favor of using MAP benefits, nor can a school claim MAP funds to cover an IVG shortfall.

IVG benefit usage data is to be submitted reflecting the student's cost of tuition (including fees that meet the definition of tuition) and mandatory fees. Institutions that include coverage of aviation, truck driving/CDL, etc., programs under IVG benefits must only include costs that meet the definition of tuition and mandatory fees. If there is an appropriated amount, ISAC authorizes a voucher in the amount of the payment claim and submits it to the State Comptroller's Office which issues payment to the institution.

Recipients attending out-of-district community colleges receive tuition and fees benefits equivalent to the in-district rates and are not responsible for paying the difference between in-district and out-of-district tuition {ISAC Rules, Section 2733.30 (f)}.

Institutions are required to reconcile payments, both payment data and actual funds received through IVG (when applicable), and submit all necessary corrections to student records on a timely basis.

IVG Benefit Requests and Results

Colleges can report enrollment hours and benefit dollar amounts for initial, in-district and out-of-district requests and to make adjustments via the IVG Benefit Usage functionality of the IVG system. IVG benefit usage data can be submitted via either File Transfer Protocol (FTP)  or the IVG system in the GAP Access portal, by the deadline dates established for each term. Results for IVG benefits usage data submitted online or via FTP are available to be retrieved from the File Extract option. IVG benefits reports are available to assist schools in the review and reconciliation of IVG benefit usage data, and can be obtained by selecting the applicable report or extract file tabs. The reports and extract files for IVG are the same as for the MAP and ING programs.

Even in years when Illinois Veteran Grant (IVG) Program funds are insufficient to pay all claims and/or if no funds are appropriated for the program, reporting of enrollment hours must still take place so that benefit usage (i.e., eligibility units) can be accurately assessed to students' accounts.

Further details regarding how to access the IVG system, benefits usage process, reports and file extraction options can be found in the IVG Program User Guide. A link to the 160-byte file layout to submit IVG benefit usage data via FTP can be found on the Electronic Tools page and the IVG Electronic Processing page.

IVG Processing Reminders

  • Verify that the GAP Access Administrator at your college has established the appropriate IVG system access level for all impacted staff. Instructions for establishing access to the MAP system may be found on the GAP Access page.
  • A valid GAP Access user ID and password are required to submit files via ISAC’s Secure File transfer System (https:/transfer.isac.org/). As a result, encryption (password protection) of files is not necessary.
  • For each college, the IVG system will display records of students for whom the college has reported benefit usage data within the past three years.
    • If a college needs to report benefit usage data for a student who is not appearing in the IVG system, the college can add the student by providing two of the following three items:
      • the student's Social Security number
      • the student's last name
      • the student's IVG number (as it appears on the student's IVG Notice of Eligibility letter from ISAC)
  • Only records for students who have received an IVG Notice of Eligibility can be accessed or added via the IVG system. If a college tries to access or add a record for a student whose application is incomplete or has been deemed ineligible, a "Student Not Found" message will appear. Students for whom this message appears that indicate they have submitted an application but have not received a Notice of Ineligibility should be instructed to contact ISAC's Call Center to discuss the status of their application. Anticipated for later this spring, applicants will also be able to check the status of their IVG applications via the ISAC Student Portal.
  • When submitting IVG Program benefit usage data, amounts should match the budget data reported by the college via the IVG system for the corresponding academic year (for example, use 2024-25 budget data when submitting 2024-25 benefit usage data).
  • A cumulative list of benefit usage records is available for the entire fiscal year, which minimizes the need to print and retain hard copies.
  • Summer leads the academic year for IVG. Be sure to use the appropriate tuition and fees when reporting benefit usage data (or, for years when funds are appropriated, claiming payment) for any term in the academic year.

IVG Benefit Usage Reporting Deadline Dates

The IVG benefit usage reporting deadline dates are:

  • Summer term(s) – During the month of September
    • Summer 2024 benefit usage data must be submitted on or before Monday, September 30, 2024 in order to be considered timely.
  • Fall term – During the month of December
    • Fall 2024 benefit usage data must be submitted on or before Tuesday, December 31, 2024 in order to be considered timely.
  • Spring term (second semester/second & third quarter) – During the month of May
    • The Spring 2025 benefit usage data reporting deadline has not yet been determined.

IVG benefit usage data submitted for a subsequent term will be held until processing for that term is open.

IVG Payment Priority

When funds are appropriated to ISAC through the state budget process, claims will be paid as follows:

  • Summer term claims received by the designated deadline date will be paid, or prorated if funding is insufficient to pay all claims in full;
  • If funds remain after summer term claims are paid, fall term (first semester and first quarter) claims received by the designated deadline date will be paid, or prorated if funding is insufficient to pay all claims in full;
  • If funds remain after fall term claims are paid, then spring term (second semester/second and third quarter) claims received by the designated deadline date will be paid, or prorated if funding is insufficient to pay all claims in full; and
  • Timely claims for the difference between in-district/state and out-of-district/state tuition for recipients who do not qualify for chargebacks will be considered for payment at the same time, and in the same priority order, as all other timely claims.

All IVG claims received by ISAC after the designated dates will be paid or prorated during the fiscal lapse period (July 1 through August 31) following the conclusion of the fiscal year based on available funds. If claims are prorated for a term, the subsequent term(s) and later payment will not be paid.