ISAC Student PortalMonetary Award Program (MAP)
Program News
(last updated September 26, 2023)
2024-25 Start-up Formula
2023-24 Program Funding
Suspension of 2023-24 Award Announcements
2023-24 Payment
2023-24 Recompute Formula
2023-24 Award Announcements
2023-24 File Layout Specifications
2023-24 Alternative Application Student Record School File Layout Specifications
2023-24 Operational Guide for Alternative Application Processing
2023-24 Start-up Implementation
2022-23 Reconciliation – Due to ISAC Notifications
Additional MAP References
2024-25
Start-up Formula
On September 21, 2023, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission approved the 2024-25 (FY25) MAP start-up formula, which follows the FY24 recompute formula and – as necessitated by FAFSA Simplification – replaces "Expected Family Contribution (EFC)" with "Student Aid Index (SAI)" and includes clarification regarding how to handle negative SAIs. See Table One in Agenda Item 5 from the September 21, 2023 Commission meeting, as well as the 2024-25 MAP Formula page, for specific details.
More information – including the 2024-25 Start-up Hand Calculation Forms and information about related file layout specifications – will be posted at this website as it becomes available.
2023-24
Program Funding
The 2024 fiscal year (July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024) appropriation for the Monetary Award Program (MAP) is $701,566,200.
Suspension of Award Announcements
ISAC has suspended the announcement of 2023-24 MAP award announcements for all students whose initial 2023-24 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) is received by the Central Processing System (CPS), or whose initial Alternative Application for Illinois Financial is received by ISAC, on or after September 23, 2023. The suspension of MAP award announcements is reflected on the appropriate screens and reports of the MAP system, as well as in the MAP Eligibility File Extraction.
Operational information can be found in the September 20 e-Message and on the Suspension of MAP Award Announcements page.
Payment
As announced in an August 21 e-Message, the 2023-24 MAP payment processing cycle has commenced. Colleges can submit first-term payment requests (claims) by accessing the MAP system, as well as by File Transfer Protocol (FTP). First-term payment requests are processed on a nightly basis as they are received from colleges, and then submitted to the State Comptroller for payment per standard operating procedures.
In order to be considered timely, 2023-24 MAP payment requests for the first term must be submitted on or before December 8, 2023 (the priority claim deadline date). Any initial claims submitted after a term's priority claim deadline date will be considered late and will only be paid if funds remain after paying all timely claims.
View the 2023-24 MAP Payment page for more information regarding the payment process.
Recompute Formula
The FY24 MAP recompute formula has been implemented and – effective June 26, 2023 – all 2023-24 Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) data received from the Central Processing System (CPS) through (including) June 23, 2023 is reflected in the MAP system. Daily processing of ISIR data has resumed.
At its June 22, 2023 meeting, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission approved a recompute formula that increases the maximum 2023-24 MAP award from $7,200 to $8,400 and the living allowance from $5,020 to $5,200.
The approved FY24 recompute formula is outlined on the 2023-24 MAP Formula page within this section. Also available within the MAP section is information regarding calculating a term award for both semester and quarter schools, guidance for rounding, and access to information about MAP electronic processing.
Award Announcements
Colleges are required to announce MAP awards to eligible students enrolled at their institutions. Refer to the MAP Award Announcements area for details regarding college requirements, including the 2023-24 Required School-Issued Award Notification Language.
File Layout Specifications
The MAP file specifications have been updated for the 2023-24 processing cycle, and are pertinent to schools utilizing the file extraction features of the MAP system or for sending MAP payment requests to ISAC via File Transfer Protocol (FTP). The 2023-24 MAP 160-Byte File Layout Specifications document is available via the Electronic Tools page within the e-Library.
Alternative Application Student Record School File Layout Specification
An Alternative Application Student Record is created for each student who completes an Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application). The application data that is critical to determining eligibility for MAP is provided to schools in the GAP Access portal for each student who has listed that college as a school choice on the student’s Alternative Application. The 2023-24 Alternative Application Student Record School File Layout Specifications document is available via the Electronic Tools page within the e-Library.
Operational Guide for Alternative Application Processing
A 2023-24 Operational Guide for Alternative Application Processing is available to assist schools with resolving MAP eligibility questions, dealing with conflicting information, correcting data and managing Alternative Application student records in GAP Access, as well as other issues. The Guide provides ISAC's guidance for each issue and the applicable regulatory and/or rules reference.
Start-up Implementation
Both the 2023-24 FAFSA and Alternative Application (English and Spanish) became available on October 1, 2022.
2023-24 MAP records – reflecting the start-up formula that was approved at the September 22, 2022 Commission meeting – are available to access via the MAP system. All 2023-24 Institutional Student Information Records (ISIRs) and Alternative Application Student Records received by ISAC through (including) Friday, October 7, 2022 are available with their accompanying eligibility status information. Daily processing of 2023-24 ISIR, Alternative Application, and eligibility status information has commenced. Further details are provided in an October 11 e-Message.
The 2023-24 priority deadline date by which returning MAP recipients are to submit their FAFSA or Alternative Application in order to receive priority access to appropriated funds is December 1, 2022 (through and including). Returning recipients are students who received MAP funds during the previous academic year (i.e., for 2023-24, students who received MAP for 2022-23). All MAP eligibility requirements must continue to be met.
Also available in the 2023-24 MAP Formula area are the 2023-24 Start-up Hand Calculation Forms and information regarding rounding and calculating term awards.
2022-23
Reconciliation – Due to ISAC Notifications
Notifications detailing the outstanding amount that must be refunded to ISAC for 2022-23 MAP awards have been e-mailed to financial aid directors. Review the information in the notification and return the appropriate amount – along with a completed Gift Assistance Programs Refund Check Form – no later than September 29, 2023.
Details about returning funds to ISAC and the payment offset and reconciliation process are provided in the Refunds and Unpaid Claims section of the Processes area.
Additional MAP References
To access general information about the MAP program, click on one of the links in the right-hand menu. To access the page within the MAP section that addresses the topics listed below, click on the topic.
