ISAC Student PortalMonetary Award Program (MAP)
Program News
(last updated January 7, 2025)
MAP Advising Data Collection (submit 2024 data by April 1, 2025)
2025-26 Start-up Implementation
2025-26 Award Announcements
2025-26 File Layout Specifications
2025-26 Start-up Formula
2024-25 Program Funding
2024-25 Reduction Factor Implementation
Suspension of 2024-25 Award Announcements
2024-25 Payment
2024-25 Recompute Formula
2024-25 Start-up Implementation
2024-25 Alternative Application Student Record School File Layout Specifications
2024-25 Operational Guide for Alternative Application Processing
2024-25 Award Announcements
2024-25 Start-up Formula
2024-25 File Layout Specifications
Additional MAP References
MAP Advising Data Collection
The collection period for 2024 MAP Advising data has opened, and colleges may submit the required information through the GAP Access portal. MAP Advising data to be reported for the 2024 collection period is as follows:
- available advising and support programs (for the 2023-24 academic year) and
- course completion data (for the 2022-23 academic year).
2024 MAP Advising data is due April 1, 2025. There have been no changes from past years to the submission process.
Further details – including tips for submitting MAP Advising data, access to the MAP Advising Support Programs Search Tool and the MAP Advising Data Collection User Guide, and the anticipated timeframe for collection of 2025 MAP Advising data – are provided in a January 7 e-Message.
2025-26
Start-up Implementation
The 2025-26 FAFSA and Alternative Application (English and Spanish) are now available.
A December 30 e-Message announces that the 2025-26 MAP processing cycle has begun and eligibility information is available. 2025-26 Institutional Student Information Records (ISIRs) and Alternative Application Student Records received by ISAC through (including) Friday, December 27, 2024 have been processed, and results are available for colleges to access via the MAP system. Daily processing of 2025-26 ISIR, Alternative Application, and eligibility status information has commenced.
To comply with MAP administrative rules, ISAC must annually publish a priority filing date for renewing applicants (which are those who received a MAP grant in the previous award year). In years when the FAFSA becomes available on October 1, the priority date has historically been December 1. However, since the 2025-26 FAFSA did not become available for all students until November 21, 2024, the priority date will be March 1, 2025 for the 2025-26 award year. This date simply means that renewing applicants who file a 2025-26 FAFSA or 2025-26 Alternative Application by March 1 may receive priority access to MAP funding if they continue to meet the program's eligibility requirements. This date is not a deadline date for FAFSA or Alternative Application completion. A new or renewing applicant who does not apply by the priority date may still be eligible to receive the grant. MAP grants are announced equitably to all qualified applicants, based on application receipt date, as long as projections indicate that sufficient funding will be available to pay eligible applicants. The more important date for students and colleges to be aware of is when ISAC announces a suspense date, which is when applications received are placed in award announcement suspension in order to remain within appropriated funding levels. This action is applied concurrently to all applicants.
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 2025-26 Required School-Issued Award Notification Language.
File Layout Specifications
Effective November 20, 2024, the 2025-26 MAP 160-Byte File Layout Specifications document is available via the Electronic Tools page within the e-Library. The file specifications are pertinent to schools that utilize the file extraction features of the MAP system or send MAP payment requests to ISAC via File Transfer Protocol (FTP).
Start-up Formula
On September 19, 2024, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission approved the 2025-26 (FY26) MAP start-up formula, which follows the FY25 recompute formula. See the 2025-26 MAP Formula page for specific details. The 2025-26 Start-up Hand Calculation Forms are available via the MAP Hand Calculation Forms page.
More information – including details about related file layout specifications – will be posted at this website as it becomes available.
2024-25
Program Funding
The 2025 fiscal year (July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025) appropriation for the Monetary Award Program (MAP) is $711,566,200.
Reduction Factor Implementation
Based on analysis of claim rates for the fall term, a reduction factor has been applied to the 2024-25 maximum annual MAP award amount. Effective December 23, 2024, the MAP system reflects the reduction factor.
In order to minimize administrative challenges that would occur by reducing already paid fall-term claims, the 4% reduction for all MAP-eligible students – needed to remain within appropriation as we continue to provide MAP awards for the remainder of the 2024-25 award year – is reflected only in second semester and second/third quarter eligible amounts and payment claims. As a result, semester institutions will see an 8% reduction in the maximum eligible award amount for the spring term, while quarter institutions will see a 6% reduction in the maximum eligible award amount for both second and third quarters.
A "FAQs: Reduction in 2024-25 MAP Awards" resource (available in the MAP Award Announcements area as an HTML page or printable PDF) may assist colleges in responding to questions received from impacted students.
Further details are provided in e-Messages dated December 24 and December 17.
Once available, details regarding the start of second-term MAP payment processing will be provided via ISAC's e-Messaging system.
Suspension of Award Announcements
ISAC is suspending the announcement of 2024-25 MAP award announcements for all students whose initial 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) is received by the FAFSA Processing System (FPS), or whose initial Alternative Application for Illinois Financial is received by ISAC, on or after August 21, 2024. Effective August 23, 2024, 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 August 15 e-Message and on the Suspension of MAP Award Announcements page.
Payment
Important dates and reminders for 2024-25 MAP payment processing:
- As announced in a January 2 e-Message
- Colleges may submit second-term payment requests (claims), keeping in mind that:
- the claim deadline date for the second term is Friday, April 4, 2025;
- analysis of fall-term claim data resulted in a reduction factor being applied to second semester and second/third quarter eligible amounts and payment claims in order to remain within the fiscal year 2025 appropriation; and
- claims may be submitted no more than 10 days prior to the start of classes for the term for which they are being requested.
- Even though the claim deadline date of December 6, 2024 has passed, ISAC is continuing to accept fall-term claims; however, initial claims and upward adjustment amounts for the fall term will be held as late, to be considered for payment later in the year.
- Colleges may submit second-term payment requests (claims), keeping in mind that:
- When submitting claims, remember that ISAC has suspended the announcement of 2024-25 MAP grants for all students whose initial FAFSA is received by the federal processor, or whose initial Alternative Application is received by ISAC, on or after August 21, 2024.
- Any initial claims submitted after a term's claim deadline date will be considered late and will only be paid if funds remain after paying all timely claims.
- 2024-25 payment requests that were submitted via FTP prior to August 28, 2024 will not be processed, and will need to be resubmitted by the college.
- In order to prevent having to resubmit data, never submit payment requests via FTP until after ISAC announces it is accepting the data for that academic year.
- Because Payment Offset and Reconciliation procedures apply to MAP, cancellations of prior payments will be deducted from any future payments until the end of the academic year.
- Funds should only be returned to ISAC after a final reconciliation has been completed at the end of the regular school year.
- All schools with an outstanding amount owed to ISAC at the end of the school year will receive a notice indicating the total amount to be returned.
ISAC will announce when colleges may begin submitting claims for the third quarter, or for the second semester at institutions where the second semester begins after February 15.
Claims are submitted by accessing the MAP system, as well as by File Transfer Protocol (FTP). 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.
Further details are available on the 2024-25 MAP Payment page, as well as in the "Payment" chapter of the MAP User Guide (which reflects recent changes to the residency definition, as well as residency override information).
Recompute Formula
At its June 20, 2024 meeting, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission approved a recompute formula that is essentially the 2024-25 start-up formula, with some additional clarification that is necessary due to FAFSA Simplification allowing for negative SAIs and parent contributions.
The approved FY25 recompute formula, as well as corresponding hand calculations forms, may be accessed via the 2024-25 MAP Formula area. Also available within this 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.
Because the recompute formula mirrors the start-up formula, no changes are required in the MAP system and daily processing of ISIR data continues as usual.
Start-up Implementation
Both the 2024-25 FAFSA and Alternative Application (English and Spanish) are now available.
As announced in an April 5 e-Message, 2024-25 MAP records – reflecting the start-up formula that was approved at the September 21, 2023 Commission meeting – are available to access via the MAP system. Effective April 9, 2024, all 2024-25 Institutional Student Information Records (ISIRs) and Alternative Application Student Records received by ISAC through (including) Monday, April 8, 2024 are available with their accompanying eligibility status information. Daily processing of 2024-25 ISIR, Alternative Application, and eligibility status information has commenced
Also available in the 2024-25 MAP Formula area is the 2024-25 Hand Calculation Forms – Start-up document, as well as information regarding rounding and calculating term awards.
A February 1 e-Message announced that the 2024-25 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 was extended from February 1 to April 1, 2024 (through and including). Returning recipients are students who received MAP funds during the previous academic year (i.e., for 2024-25, students who received MAP for 2023-24). All MAP eligibility requirements must continue to be met.
Alternative Application Student Record School File Layout Specifications
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 2024-25 Alternative Application Student Record School File Layout Specifications document is available (in both PDF and Excel formats) via the Electronic Tools page within the e-Library.
Operational Guide for Alternative Application Processing
A 2024-25 Operational Guide for Alternative Application Processing is available to assist schools with issues such as resolving MAP eligibility questions, dealing with conflicting information, correcting data, and managing Alternative Application student records in GAP Access, once 2024-25 data becomes available. The Guide provides ISAC's guidance for each issue and the applicable regulatory and/or rules reference.
As a reminder, the 2024-25 MAP processing cycle will commence after the FAFSA Processing System (FPS) begins providing FAFSA results to colleges and state agencies (anticipated for later in January 2024).
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 2024-25 Required School-Issued Award Notification Language.
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.
File Layout Specifications
Effective November 22, 2023, the 2024-25 MAP 160-Byte File Layout Specifications document is available via the Electronic Tools page within the e-Library. The file specifications are pertinent to schools that utilize the file extraction features of the MAP system or send MAP payment requests to ISAC via File Transfer Protocol (FTP).
An October 19 e-Message had announced that draft MAP file specifications were available for the 2024-25 processing cycle.
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.
