JB Pritzker, Governor, State of Illinois

Calculating MAP Awards

Rounding of Annual Award Amounts
Formula for Calculating Term Awards

The annual award amount displayed on the MAP system at start-up is based on the assumption that a student will be enrolled the equivalent of 15 semester credit hours each term. The annual award represents the maximum amount the student may be paid for the year.

The actual amount a student may be paid is based on the number of credit hours the student is enrolled each term.  Therefore, a student enrolled at a semester school less than 15 hours each term would receive a payment amount less than the annual award.  See the Calculating a Term Award links for semester and quarter schools below for examples of how term payments are calculated.

Rounding of Annual Award Amounts

In award years when a reduction factor is included in the MAP formula (either at start-up or at the time of recompute), it may be necessary for annual MAP award amounts to be rounded. When this occurs, the regular annual award amount is calculated using the MAP formula, then is reduced by the appropriate percentage and rounded to the nearest dollar (rounding upward from .50 and downward from .49).

Formula for Calculating Term Awards

Schools have a choice in how the term awards are calculated. Awards may be split evenly between terms (cents option) or be split by whole dollar amounts (no cents option). For example, if a semester school has elected to use the "cents" option, an annual award of $4,521.00 is split evenly between terms as an award of $2,260.50. If the school chooses to use the "no cents" option, the annual award of $4,521.00 would be $2,260.00 for the first term and $2,261.00 for the second term.

For a quarter school using the "cents" option, an annual award, for example, of $3,974.00 is split between the terms as $1,324.66, $1,324.67, and $1,324.67. If the quarter school chooses to use the "no cents" option, the annual award of $3,974.00 would be split as $1,324.00, $1,325.00, and $1,325.00.

Schools interested in switching from the ‘cents’ to the "no cents" option (or vice versa) must indicate that choice in the annual budget packet or send an e-mail message to  [email protected] prior to the announced budget data submission deadline for the upcoming academic year (which is typically June 1).

Select one of the links below for examples of the step-by-step process for calculating a term award for either a semester or quarter school. This information is provided for explanatory purposes only; it is not intended for school use in payment request processing.

2024-25

Calculating a Term Award – Semester Schools
Calculating a Term Award – Quarter Schools

2025-26

Calculating a Term Award – Semester Schools
Calculating a Term Award – Quarter Schools