Optometric Education Scholarship Program (OESP)

Program News

(last updated October 18, 2022)

Enrollment Status Verification (submit 2021-2022 data by November 30, 2022)

Note: Illinois Optometric Education Scholarship Program (OESP) awards are available only for students attending the Illinois College of Optometry.

Enrollment Status Verification

Verification of award recipients' current enrollment status data is to be completed by the college and returned to ISAC as soon as possible, and all 2021-2022 data must be submitted on or before Wednesday, November 30, 2022.

Each fall, colleges are required to verify the enrollment statuses for recipients in any program with practice agreement requirements. Verification of enrollment status is required for all recipients who, according to our records, previously received Illinois OESP funds and may have been enrolled at your institution during the prior academic year.

ISAC monitors recipients’ fulfillment of the program requirements because, if recipients fail to meet the applicable requirements, their awards convert to loans that must be repaid. Knowing recipients’ enrollment status, as reported by the colleges, allows ISAC to communicate with recipients who have graduated (or otherwise stopped attending college) regarding the steps they need to take in order to fulfill their program requirements. The sooner colleges submit enrollment verification data to ISAC, the sooner ISAC can communicate with impacted award recipients.

Refer to the Enrollment Status Verification & Practice Agreement page and the Enrollment Status Verification for Teacher Programs User Guide for step-by-step instructions on completing and submitting enrollment status verification data to ISAC, as well as details about the practice agreement requirement, extensions, deferments and repayment.