Benefits and Restrictions
- A grant recipient is entitled to receive payment of eligible tuition and fees at an Illinois public university or public community college for a period determined by years of active duty ING service: for less than ten years of service, a maximum of the equivalent of four academic years of full-time enrollment (up to 120 eligibility units) may be received; for ten years or more of service, a maximum of the equivalent of six academic years of full-time enrollment (up to 180 eligibility units) may be received. Credit and noncredit hours are converted to eligibility units. [See Eligibility Units link on the side panel.]
- Benefits are applicable to both undergraduate and graduate enrollment. There is no minimum credit-hour enrollment requirement. Benefits are applicable for eligible noncredit courses.
- If a student is eligible for both an ING Grant and a Monetary Award Program (MAP) Grant, the ING Grant benefits must be used first. A student cannot decline an ING Grant in favor of using MAP.
- If a recipient ceases to be an active status member of the Illinois National Guard during a term, benefits cease, and the student is responsible for the unpaid costs attributed to the remainder of the term.
- If an applicant becomes eligible during a term, the benefits will be prorated for that portion of the term for which the applicant is eligible, provided the application is submitted and the college is notified regarding the applicant’s eligibility no later than the last scheduled day of classes for that term. Costs are prorated on the basis of the colleges scheduled days of instruction minus the college’s scheduled holidays and examination periods.*
- If the service obligation is not completed, the grant recipient may be required to repay some or all of the funds to the Department of Military Affairs Illinois.
* These restrictions will be noted on the Notice of Eligibility. The recipient’s chain of command must work with the Education/Incentives Branch of DMAIL to update ISAC regarding changes/corrections to the applicant’s status in the ING.