ISAC Student Portal2025-26 FAFSA, Alternative Application, and Important Dates
12/06/2024
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) would like to make you aware of the following information, which may be of interest to students and their families.
Unless otherwise noted, links in this message are to corresponding pages at ISAC's website (isac.org).
You may either scroll through the remainder of this message, or click on the appropriate link(s) to go directly to a specific section:
2025-26 (July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026)
2025-26 FAFSA® and Alternative Application Now Available
General Information (Not Specific to One Academic Year)
2025-26 FAFSA and Alternative Application
The 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) is now available online for all students who will be attending college between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026. Students (and any contributors, if applicable) who successfully submitted the 2025-26 FAFSA form during the fall 2024 beta testing period do not need to resubmit it.
Specific details, including links to several online resources, may be accessed via the Financial Aid Planning section (which is located within the Students & Parents – Before College area). FAFSA results are used to determine eligibility for the Monetary Award Program (MAP) grant, as well as several other forms of federal, state and institutional financial assistance.
When completing the FAFSA online, which is the method that provides the quickest results for the federal application, remember that the student (and you or any other contributors, if applicable) must first obtain an FSA ID from the U.S. Department of Education (ED). If you obtained an FSA ID from ED to apply for financial aid in a prior academic year, that same FSA ID will be used now to complete the 2025-26 FAFSA.
In addition, the 2025-26 Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application) is also available (in English and Spanish). Further details are provided at ISAC's Retention of Illinois Students & Equity (RISE) Act page.
If you have not already done so, be sure to sign up for ISAC's e-Messaging service to receive important updates and reminders throughout the year.
Financial Aid Support & Resources
ISAC is dedicated to helping educate students and parents about all aspects of financial aid. We devote resources to public outreach activities to help families plan for college. Public awareness and education regarding our programs is our priority as we provide students and their families with the most current information available.
The ISACorps™ are recent college graduates trained to serve as near peer mentors to high school students and provide free services to help complete financial aid applications.
Connect with an ISACorps member in your area or schedule an appointment for a free one-on-one virtual meeting.
To find an in-person event closest to you and to view a list of virtual events, please visit the Events page at the ISAC Student Portal.Advance registration may be required for online events.
English- and Spanish-Speaking Counselors Available to Assist You
If you have questions regarding the financial aid application process and ISAC's programs, you may speak with an ISAC Student Engagement representative by calling 800.899.ISAC (4722). English- and Spanish-speaking counselors are available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (CT).
Resources Available at the ISAC Student Portal
Be sure to visit the ISAC Student Portal to access the following helpful resources.
- For information related to MAP grants:
- MAP Paid Credit Hours Display (located in the Program Applications & Status Checks area) – MAP grant recipients, may use this option to track the number of MAP Paid Credit Hours they have remaining.
- For assistance beyond financial aid:
- Student Resources Beyond Financial Aid (located in the Resources area) – students will find resources for food, housing, medical care, child and dependent care assistance and consideration because of special circumstances (includes listings of Illinois food pantries on or near college campuses, as well as across the state).
December 10: Federal Student Aid 2025-26 FAFSA Webinar
Join Federal Student Aid staff on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, for a webinar that will guide students (independent and dependent) and parents through submitting the 2025–26 FAFSA form. Online registration is now available for this free event.
By June 30: High School Juniors Take College Assessment Exams for State Scholar Consideration
Eligibility for the State Scholar Program is based, in part, on a student's highest qualifying ACT or SAT score. High school juniors who are potential candidates will need to take one of the accepted exams during the specified timeframe to be considered for State Scholar designation, even though Illinois' public institutions are now prohibited from requiring the submission of student test scores as part of the admissions process.
For students who are currently high school juniors, only exams taken between August 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025 qualify for consideration in the State Scholar announcements that will be made during their senior year (i.e., high school juniors, who will be college freshmen during the 2026-27 academic year, will be named Scholars during the fall of 2025). Further details are provided at the State Scholar Program page of our website.
Join the First Generation Scholars Network
If your child is the first in your family to earn a college degree, encourage them to join the First Generation Scholars Network to get support and resources from ISAC, their peers, and colleges across the state. They'll find events and programs that provide tools, resources, mentoring, and connections that can help make the transition to college life easier.
Holiday Schedules
ISAC staff will be unavailable for these holidays:
- Wednesday, December 25, 2024 – Christmas Day
- Wednesday, January 1, 2025 – New Year's Day
- Monday, January 20, 2025 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- Wednesday, February 12, 2025 – Lincoln's Birthday
- Monday, February 17, 2025 – Presidents' Day
Staff will again be available the first business day immediately following each holiday.
For Assistance
Access ISAC's website anytime, or send us an e-mail at [email protected]. With the exception of days when ISAC staff members are unavailable, we will review and respond to messages during regular business hours of Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (CT).
You are receiving this message because you registered for ISAC's e-Messaging service through the Parents subscription group.
If you have any questions about this e-message, please contact an ISAC Student Engagement Representative by calling toll-free at 800.899.ISAC (4722). You may also reach out to ISAC Student Services by e-mail at [email protected]. We are happy to assist you.
