State Aid

Monetary Award Program

The Monetary Award Program (MAP) provides grants, which do not need to be repaid, to those Illinois residents who attend approved Illinois colleges and demonstrate financial need. The funds from this program are only applied toward tuition and mandatory fees, not to exceed the maximum award amount for the academic year.

Eligibility
To determine if a student is eligible for MAP, the student must sign and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid prior to the announced suspense date each academic year and agree to share the information with Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC). ISAC relies on specific data elements/questions on the FAFSA to determine eligibility.

Other requirements for eligibility are that a student must:

• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen (FAFSA only);
• Be a legal resident of Illinois;
• Demonstrate financial need;
• Be enrolled in a minimum of three credit hours in a degree or certificate program at an approved Illinois college, for either a semester or quarter term throughout the institution’s tuition refund/withdrawal adjustment period;
• Comply with federal Selective Service registration requirements (FAFSA only);
• Maintain the Satisfactory Academic Progress standards of the institution, which is certified at the time MAP payment is requested;

Students cannot be considered for MAP if s/he:

• Has received a baccalaureate degree or is a graduate student;
• Is in default on any student loan or owes a refunds or repayment of any state or federal grant or scholarship;
• Is incarcerated;
• Is otherwise not eligible to receive federal financial assistance as an undergraduate student.

Award Determination
The institution receives award announcements via the GAP Access System on all Student Aid Report (SAR) transactions. The maximum annual amount for a student is based on relative financial eligibility at an ISAC-approved institution and a full-time enrollment of fifteen (15) credit hours.

Disbursements
MAP funds are paid directly to the institution which has certified the recipient’s eligibility. When funds are received by the institution from the State of Illinois, the Business Office will apply the appropriate MAP payments to the student’s account.

More information regarding these (and other ISAC programs) can be found here.