2027-28 FAFSA, Alternative Application, and Important Dates for Counselors

10/01/2026

The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) would like to share information which may be helpful to you and/or your college-bound students.

2028-29 ACADEMIC YEAR

By June 30, 2027: High School Juniors Take College Assessment Exams for State Scholar Consideration

Eligibility for the State Scholar Program (SSP) is based, in part, on a student's highest qualifying ACT or SAT score. High school juniors who are potential candidates 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 prohibited from requiring the submission of student test scores as part of the admissions process.

For students who are high school juniors during the 2026-27 school year, only exams taken between August 1, 2026 and June 30, 2027 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 2028-29 academic year, will be named Scholars during the fall of 2027). Further details are provided for students at the State Scholar Program page within the Students & Parents area.

2027-28 ACADEMIC YEAR

2027-28 FAFSA and Alternative Application

The 2027-28 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) cycle – including availability of the online FAFSA for all students – has opened, and the FAFSA Processing System (FPS) is transmitting 2027-28 FAFSA results to colleges. Students (and any contributors, if applicable) who successfully submitted the 2027-28 FAFSA form during the fall 2026 beta testing period do not need to resubmit it.

The 2027-28 Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid ("Alternative Application") is also available. The Alternative Application provides a pathway for students who meet the provisions of the Retention of Illinois Students & Equity (RISE) Act to apply for the Monetary Award Program (MAP) and be considered for other Illinois financial aid programs. For the 2027-28 academic year, eligibility criteria to complete the Alternative Application has changed. Students who are not eligible for federal financial aid, including undocumented students, should complete the Prescreening Questionnaire to determine if they are eligible to complete the application. Data collected in the prescreening questions will be retained by ISAC and will not be shared with colleges. Students with questions or who need assistance may contact ISAC's Student Engagement and Support Services at 800.899.4722 or contact an ISACorps™ member in their area.

The Financial Aid Planning area has resources to help college-bound students complete the financial aid process.

Financial Aid Application Completion Initiative

All Illinois public high school students are required to complete either the FAFSA or the Alternative Application as a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma. See ISAC's Financial Aid Application Completion Initiative page for more information.

Students and/or parents who choose not to complete either the FAFSA or the Alternative Application may complete the Financial Aid Application Nonparticipation Form. The 2026-27 Nonparticipation Form (used to opt-out of the 2027-28 applications) can be submitted online via the Program Applications & Status Checks page of the ISAC Student Portal. A Student Portal account is required to complete and sign the Nonparticipation Form.

MAP Processing Cycle

At its September 17, 2026 meeting, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission approved a start-up formula for 2027-28 academic year MAP grants. The formula includes the same 4% reduction that was in place for 2026-27 MAP awards, resulting in an effective maximum award of $8,064. Additional details regarding the formula are provided in a September 23, 2026 "2027-28 MAP Start-up Formula Approved" e-Message.

GENERAL INFORMATION

One Click College Admit Opt-in Remains Available for Students

One Click College Admit – an initiative of the State of Illinois – is the state's free, quick, and stress-free direct admissions program into most state public universities and all community colleges.

Participating students pay no application fees and do not need to submit essays or letters of recommendation for general admission to these state universities or their local community college – the only requirement to be considered for admission to most of the state's universities is meeting the university's minimum grade point average (GPA).

Interested students can visit the One Click College Admit site (https://oneclickadmit.org/) for more information and to opt in to participate. Please note, students who are under 18 years of age must have their parent or guardian complete and sign the consent and release form.

Professional Development Opportunities

Be sure to attend our free professional development events that are taking place throughout the fall. Choose from several in-person and virtual (webinar) options. Visit the Upcoming Professional Development Offerings page for specific details, including topics, dates, and registration. Send questions to [email protected].

Outreach Resources

Information about outreach programs, as well as the ISACorps™ and how to connect with your local ISACorps member, is available on our website.

In the Outreach Resources section, you will find additional information on how we can assist you with your school's efforts to provide college-bound students with information about financial aid.

December 3: Next Commission Meeting

The next meeting of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission is scheduled to take place at 1:00 p.m. (CT) on Thursday, December 3, 2026. Further details, including a listing of tentative agenda items, will be available prior to the meeting via the ISAC's Governing Board: The Commission section of the About ISAC area.

The Commission Meeting Schedule page will soon be updated with information regarding all meetings scheduled in 2027.

Holiday Schedule

ISAC staff will be unavailable for these holidays:

  • Monday, October 12 – Columbus Day
  • Tuesday, November 3 – General Election Day
  • Wednesday, November 11 – Veterans Day
  • Thursday, November 26 – Thanksgiving Day
  • Friday, November 27 – Day after Thanksgiving
  • Friday, December 25 – Christmas
  • Friday, January 1 – New Year's Day

Staff will again be available the first business day immediately following each holiday.

Processing Schedules

The GAP Access portal is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – including holidays. Data processing takes place each day between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. (CT). Data submitted after 10:00 p.m. will be processed and dated the following business day.

Click on the following link to access holiday processing schedules.

System Availability

For Assistance

Access the Counselors area anytime, or send an email message to Partner Services at [email protected]. We will review and respond to messages during regular business hours of Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (CT).

You are receiving this message because you registered for ISAC's e-Messaging service through one or more subscription groups for Counselors.

If you have any questions, please contact School Services by sending an e-mail to [email protected] or calling 866.247.2172.