ISAC Student PortalUpcoming Important Dates from ISAC
05/28/2026
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) would like to share information which may be helpful to you and/or your students.
Links in this message go to ISAC's website (isac.org) unless otherwise noted.
You may scroll through this message, or click a link to go to a specific section:
2026-27 (July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027)
2025-26 (July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026)
General Information (Not Specific to One Academic Year)
FAFSA® and Alternative Application Remain Available
ISAC has suspended the announcement of 2026-27 Monetary Award Program (MAP) grants (for all students whose initial 2026-27 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) was received by the FAFSA Processing System (FPS) or whose initial 2026-27 Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application) was received by ISAC after Thursday, April 23, 2026). However, these applications remain available online. If not already done, an application should be completed and submitted as soon as possible by students who will be attending college between July 1, 2026 and June 30, 2027. FAFSA results are used to determine eligibility for other forms of federal, state, and institutional financial assistance. The suspension of 2026-27 MAP award announcements does not impact any other financial aid programs.
Students and their families, who may be seeking information about the financial aid application process, can be directed to the Financial Aid: Completing the FAFSA area of ISAC's website and the Federal Student Aid studentaid.gov website.
May 31: ECACE Scholarship Applications Due
Applications for the 2026-27 Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) Scholarship Program continue to be accepted. The priority consideration date for the application process to be completed – including submission of the 2026-27 ECACE Scholarship application and the 2026-27 FAFSA or Alternative Application (if applicable) – is Sunday, May 31, 2026. Applications received after that date will be considered only if funding remains after all timely, complete qualified applicants have been awarded.
Information about the 2026-27 certification process will be provided in future communications.
May 31: Extended Deadline for NES Applications
Applications for the 2026-27 Nursing Education Scholarship (NES) must be submitted no later than the extended deadline of Sunday, May 31, 2026. For the application to be considered complete, the 2026-27 FAFSA or Alternative Application must also be submitted no later than May 31, 2026.
June 1: Budget Data Due
The annual reporting of postsecondary institutions' budget information is underway, and colleges participating in the MAP, Illinois Veteran Grant (IVG) and Illinois National Guard (ING) Grant programs are to submit 2026-27 budget data to ISAC no later than Monday, June 1, 2026. Further details regarding the budget reporting process are provided in an April 6, 2026 "2026-27 Budget Data Due June 1" e-Message.
Mid-June: ING Grant Application Available
The interactive application for the 2026-27 ING Grant Program is anticipated to be available for students to complete and submit online via the Program Applications & Status Checks area of the ISAC Student Portal in mid-June 2026. After the application becomes available, 2026-27 eligibility data will be available in the ING Grant system for applicants whose eligibility status in the Illinois National Guard has been certified by the Department of Military Affairs Illinois (DMAIL).
Mid-June: PFC Application Available
The interactive application for the 2026-27 Grant Programs for Dependents of Police, Fire and Correctional Officers (PFC) is anticipated to be available for students to complete and submit online via the Program Applications & Status Checks area of the ISAC Student Portal in mid-June 2026.
Submit Teacher Education Scholarship Claims
Colleges are encouraged to submit initial payment requests for all terms of the 2026-27 Teachers of Illinois Scholarship Program as soon as possible. Further details about submitting claims are available at the Teachers of Illinois Scholarship Payment page, as well as in the May 15, 2026 "2025-26 Teachers of Illinois Payment" e-Message.
May 29: ING Grant and IVG Spring-Term Benefits Used Data Due
(Continue Submitting Benefit Usage Data for All Terms)
The spring-term deadline for submission of benefit usage data for the 2025-26 ING Grant and IVG programs is Friday, May 29, 2026.
Even though the summer- (for the IVG Program) and fall-term (for the IVG and ING Grant programs) deadline dates have passed, colleges are still encouraged to submit benefit usage data for those terms as soon as possible.
Although ISAC may not be able to fully reimburse institutions for 2025-26 ING Grant or IVG awards, reporting of benefits used must still take place so that usage can be accurately reflected on students' accounts.
Further details are provided in the benefit usage areas for the ING Grant and IVG programs, as well as in a January 16, 2026 "Submit 2025-26 Claims and Benefit Usage Data for Second Term" e-Message.
June 15: PFC Summer Term Application Deadline
Monday, June 15, 2026 is the final date of acceptance for the 2025-26 PFC application for the summer term. The application may be completed and submitted via the Program Applications & Status Checks area of the ISAC Student Portal.
June 15: Displaced Energy Worker Dependent Transition Scholarship Program Summer Term Application Deadline
Monday, June 15, 2026 is the final date of acceptance for the 2025-26 Displaced Energy Worker Dependent Transition Scholarship Program application for the summer term. The application may be completed and submitted via the Program Applications & Status Checks area of the ISAC Student Portal.
July 1: Gift Assistance Programs Final Close-out Date
2025-26 NES, PFC, and Post-Master of Social Work School Social Work Professional Educator License Scholarship (Social Work Scholarship) Program summer-term payment requests, as well as 2025-26 ING Grant summer-term benefit usage data, are due to ISAC no later than Wednesday, July 1, 2026.
In addition, all submissions of 2025-26 payment requests, including initial and supplemental claims for ISAC-administered scholarship and grant awards, must be received on or before July 1, 2026.
ISAC is required to obligate all program funds by June 30, 2026, the end of the state fiscal year. After this date, ISAC cannot issue new awards or obligate new program funds, and neither ISAC nor schools may make adjustments that increase already obligated funds. However, should funds remain available after July 1, ISAC may continue to process payment requests associated with scholarship and grant awards made during the fiscal year.
Adjustments to cancel or reduce awards will be accepted after this date for MAP and the ECACE Scholarship, Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois, ING Grant, IVG, NES, PFC, Social Work Scholarship, and Teachers of Illinois Scholarship programs.
Colleges are encouraged to continue the process of reconciling 2025-26 data, which assists ISAC staff in determining whether sufficient funds will be available to pay late claims. Remember, due to the payment offset process, only data reconciliation activities should take place at this time. After ISAC determines that all payment processing is final, colleges with an outstanding amount owed to ISAC will receive an email notice indicating the total amount to be returned for each program. Until then, no funds should be returned to ISAC.
Specific details regarding close-out of 2025-26 ISAC-administered gift assistance programs will be provided as we move closer to July 1. In the meantime, continue to visit the Program News sections for individual gift assistance programs for status updates and operational details.
Public Comment Being Accepted for Proposed Rules and Amendments
Public comment is being accepted on proposed amendments to several Parts of the ISAC Administrative Rules. Specific details, including the date by which public comment for each Part must be submitted, are provided at the Proposed Rules and Amendments page of the e-Library and in a May 26, 2026 "ISAC Administrative Rules Update – Public Comment Being Accepted" e-Message.
First Generation Scholars Network
Encourage your incoming students who will be the first in their family to earn a college degree to join the First Generation Scholars Network to get support and resources from ISAC, their peers, and colleges across the state. Students heading to their first year of college this fall will find events and programs that provide tools, resources, mentoring, and connections that can help make the transition easier.
Online Resource Helps Students Find Leads for Summer Employment/Internships
Be sure your students who may be seeking summer employment or internships are aware of the "Internship and Summer Jobs" online resource, which may be accessed via the Toolbox area of the ISAC Student Portal.
June 2: Webinar from Illinois Interagency Workforce Pell Team
The Illinois Interagency Workforce Pell Team, led by the Governor's Office, invites institutions, workforce partners, and stakeholders to attend a public webinar on Illinois' implementation of Workforce Pell. The webinar – which will take place at 3:00 p.m. (CT) on Tuesday, June 2, 2026 – is expected to be most useful for postsecondary institutional staff who may be involved in the process of seeking program approval. Further details, including how to register for the event, are provided in a May 27, 2026 "June 2 Webinar from Illinois Interagency Workforce Pell Team" e-Message.
Upcoming Webinars
ISAC will offer "Monthly Operational Update and Program News" webinars for financial aid administrators at 2:00 p.m. (CT) on the following dates.
- Wednesday, June 24, 2026
- Wednesday, July 29, 2026
To participate, visit the Partner Training page in the e-Library on the day of the event to access the webinar link and presentation materials.
June 25: 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, June 25, 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.
Visit the Commission Meeting Schedule page for information regarding all meetings scheduled in 2026.
July 16: 2026 College Changes Everything® (CCE) Conference
Mark you calendar for the 2026 CCE conference – Education Matters – taking place on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at the Tinley Park Convention Center in Tinley Park, Illinois. Education is consequential, transformative and urgent; it is the ladder of opportunity that helps transform lives. And, matters of education – the systems, policies, and barriers – require our attention and collective action. Further details are provided at the College Changes Everything conference web page.
July 30: MAP Advising Data Due
Colleges are to report the following MAP Advising data via the GAP Access portal no later than Thursday, July 30, 2026:
- available advising and support programs (for the 2025-26 academic year) and
- course completion data (for the 2024-25 academic year).
To make the process easier for schools, the collection of MAP Advising Data has moved to a biennial process. Schools can anticipate the next MAP Advising Data Collection process during the 2027-28 academic year.
Further details are provided in an April 21, 2026 "MAP Advising Data Updates" e-Message.
Holiday Schedules
ISAC staff will be unavailable for these holidays:
- Friday, June 19, 2026 – Juneteenth
- Friday, July 3, 2026 – Independence Day (observed)
Staff will again be available the first business day immediately following each holiday.
Processing Schedules
All ISAC-administered program systems within the GAP Access portal remain available on holidays during regularly scheduled hours. For MAP and other programs administered through components of the GAP Access portal, results for claims submitted from 5:00 p.m. (CT) the business day prior to the holiday through 5:00 p.m. (CT) the business day following the holiday will be available via the appropriate program's system on the morning of the second business day after the holiday.
For Assistance
Access the Financial Aid Administrators 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 FAAs.
If you have any questions, please contact School Services by sending an email to [email protected] or calling 866.247.2172.
