ISAC Student PortalISAC Update
VOL. 42, NO. 11F
May 2025
| Messages sent to: | Multiple Subscription Groups |
| ISAC Update |
Welcome to the May 2025 ISAC Update for financial aid administrators and business officers. This version of the electronic ISAC Update is a compilation of e-Messages sent through ISAC's e-Messaging service throughout May.
The articles in this Update have been organized according to the FAA subscription groups to which the messages were distributed.
Questions?
Questions regarding information in this ISAC Update can be directed to School Services at 866.247.2172 or at [email protected]. On occasion, you may be directed to a specific contact person or area; when this occurs, we will provide the appropriate information in the individual article or message.
Invitation to 2025 CCE Conference
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, Public Schools – Participating in the ING Grant and IVG Programs, MAP Users, Business Officers, ECACE Administrators, and NES Schools on May 29, 2025.
Registration Now Open!
July 17, 2025 ● Tinley Park Convention Center
You're invited to register now as we come together with purpose at the 2025 College Changes Everything® (CCE) conference – How do we build community? In uncertain and changing times, hope becomes a vital anchor that enables people to navigate challenges with resilience and purpose and with a sense of belonging and community. This year we invite you to gather not only to explore new ideas and strategies, but also to actively build community that sparks inspiration and action. By engaging in meaningful dialogue and sharing best practices informed by experience, participants actively contribute to building a network of mutual support and understanding. Together, we can embody the powerful notion that hope is not just a feeling, but a shared commitment to shaping a brighter future for our students because we know education matters. As we examine this year's conference question in greater depth, we can also look at these questions:
- How can our community better understand and meet the needs of our students?
- How can we strengthen and expand our community?
- How can our community work together to marshal resources for our most vulnerable students?
Who Should Attend:
The annual conference is the state's preeminent college access and success and career readiness event and brings together stakeholders to help Illinois reach its Goal 2025 – to increase the proportion of adults in Illinois with high-quality degrees and postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025. A key strength of the conference is in bringing together a diverse audience from across the state to focus on educational opportunity and student success: college access practitioners; high school leaders, counselors, and case managers; college and university leaders and administrators; employers and workforce development professionals; and policymakers and elected officials interested in higher education and career readiness. The conference also serves as an opportunity for stakeholders to improve their practice of collaboration and collective leadership as we work toward the state's goal. We hope you will attend the conference as we stand together as a group of like-minded professionals committed to improving outcomes for all learners.
The conference agenda will be available in June. More information about the conference, the Tinley Park Convention Center, and hotel is available on the conference website.
2025 College Changes Everything Conference Planning Committee
- Illinois Student Assistance Commission
- Illinois Board of Higher Education
- Illinois Community College Board
- Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
- Illinois Department of Employment Security
- Illinois State Board of Education
- Illinois College Access Network
- Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities
- Advance Illinois
- Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University
- ACT Now
- Women Employed
- iCan Dream Center
by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.
Helping Illinois reach its Goal 2025: to increase the proportion
of adults in Illinois with high-quality college degrees and
postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025.
2024-25 MAP Late Claims: Additional Claims Paid
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAP Users, and Business Officers on May 23, 2025.
Unless otherwise noted, links in this message are to corresponding pages at the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) website (isac.org).
The following information is being provided to assist colleges in the close-out process for the 2024-25 Monetary Award Program (MAP).
Payment of Additional Late Claims
As originally explained in a May 20 e-Message, ISAC staff monitors both payment request (i.e., claim) rates and remaining funding levels throughout the year in order to assist the greatest number of eligible students without overspending program appropriations.
Based on our current analysis, additional payments are taking place for 2024-25 MAP late claims. These payment runs are in addition to late claim payments announced on May 20. Schools should regularly monitor the MAP system (GAP Access) to review payment results for initial claims and increases as we continue to monitor available funding and periodically release more claims.
As a reminder: first-term claims are considered late if submitted after December 6, 2024; second-term claims are considered late if submitted after April 4, 2025; and third-term claims are considered late if submitted after May 9, 2025. Payment results for all terms are now available in the MAP system.
Information regarding how to access payment results is provided in the "Payment" chapter of the MAP User Guide.
Continue Submitting Claims and Reconciling Data
- Continue to report adjustments for all terms – including initial claims, increases and decreases to previously-submitted claims, and cancellations.
- You will be notified as deadline dates are established for reporting 2024-25 MAP adjustments.
- Colleges are encouraged to complete the process of reconciling 2024-25 MAP data as soon as possible.
- As part of the payment offset process, timely processing of cancellations and decreases will affect your institution's 2024-25 MAP "Due to ISAC" amount.
- Only data reconciliation activities should take place at this time.
- After ISAC determines that all payment processing is final, colleges with outstanding funds "Due to ISAC" will receive an e-mail notice indicating the total amount to be returned (anticipated to be sent to financial aid directors later this summer). Until then, no funds should be returned to ISAC.
- As part of the payment offset process, timely processing of cancellations and decreases will affect your institution's 2024-25 MAP "Due to ISAC" amount.
Next Steps
ISAC will continue to monitor institutions' claims and adjustments and the remaining appropriations and – based on the analysis of that data – decisions will be made regarding whether additional 2024-25 MAP late claims will be paid. Please check the MAP system daily to see if there are new payment results available.
2024-25 MAP Late Claims Update
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAP Users, and Business Officers on May 20, 2025.
Unless otherwise noted, links in this message are to corresponding pages at the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) website (isac.org).
The following information is being provided to assist colleges in the close-out process for the 2024-25 Monetary Award Program (MAP).
Payment of Late Claims
In order to best leverage available funds by assisting the greatest number of eligible students without overspending program appropriations, ISAC staff monitors both payment request (i.e., claim) rates and remaining funding levels throughout the year.
Based on our current analysis, payment has been approved for 2024-25 MAP late claims received through the date noted below for each term. As a reminder: first-term claims are considered late if submitted after December 6, 2024; second-term claims are considered late if submitted after April 4, 2025; and, third-term claims are considered late if submitted after May 9, 2025.
Payment results are now available in the MAP system for:
- first-term initial claims and increases that were received from December 7, 2024 through (including) May 14, 2025.
Payment results are anticipated to be available the morning of Wednesday, May 21, 2025 for:
- second-term initial claims and increases that were received from April 5, 2025 through (including) May 14, 2025; and
- third-term initial claims and increases that were received from May 10, 2025 through (including) May 14, 2025.
Information regarding how to access payment results is provided in the "Payment" chapter of the MAP User Guide.
All 2024-25 MAP initial claims and upward adjustments to previously-submitted claims submitted on or after May 15, 2025 will continue to be held as late, to be considered for payment later in the year.
Continue Submitting Claims and Reconciling Data
- Continue to report adjustments for all terms – including initial claims, increases and decreases to previously-submitted claims, and cancellations.
- You will be notified as deadline dates are established for reporting 2024-25 MAP adjustments.
- Colleges are encouraged to complete the process of reconciling 2024-25 MAP data as soon as possible.
- As part of the payment offset process, timely processing of cancellations and decreases will affect your institution's 2024-25 MAP "Due to ISAC" amount.
- Only data reconciliation activities should take place at this time.
- After ISAC determines that all payment processing is final, colleges with outstanding funds "Due to ISAC" will receive an e-mail notice indicating the total amount to be returned (anticipated to be sent to financial aid directors later this summer). Until then, no funds should be returned to ISAC.
- As part of the payment offset process, timely processing of cancellations and decreases will affect your institution's 2024-25 MAP "Due to ISAC" amount.
Next Steps
ISAC will continue to monitor institutions' claims and adjustments and the remaining appropriations and – based on the analysis of that data – decisions will be made regarding whether additional 2024-25 MAP late claims will be paid. Updated information will be shared with you via the usual means of communication (i.e., the MAP Program News page, the FAA Message Board, and ISAC's e-Messaging service).
Upcoming Important Dates from ISAC
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, Public Schools – Participating in the ING Grant and IVG Programs, MAP Users, Business Officers, ECACE Administrators, and NES Schools on May 14, 2025.
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) would like to make you aware of the following information, which may be of interest to you and/or your students.
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)
2024-25 (July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025)
General Information (Not Specific to One Academic Year)
FAFSA® and Alternative Application Remain Available
The 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) remains available online, and – if not already done – should be completed as soon as possible by students who will be attending college between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026. 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.
In addition, the 2025-26 Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application) is also available (in English and Spanish). Qualifying students may file the Alternative Application – which is patterned after the FAFSA – to apply for the MAP grant. Further details are provided at ISAC's Retention of Illinois Students & Equity (RISE) Act page.
The e-Library's 2025-26 FAFSA Completion area is updated on a regular basis as details regarding the status of FAFSA processing are released.
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 19: ECACE Scholarship Applications Due
Applications for the 2025-26 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 2025-26 ECACE Scholarship application and the 2025-26 FAFSA or 2025-26 Alternative Application (if applicable) – is Monday, May 19, 2025. Applications received after that date will be considered only if funding remains after all timely, complete qualified applicants have been awarded.
Information about the 2025-26 certification process, including the collection of applicants' proximity to graduation, will be provided in future communications.
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 2025-26 budget data to ISAC no later than Sunday, June 1, 2025. Further details regarding the budget reporting process are provided in an April 9 e-Message. You may also view the presentation from the April 8, 2025 "Annual Budget Reporting Process" webinar.
Early June: ING Grant Application Available
The interactive application for the 2025-26 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 early June 2025. At the same time, 2025-26 eligibility data is anticipated to 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).
Early June: PFC Application Available via Student Portal
We anticipate that – in early June 2025 and effective starting with the 2025-26 application cycle – the Grant Programs for Dependents of Police, Fire and Correctional Officers (PFC) application will be available for students to complete and submit online via the Program Applications & Status Checks area of the ISAC Student Portal.
Starting with the 2025-26 academic year, colleges administer PFC awards via the Gift Assistance Programs (GAP) Access portal. Further details will be provided throughout the year.
May 30: Third-Term Claims Due for Several Scholarship Programs
In order to be considered timely, third-term claims for the following scholarship programs must be submitted by Friday, May 30, 2025:
- ECACE Scholarship Program
- Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program
- Illinois Graduate and Retain Our Workforce (iGROW) Tech Scholarship Program
- Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship Program
- Nursing Education Scholarships (NES)
- Post-Master of Social Work School Social Work Professional Educator License Scholarship (Social Work Scholarship) Program
Further details, including access to payment procedures and user guides for each of these programs, are provided in an April 1 e-Message.
May 30: Second-Term PFC Claims Due
2024-25 PFC Certification of Enrollment for Payment rosters for the second term (winter for quarter schools; spring for semester schools) were emailed to financial aid directors in March. In order to be considered timely, second-term claims must be submitted by Friday, May 30, 2025. More information about the PFC payment process if provided at the PFC Payment Procedures page.
May 30: 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 2024-25 ING Grant and IVG programs is Friday, May 30, 2025.
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 2024-25 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 an April 1 e-Message.
June 15: PFC Summer Term Application Deadline
June 15, 2025 is the final date of acceptance for the 2024-25 PFC application for the summer term. Students may access the application via the Applications page, which may be accessed via the "Applications" link that appears at the bottom of all pages on the ISAC website.
June 15: Displaced Energy Worker Dependent Transition Scholarship Program Summer Term Application Deadline
June 15, 2025 is the final date of acceptance for the 2024-25 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
2024-25 summer-term payment requests (NES and Social Work Scholarship Program) and benefit usage data (ING Grant) are due to ISAC no later than Tuesday, July 1, 2025.
In addition, all submissions of 2024-25 payment requests, including initial claims and supplemental claims, for all ISAC-administered gift assistance programs must be received on or before July 1, 2025. Adjustments to cancel or reduce awards will be accepted after this date for MAP and the ECACE Scholarship, Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois, iGROW Tech Scholarship, ING Grant, IVG, MTI Scholarship, NES, and Social Work Scholarship programs.
Colleges are encouraged to continue the process of reconciling 2024-25 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 2024-25 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.
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.
Upcoming Webinars
Mark your calendar for the following upcoming webinars:
- Wednesday, May 28 at 2 p.m. – Monthly Program & Operational Update
- Tuesday, June 10 at 10 a.m. – Reconciliation & Close Out
- Wednesday, June 25 at 2 p.m. – Monthly Program & Operational Update
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.
May 15: Submit Session Proposals for 2025 College Changes Everything® Conference
Thursday, May 15, 2025 is the deadline to submit an interest session proposal for the 15th annual College Changes Everything® conference, which will take place on July 17, 2025, at the Tinley Park Convention Center in Tinley Park, Illinois. Plan to be part of the conversations as we engage with the question: How do we build community? Further details are provided in a May 12 e-Message and at the College Changes Everything conference website.
June 26: Next Commission Meeting
The next meeting of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission is scheduled to take place at 1 p.m. (CT) on Thursday, June 26, 2025. 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.
June 27: Executive Briefing
An Executive Briefing conference call for institutional financial aid staff will take place on Friday, June 27, 2025. Executive Director Eric Zarnikow and ISAC staff will provide information about activity that took place at the June 26th Commission meeting and other ISAC updates. Further details, including the start time for the call and how to participate, will be provided in a future e-Message.
Visit the Commission Meeting Schedule page for information regarding all meetings scheduled in 2025.
July 1: GAP Access User Verification Deadline
In April, Primary Administrators for ISAC's GAP Access portal were notified via email that the annual User Verification process has been activated on the "User Administration" screen in GAP Access. If not already completed, please encourage your GAP Access Primary Administrator to review the list of users at your institution and make any necessary changes (such as updating or revising access levels and deleting user accounts that are no longer needed) no later than Tuesday, July 1, 2025. Questions regarding the User Verification process may be directed to School Services.
Holiday Schedules
ISAC staff will be unavailable for these holidays:
- Monday, May 26 – Memorial Day
- Thursday, June 19 – Juneteenth
- Friday, July 4 – Independence Day
Staff will again be available the first business day immediately following each holiday.
Processing Schedules
Although ISAC staff will be unavailable on the days listed above, all systems for ISAC-administered programs within the GAP Access portal will be available during regularly scheduled hours. For MAP and other programs administered through components of the GAP Access portal, results for payment requests submitted from 5 p.m. (CT) the business day prior to the holiday through 5 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 School Services. 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).
Still Time to Submit Your CCE Conference Proposals
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, Public Schools – Participating in the ING Grant and IVG Programs, MAP Users, Business Officers, ECACE Administrators, and NES Schools on May 12, 2025.
July 17, 2025 – Tinley Park Convention Center
Time is running out to submit an interest session proposal for the 2025 College Changes Everything® (CCE) conference before the priority consideration deadline of Thursday, May 15, 2025. One of the key things making this annual event so valuable to its attendees is the interest sessions developed and led by dedicated educators and professionals like you. We invite you to complete the online session proposal form to showcase the work you do that contributes to student success. Thanks, again, to those of you who have already submitted a proposal.
We encourage proposals covering a wide range of themes related to college access and completion and career readiness and development as the annual CCE conference draws a broad group of participants. In support of the conference theme, session proposals also should explain how the information shared contributes to helping meet the needs of our students during this time of change, building community, and demonstrating best practices and lessons learned. Attendees look for sessions that provide in-depth information, practical ideas, and best practices and specific strategies.
We look forward to seeing you on July 17, 2025, at the Tinley Park Convention Center, Tinley Park, Illinois. Registration for the conference will open later this spring.
Please share the information in this e-Message with colleagues in your organization and others in your network.
2025 College Changes Everything Conference Planning Committee
- Illinois Student Assistance Commission
- Illinois Board of Higher Education
- Illinois Community College Board
- Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
- Illinois Department of Employment Security
- Illinois State Board of Education
- Illinois College Access Network
- Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities
- Advance Illinois
- Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University
- ACT Now
- Women Employed
- iCan Dream Center
by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.
Helping Illinois reach its Goal 2025: to increase the proportion
of adults in Illinois with high-quality college degrees and
postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025.
May Webinars for FAAs
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, Public Schools – Participating in the ING Grant and IVG Programs, MAP Users, Business Officers, ECACE Administrators, and NES Schools on May 9, 2025.
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) will offer the following webinars for financial aid administrators during the month of May.
- Tuesday, May 13, 10 a.m. – ISAC Teacher Scholarship Programs (ECACE, MTI, GA & SETTW)
- Wednesday, May 28, 2 p.m. – Monthly Program & Operational Update
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.
Deadline Extended Submit Your Proposal for CCE
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, Public Schools – Participating in the ING Grant and IVG Programs, MAP Users, Business Officers, ECACE Administrators, and NES Schools on May 5, 2025.
July 17, 2025 – Tinley Park Convention Center
In response to the level of interest from participants, we are extending our priority consideration date to submit interest session proposals to Thursday, May 15, 2025. We hope this will give those who require additional time an opportunity to finalize and submit their proposals for the conference. Please complete the online session proposal form, which – along with more information about interest session submission – is available on the conference webpage. We also want to acknowledge the people who have already submitted their interest session proposal. Thanks so much to all!
As a reminder, the annual College Changes Everything® (CCE) conference draws a broad group of participants, and we encourage proposals that cover a wide range of themes related to college access and completion and career readiness and development. In support of the conference theme, session proposals also should explain how the information shared contributes to helping meet the needs of our students during this time of change, building community, and demonstrating best practices and lessons learned. Attendees look for sessions that provide in-depth information, practical ideas, and best practices and specific strategies.
2025 College Changes Everything Conference Planning Committee
- Illinois Student Assistance Commission
- Illinois Board of Higher Education
- Illinois Community College Board
- Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
- Illinois Department of Employment Security
- Illinois State Board of Education
- Illinois College Access Network
- Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities
- Advance Illinois
- Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University
- ACT Now
- Women Employed
- iCan Dream Center
by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.
Helping Illinois reach its Goal 2025: to increase the proportion
of adults in Illinois with high-quality college degrees and
postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025.
April 2025 Electronic ISAC Update
Sent on May 1, 2025.
The April 2025 edition of the ISAC Update is now available for your review, and may be accessed via the Partner e-Messages & Newsletters section of the e-Library for Partners at isac.org. This version of the electronic ISAC Update is a compilation of e-Messages sent to financial aid administrators and business officers via ISAC's e-Messaging service over the past month.
Topics covered in the April 2025 ISAC Update include:
- Don't Forget: Submit Your CCE Conference Proposal
(sent April 29, 2025) - 2025 CCE Conference: Save the Date & Call for Proposals
(sent April 15, 2025) - ECACE Scholarship Informational Webinar on April 23
(sent April 14, 2025) - Commission Meeting Thursday, April 17 – No Executive Briefing
(sent April 14, 2025) - 2025-26 Budget Data Due June 1
(sent April 9, 2025) - April Webinars for FAAs
(sent April 2, 2025) - 2024-25 Claims and Benefit Usage Data Updates and Reminders
(sent April 1, 2025) - March 2025 Electronic ISAC Update
(sent April 1, 2025)
