ISAC Update

VOL. 43, NO. 7F
January 2026

Messages sent to: Multiple Subscription Groups
  ISAC Update

Welcome to the January 2026 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 January.

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 Partner Services by calling 866.247.2172 or sending an email message to [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.

MULTIPLE SUBSCRIPTION GROUPS

Limited Release of 2025-26 MAP Suspense
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAP Users, and Business Officers on January 30, 2026.

Links in this message go to ISAC's website (isac.org) unless otherwise noted.

The following information is being shared to assist colleges in the administration of the Monetary Award Program (MAP).

Award Announcements Released through July 1, 2025

Since the 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) and Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application) became available, ISAC staff has been monitoring and analyzing MAP application volume and projected claim rates. As a result of that analysis and in order to not overcommit program funds, ISAC suspended the announcement of 2025-26 MAP awards for all applications with a receipt date after June 5, 2025.

Now that the December 5, 2025 first-term claim deadline has passed and our current data analysis reflects decreases in projected claim rates, ISAC is releasing from suspense the 2025–26 MAP award announcements for students who submitted an initial FAFSA or an Alternative Application from June 6, 2025, through and including July 1, 2025. ISAC bases its awarding on the application receipt date recorded in the initial FAFSA and Alternative Application records.

MAP award announcements may be viewed in the MAP system starting on January 30, 2026. Announcements of 2025-26 MAP grants remain in suspense status for all eligible students with initial FAFSA or Alternative Application receipt dates on or after July 2, 2025.

The 2025-26 MAP Applicant Award Announcement Status Chart has been updated to reflect the limited release of award announcements in suspense status. ISAC staff will continue to monitor claims as the academic year progresses and will communicate should an additional release be appropriate.

Identifying Student Records

Colleges may identify student records included in the limited release of suspense, as well as those that will remain in suspense status for a variety of reasons (i.e., file review and repackaging, etc.). The MAP system contains filters that allow colleges to identify student records and create a custom report of those records placed in suspense status.

MAP records in suspension status are indicated by a code of "S" in the “MAP Suspend” field in the MAP system, reports and in the Eligibility Status File (ESF).

There is no indicator in the system that identifies which student records were released; the suspense flag ("S") is simply removed. When records are released from suspense, ISAC will create an ESF update that will remove the "S" from the "MAP Suspend" field on MAP system screens and from the MAP Suspense Flag (position 94). Schools may then use their standard procedure to request payment for eligible students.

Further details regarding identifying student records are provided at the Suspension of MAP Award Announcements page (located within the MAP section of the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs area), as well as in the "Student Eligibility" chapter of the MAP User Guide.

2025-26 MAP Late Claims Update
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAP Users, and Business Officers on January 29, 2026.

Unless otherwise noted, links in this message are to corresponding pages at the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) website (isac.org).

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 2025-26 MAP late claims received through the date noted below for the first-term. As a reminder, first-term claims are considered late if submitted after December 5, 2025.

  • First-term initial claims and increases that were received from December 6, 2025 through (including) January 23, 2026 will be paid.

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 2025-26 MAP term-one 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).

Teacher Program Enrollment Verification Update
Sent to Financial Aid Directors and  Financial Aid Administrators on January 21, 2026.

Links in this message go to ISAC's website (isac.org) unless otherwise noted.

2024-2025 Enrollment Verification Data Due February 20
(Data Now Being Accepted)

ISAC is now accepting 2024-2025 enrollment verification data for students who previously received funds from ISAC-administered teacher programs.

  • Enrollment verification data for the Illinois Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver (SETTW) Program and the Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship Program is available via each program's system within the GAP Access portal.
  • Data is to be completed by the college and returned to ISAC as soon as possible, verifying award recipients' current enrollment status. In order to be considered timely, all data must be submitted on or before Friday, February 20, 2026.
  • As a reminder, ISAC monitors recipients' fulfillment of the program requirements because, if recipients fail to meet the applicable requirements, their awards convert to loans that must be repaid.
    • Knowing recipients' enrollment status, as reported by the colleges, allows ISAC to communicate with recipients who have graduated (or otherwise stopped attending college) regarding the steps they need to take in order to fulfill program requirements.
    • The sooner colleges submit enrollment verification data to ISAC, the sooner ISAC can communicate with impacted award recipients.

Reporting Enrollment Status

  • For the MTI Scholarship and Illinois SETTW programs:
    • From the MTI or SETTW system "Home" page within GAP Access, select the prior academic year (in this case, "2024-2025") from the "Academic Year" drop-down menu, and then click on the "Enrollment Status Verification" tab.
    • If the current academic year (in this case, "2025-2026") is selected, the "Enrollment Status Verification" listing will be blank.
    • The reason the academic year must be selected for enrollment verification is that other functionalities (for example, certification and payment) also reside in the MTI and SETTW systems.
  • For the Illinois SETTW Program Only:
  • Data should be reported based on each student's last date of enrollment in the required teaching program.
  • If the "Enrollment Status" is anything other than "In School," the "Effective Date" also must be provided. A listing of valid "Enrollment Status" options may be found in the Enrollment Status Verification for the Teacher Programs User Guide.
  • If the student remains enrolled in the required teaching program for 2025-2026, indicate such with the "In School" status; those students will continue to appear with future-year data.

Reminder: In order for staff to view enrollment status verification data, the institution's GAP Access administrator must ensure that access to this functionality has been granted (both for themselves and other staff, as appropriate). Further details regarding this process are provided in the "Security Access" section that appears at the bottom of this message.

Making Revisions After Data Has Been Submitted

Enrollment status verification data is available to be updated only if the information has not yet been submitted to ISAC. Colleges must contact Partner Services at [email protected] for changes that need to be made after the data has been submitted.

Resources Available Online

Further details and instructions regarding the enrollment verification process may be accessed by selecting the appropriate links below:

Security Access

GAP Access User Guides provide institutions with step-by-step instructions for activating and monitoring user accounts. All users need a valid GAP Access ID and password to access the system. ISAC relies on a designated Primary Administrator (usually, the financial aid director) at each institution to authorize users and provide them with the appropriate level of access for each ISAC program.

Enrollment verification functionality for the teacher programs is available each day between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. (CT).

Submit 2026-26 Claims and Benefit Usage Data for Second Term
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, Public Schools – Participating in the ING Grant and IVG Programs, Business Officers, ECACE Administrators, and NES Schools on January 16, 2026.

Links in this message go to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) website (isac.org) unless otherwise noted.

The ISAC Gift Assistance Programs (GAP) Access portal – which includes the electronic processing systems for the ISAC programs discussed below – is available for submission of second-term (winter for quarter schools; spring for semester schools) records. Colleges are encouraged to submit 2025-26 second-term payment requests (claims) and/or benefit usage data as soon as possible.

You may scroll through this message, or click on a link to go to a specific section.

Priority Claim Deadline: March 30

Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) Scholarship Program

Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program

Nursing Education Scholarship (NES) Program

Post-Master of Social Work School Social Work Professional Educator License Scholarship (Social Work Scholarship) Program

Reminders for Submitting Claims

Benefit Usage Data Deadline: May 29

Illinois National Guard (ING) Grant Program

Illinois Veteran Grant (IVG) Program

ECACE Scholarships

  • ISAC is accepting 2025-26 ECACE Scholarship claims for the second term.
    • The second-term ECACE priority claim deadline date is Monday, March 30, 2026.
  • Even though the priority claim deadline of December 31, 2025 has passed for the first (fall) term, ISAC is continuing to accept and pay ECACE first-term claims through March 30, 2026.
  • Colleges may submit claims for the first and second terms by accessing the ECACE system.
  • More information regarding ECACE payment functionality, including detailed instructions, is available at the following locations:

Golden Apple Scholars

  • ISAC is accepting 2025-26 Golden Apple claims for the second term.
    • The second-term Golden Apple priority claim deadline date is Monday, March 30, 2026.
  • Even though the priority claim deadline of December 31, 2025 has passed for the first (fall) term, ISAC is continuing to accept and pay Golden Apple first-term claims through March 30, 2026.
  • Colleges may submit claims for the first and second terms by accessing the Golden Apple system.
  • More information regarding Golden Apple payment functionality, including detailed instructions, is available at the following locations:

NES

  • ISAC is accepting 2025-26 NES claims for the second term.
    • The second-term NES priority claim deadline date is Monday, March 30, 2026.
  • Even though the priority claim deadline of December 31, 2025 has passed for the first (fall) term, ISAC is continuing to accept and pay NES first-term claims through March 30, 2026.
  • Colleges may submit claims for the first and second terms by accessing the NES system.
  • More information regarding payment functionality, including detailed instructions, is available at the following locations:

Social Work Scholarships

Reminders for Submitting Claims

  • Colleges are always encouraged to submit claims as soon as they are able to do so.
    • Regularly check the "Payment List" for each program's system (within the GAP Access portal) to identify newly-added records that are available for payment.
    • The timely submission of claims and cancellations/adjustments allows ISAC staff to monitor remaining funds and award other students, as applicable.
  • By submitting a claim for an ISAC-administered gift assistance program, the institution is confirming that the student is enrolled and continues to meet all eligibility requirements for the program.
    • If not submitting a claim, the institution reports the reason for the student's ineligibility.
  • Submitting claims is a two-step process, which involves generating the request and then submitting the request.
  • Payment results are available via the program's electronic system in GAP Access on a daily basis.
    • Colleges are encouraged to always review the Payment Results/Exceptions report, which is available the day after claims are processed.
  • The disbursement of funds is processed by the State Comptroller's Office.
  • Because Payment Offset and Reconciliation procedures apply to each of the programs referenced above, refund checks should not be sent for cancellations/adjustments made throughout the award year.
    • Funds should only be returned to ISAC after a final reconciliation has been completed at the end of the regular school year.

ING Grant

  • ISAC is accepting spring-term (second semester/second & third quarter) benefit usage data for the 2025-26 ING Grant Program.
    • In order to be considered timely, spring-term ING Grant benefit usage data must be submitted on or before Friday, May 29, 2026.
  • Although the fall-term deadline date has passed, colleges are still encouraged to submit ING Grant fall-term benefit usage data as soon as possible.
  • ING Grant benefit usage data is submitted to ISAC by colleges via the benefit usage functionality within the ING Grant system.
    • Colleges report enrollment hours and dollar amounts for initial, in-district and out-of-district benefit usage by students, as well as adjustments to previously-submitted data.
  • Even though ISAC may not be able to fully reimburse institutions for 2025-26 ING Grant awards, reporting of benefits used must still take place so that usage can be accurately reflected on students' accounts.
  • Colleges are encouraged to regularly check their Benefits Results report for this program.
  • More information, including detailed instructions, is available at the following locations:

IVG

  • ISAC is accepting spring-term (second semester/second & third quarter) benefit usage data for the 2025-26 IVG Program.
    • In order to be considered timely, spring-term IVG benefit usage data must be submitted on or before Friday, May 29, 2026.
  • Although the summer- and fall-term deadline dates have passed, colleges are still encouraged to submit IVG benefit usage data for those terms as soon as possible.
  • IVG benefit usage data is submitted to ISAC by colleges via the benefit usage functionality within the IVG system.
    • Colleges report enrollment hours and dollar amounts for initial, in-district and out-of-district benefit usage by students, as well as adjustments to previously-submitted data.
  • Even though ISAC may not be able to fully reimburse institutions for 2025-26 IVG awards, reporting of benefits used must still take place so that usage can be accurately reflected on students' accounts.
  • Colleges are encouraged to regularly check their Benefits Results report for this program.
  • More information, including detailed instructions, is available at the following locations:

Watch for Future Updates

Future program updates will be shared with colleges via ISAC's standard methods of communication, including: the "Program News" area for each program; the FAA Message Board; and, ISAC's e-Messaging service.

ISAC Monthly 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 January 14, 2026.

The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) will provide "Monthly Program & Operational Update" webinars for financial aid administrators at 2:00 p.m. (CT) on the following dates.

  • Wednesday, January 28, 2026
  • Wednesday, February 25, 2026
  • Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Registration is not required for these webinars. Participate by accessing the webinar link and presentation materials at the Partner Training page in the e-Library on the day of the event.

Requests for specific topics or questions you would like an upcoming webinar to address may be submitted by sending an email to Partner Services at [email protected].

Register Now! 2026 Success Network Conference: February 26, 2026
Sent to Financial Aid Directors and Financial Aid Administrators on January 14, 2026.

You're invited to join us on February 26th for the 13th annual Illinois Education and Career Success Network (Success Network) Conference. This one-day event will return to Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills, Illinois. Our keynote speaker Jeff Strohl, Ph.D., Director of the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, will explore the evolving role of education and credentials in workforce readiness, the emerging skill sets and training pathways needed to meet future demand, and how demographic shifts and automation will reshape job opportunities. Plus, choose from 23 breakout sessions to help communities advance postsecondary attainment. Explore the agenda.

The Success Network's annual conference is designed for a diverse group of stakeholders committed to enhancing equitable postsecondary attainment across Illinois. This includes leaders from secondary and postsecondary education, local and state government, community-based organizations, policymakers and advocates, grantmakers, employers, and workforce development. The conference serves as an engaging learning opportunity where attendees collaborate to share best practices, explore innovative strategies, and discuss systemic challenges affecting students, particularly those from marginalized communities. Participants can expect a dynamic environment that fosters networking, knowledge exchange, and actionable insights aimed at driving systemic change to support student success throughout Illinois.

The Illinois Education and Career Success Network (formerly the Illinois 60 by 2025 Network) is a growing network of communities in Illinois that are committed to advancing equitable postsecondary attainment. The Success Network was launched and is organized by: Advance Illinois, Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University (EdSystems), and the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC).

Spread the News About the Teachers of Illinois Scholarship Program
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 January 13, 2026.

The Illinois Student Assistance Commission encourages all financial aid administrators to share this information with students and with their colleagues in the College of Education.

The Teachers of Illinois Scholarship Program, a new program for the 2025-26 academic year, is now accepting applications. Please encourage students who are interested in or currently pursuing initial teacher licensure and teachers who are seeking additional endorsements or a master’s degree to apply online today! For priority consideration, applicants should apply by February 16, 2026. ISAC will continue to accept applications after that date.

Please note, the Teachers of Illinois Scholarship Program replaces the Minority Teachers of Illinois Scholarship, which is no longer active. The Teachers of Illinois Scholarship Program has a different set of eligibility criteria, so we encourage all students who were previously receiving an MTI Scholarship to review the new program and apply if eligible.

About the Scholarship:

  • Provides funds for tuition and mandatory fees
  • Available for up to four academic years (eight semesters or 12 quarters)
  • Recipients must commit to teaching in an eligible Illinois school district with persistent teacher shortages.
    (Note: Failure to fulfill the commitment converts the scholarship to a loan, repayable with interest.)

To qualify, an applicant must:

  • have been enrolled at any time during the applicant’s K-12 years in an eligible Illinois high-need public school district:
    • that had an average of at least 70% of students who were eligible to receive free or reduce-price lunch; and
    • that had a 3-year average teacher vacancy rate at or above the statewide average, excluding public school districts that had zero vacancies or in which the number of teacher vacancies in the district was at or above the statewide average number of teacher vacancies, excluding public school districts that has zero vacancies.

Applicants may learn about full eligibility requirements and apply on the Teachers of Illinois Scholarship Program page at ISAC.org.

ISAC Accepting 2025-26 MAP Second-Term Claims
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAP Users, and Business Officers on January 5, 2026.

As of January 5, 2026, ISAC has begun accepting second-term payment requests (claims) for the 2025-26 Monetary Award Program (MAP).

The 2025-26 MAP claim deadline for the second term is Friday, March 27, 2026, and colleges are encouraged to submit claims as soon as possible.

2025-26 MAP Payment Reminders

  • Colleges may submit claims via the MAP system, as well as by File Transfer Protocol (FTP).
    • Even though the claim deadline date of December 5, 2025 has passed, ISAC is continuing to accept fall-term claims; however, initial claims and upward adjustment amounts for the fall term will be held as late, to be considered for payment later in the year.
  • ISAC has suspended the announcement of MAP grants for all students whose initial 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) is received by the federal processor, or whose initial 2025-26 Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid is received by ISAC, after June 5, 2025.
  • The timely submission of claims and cancellations/adjustments allows ISAC to better monitor remaining funds based on actual claim rates rather than projections.
    • Claims may be submitted no more than 10 days prior to the start of classes for the term for which they are being requested.
  • MAP payment results are available for review every weekday.
    • Colleges should always review the Payment Results/Exceptions report, which is available the day after claims are processed.
  • More information regarding payment functionality is available online:

Disbursement and Reconciliation

The disbursement of funds is processed by the State Comptroller's Office.

  • Visit the State Comptroller's Website page, located within the Processes section of the Financial Aid Administrators area, for information on how to track payment.
  • Refer to the 2025-26 MAP Payment area to view information regarding a report for tracking payment vouchers and warrants available via the online system.
  • After receiving funds for a term, colleges are required to reconcile the payment for accuracy.
  • Because Payment Offset and Reconciliation procedures apply to MAP, cancellations of prior payments will be deducted from any future payments until the end of the academic year.
  • Refund checks should not be sent for cancellation/adjustments made in the MAP system throughout the award year. 
    • Checks should be returned to ISAC only after a final reconciliation has been completed at the end of the regular school year. 
    • All schools with an outstanding amount owed to ISAC at the end of the school year will receive a notice indicating the total amount to be returned.

Watch for Future Updates

Future 2025-26 MAP updates – including an announcement of when colleges may begin submitting claims for the third quarter, or for the second semester at institutions where the second semester begins after February 15th – will be shared via ISAC's standard methods of communication (i.e., the MAP Program News page, the FAA Message Board, and this e-Messaging service).

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ISAC UPDATE

December 2025 Electronic ISAC Update
Sent on January 2, 2026.

The December 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 December 2025 ISAC Update include:

  • 2025-26 PFC Processing via GAP Access
    (sent December 30, 2025)
  • Highlights from December 4 Commission Meeting
    (sent December 11, 2025)
  • 2025-26 Claims and Benefit Usage Data Updates and Reminders
    (sent December 3, 2025)
  • ISAC Monthly Webinars for FAAs
    (sent December 2, 2025)
  • November 2025 Electronic ISAC Update
    (sent December 1, 2025)

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