Higher Education License Plate (HELP) Program

NOTICE: 2026-27 Alternative Application

As of July 24, 2026, a federal district court ruled that undocumented students are no longer eligible to receive state financial assistance for the 2026-2027 school year. For this reason, the 2026-27 Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid is no longer available. Students that do not complete the 2026-27 FAFSA and would have completed the 2026-27 Alternative Application will not be able to be considered for this program.

The eligibility criteria for the 2027-28 Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid will be changing. This application is scheduled to be released on October 1, 2026. Please visit isac.org/AlternativeApp for more information.