ISAC Student PortalMAP Program Overview
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.
{ISAC Rules, Parts 2700 and 2735}
The Monetary Award Program (MAP) provides grant assistance to eligible students demonstrating financial need. MAP grants are applied toward tuition and mandatory fees for undergraduate students, not to exceed the maximum award amount for the academic year.
Approved Illinois public and private two- and four-year colleges, universities, hospital schools, and certain other degree-granting institutions participate in the MAP grant program.
To determine financial need, an applicant completes and submits the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) as soon as possible after it becomes available for the academic year for which they are applying. Illinois provides an Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid for students to apply for state financial aid programs if they meet certain criteria. More information is available at the Illinois Alternative Application page. Funding for the MAP grant is limited; to ensure full-year consideration for an award, an applicant must apply early. Returning MAP recipients who submit their FAFSAs or Alternative Application by that academic year’s priority deadline date (set by ISAC annually) will receive priority access to appropriated MAP funds.
