ISAC Student PortalSchool and Municipal Social Work Shortage Loan Repayment Program
The number of awards made through this program, as well as the individual dollar amount awarded, are subject to sufficient annual appropriations by the Illinois General Assembly and the Governor.
You may either scroll through this page, or click on any of the following links to go directly to a specific topic:
Program Description
Eligibility
How to Apply
Changes to Application Data
How Funds Are Awarded and Disbursed
Processing Updates
To encourage Illinois students to work, and to continue to work, as social workers in public school districts and Illinois municipalities, the School and Municipal Social Work Shortage Loan Repayment Program provides assistance toward the repayment of student loans. The program is intended to assist in paying eligible loans as an incentive to participate in the social work field. A one-time award of up to $6,500 is available.
Eligibility
To be eligible, you must:
- Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen
- Be an Illinois resident
- Have an outstanding balance due on an eligible educational loan related to obtaining a degree in social work (includes Stafford Loans, Perkins Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, consolidation loans, Supplemental Loans for Students, alternative loans, and other types of government and institutional loans used for education expenses)
- Be an individual who is currently employed as a social worker, and was so employed, for at least 12 consecutive months prior to the date of application (for example: "September 16, 2024 – September 15, 2025") by:
- an Illinois public elementary school,
- an Illinois public secondary school, or
- a city, village, or incorporated town in the state of Illinois, excluding social workers employed by police departments.
- Not be in default on any federal guaranteed educational loan, nor owe a refund on any scholarship or grant program administered by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC).
How to Apply
May 31, 2026 was the last day on which the School and Municipal Social Work Shortage Loan Repayment Program application for the 2026 Award Year was accepted.
When available each year, access the School and Municipal Social Work Shortage Loan Repayment Program application via the Applications page of this website. Submit your application, along with any required documentation, to ISAC's Deerfield office.
Allow at least 12 weeks for processing of the application. Qualified applicants are sent a Notice of Eligibility from ISAC.
An authorized official of your employer is required to complete a section of your application, certifying that you have met the employment requirements of the program.
If your application, including required documentation, is incomplete, you will receive a letter from ISAC explaining the reason(s) and advising how to resolve the issue.
Changes to Application Data
If, after submission, you need to change your response(s) to any item(s) and/or update any information after the application has been submitted, you will need to provide the information to ISAC. Examples of items that may need to be updated include demographic information (i.e., name, address, telephone number, etc.), and/or information about your outstanding loans and the loan holder/servicer. These changes can be submitted to ISAC using one of the below methods, but cannot be done over the telephone.
- via email to [email protected]
- via FAX to 847.831.8549
- via letter to ISAC, Program Operations, 1755 Lake Cook Road, Deerfield, IL 60015-5209
The request must include the last four digits of your Social Security number (for identification purposes) and clearly state what change(s) need to be made. These changes will not affect the application "received date."
How Funds Are Awarded and Disbursed
Recipients are selected from among qualified new applicants. The total number of awards each year is contingent upon available funding. If funding in any given year is insufficient to pay all eligible applicants, awarding will be based on the date the complete application (with all required documentation) is received at ISAC's Deerfield office.
Award amounts are based on the applicant's remaining balance on eligible education loans, not to exceed $6,500. Proceeds will be remitted directly from the State of Illinois Comptroller's Office to the holder/servicer/lender of the loan(s) to be repaid.
Processing Updates
Note that ISAC routinely updates this section as new information becomes available. Be sure to check back periodically for the current processing status.
For the 2026 Award Year
(last updated on June 1, 2026):
The School and Municipal Social Work Shortage Loan Repayment Program application for the 2026 Award Year is no longer available. May 31, 2026 was the last day on which this application was accepted.
If you have been notified that you have an incomplete application, please respond to the letter you received with the necessary documentation by Friday, June 12, 2026.
Allow at least 12 weeks for application processing. Applicants are notified by ISAC regarding their eligibility status. There is a minimum 4-5 week turnaround from the date approved recipients are notified by ISAC to when funds are disbursed. Depending on the volume of payment vouchers being processed by the State of Illinois Comptroller’s Office, this timeframe may increase.
