Free Application for Federal Student Aid

This application will use income, assets and other factors to determine the amount you and your family are expected to contribute to your college expenses. Your eligibility for financial aid will be determined by your and your family’s financial situation, and by filing your FAFSA on time. 

You must submit the FAFSA in order to be considered for all federal financial aid programs (including student loans), most programs through your college and most state programs, including the State of Illinois Monetary Award Program (MAP) grant.

Most of the questions on the FAFSA are demographic-related and the rest of the answers come from your tax forms and/or those of your parents (if you’re a dependent student) or your spouse (if you are married). 

Click here to access the FAFSA

Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid

The Retention of Illinois Students & Equity (RISE) Act allows eligible undocumented students disqualified from federal financial to apply for state-leveing financial aid.

The Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid provides a way for these qualified students to apply for Monetary Award Program (MAP) grants, the state's largest need-based grant program for low-income college students. 

The RISE Act provides a way to apply for ISAC gift assistance programs – including MAP, the Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship Program, the Illinois Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver (SETTW) Programs and others – to those who meet the RISE Act criteria and each program’s eligibility requirements. 

Click here to access the Alternative App