Applying for Financial Aid

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. The RISE Act does not exempt applicants from meeting existing program eligibility criteria.

Undocumented Students

Undocumented students may be eligible to apply for ISAC’s programs if they meet all of these criteria, which are based on Illinois statute regarding in-state tuition eligibility:

• the individual resided with his or her parent or guardian while attending an Illinois public or private high school;
• the individual graduated from a public or private high school or received the equivalent of a high school diploma in Illinois;
• the individual attended school in Illinois for at least 3 years as of the date the individual graduated from high school or received the equivalent of a high school diploma;
• the individual provides an affidavit stating that the individual will file an application to become a permanent resident of the United States at the earliest opportunity the individual is eligible to do so; and
• the individual has not established a residence outside of Illinois.