The Retention of Illinois Students & Equity (RISE) Act and Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid
The Retention of
Illinois Students & Equity (RISE) Act, which went into effect January 2020,
means that if you are an Illinois resident but ineligible for federal financial
aid, you may still apply for state assistance.
You may be able to
complete the Illinois Student Assistance Commission’s Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid, rather
than the Free Application for Federal Aid (FAFSA).
Who is Eligible?
Generally,
undergraduate Illinois residents who are undocumented and transgender students
who have not registered for selective service will still be able to apply for
aid through the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.
Transgender Students
According to the RISE
Act, if you are eligible to file the Alternative Application for Illinois
Financial Aid as a transgender person, you do not have to register for
Selective Service in order to qualify for Illinois state aid. However, you will
not be eligible for federal student aid if you are required to register for
Selective Service but do not do so.
Undocumented Students
For eligible
non-citizens to apply for a MAP grant through the Alternative Application for
Illinois Financial Aid, you must meet all of the following criteria:
- You
resided with your parent or legal guardian while attending a public or private
high school in Illinois.
- You
graduated from a private or public high school, or received the equivalent of a
high school diploma, in Illinois.
- You
had attended school in Illinois for at least three years as of the date you
graduated from high school or received the equivalent of a high school diploma.
- You
will file an application to become a permanent resident of the United States at
the earliest opportunity you are eligible to do so. By signing the Alternative
Application for Illinois Financial Aid, you will be providing an affidavit
stating this intention.
- You
have not established a residence outside of Illinois or hold a visa from
another country.
How to Apply
- Visit the application on ISAC.org.
- Complete
pre-screening questions.
- Create a profile on
the state portal.
- Provide student and
parent (for dependents) data.
- Review, sign and
submit.
You'll complete the application online. You'll need to provide tax and/or income information, as well as records of investments and/or untaxed income, if applicable. You'll need to provide this information for your parent(s) as well, if you're a dependent.
You'll also need to provide a valid email address, so that a PIN can be sent electronically to sign the application. If you're a dependent, you must provide a separate email address for your parent(s).