Grants

Federal Pell Grant is for undergraduates, seeking their first bachelor's degree, who demonstrate significant need. Pell grant awards are up to $5,775 per year. More information on the Pell Grant can be found on the Federal Student Aid website.

 *Students with higher EFC’s may not be eligible for Pell at less than full time

Lifetime Pell Grants Limits

In December 2011, President Obama signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 (Public Law 112-74). This law has significantly impacted the Pell Grant Program. Beginning in Fall 2012, students are now limited to 12 semesters (or 600%) of Pell Grant eligibility during their lifetime. This change affects all students regardless of when or where they received their first Pell Grant. 

You may view your percentage of Pell Grant used by logging into NSLDS. Your 'Lifetime Eligibility Used' percentage will be displayed in the 'Grants' section. 

This is a grant for undergraduate Illinois residents who demonstrate financial need as determined by the information supplied on the FAFSA. Awards are based upon the funds available as determined by the General Assembly of Illinois. However, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission has suspended the announcement of 2015-16 grants to students whose initial FAFSA was received by the federal processor on or after February 15, 2015. This suspension is the result of a combination of limited funding and the high volume of eligible applicants. 

The State of Illinois MAP Grant is based on enrollment in 15 semester credit hours.  This means that you will get 100% of your MAP Grant if you are enrolled in 15 hours.  If you enroll in less than 15 hours, your MAP Grant will be prorated based on the number of hours for which you are enrolled.  For example:

                Total semester MAP Grant: $2000

                Number of semester hours: 10

                Eligible MAP Grant award:  10/15 X $2000 = $1333.33

More information on the MAP grant program and updates can be found on the Illinois Student Assistance Commission’s website.

The Federal SEOG is awarded to high need students who also qualify for the Pell Grant. More information on the FSEOG can be found on the Federal Student Aid website.

This federal grant is available to undergraduate and graduate students who agree to serve for at least four years as full-time, highly qualified teachers in high-need fields in public or not-for-profit private elementary or secondary schools that serve students from low-income families. You should consider this grant only if you are committed to teaching a high-need subject in a designated low-income school. If the teaching requirement is not met, the grant will convert to an unsubsidized loan, which will have to be repaid with interest calculated back to the date the funds were disbursed. The TEACH grant maximum is $4,000 per year. More information on the TEACH grant can be found on the Federal Student Aid website.

Like other federal grants, Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants provide money to college or career school students to help pay their education expenses.

It’s important to know that Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants have special eligibility criteria. You may be eligible to receive the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant if:

• You are not eligible for a Federal Pell Grant on the basis of your Expected Family Contribution but
• meet the remaining Federal Pell Grant eligibility requirements, and
• your parent or guardian was a member of the U.S. armed forces and died as a result of military service performed in Iraq or Afghanistan after the events of 9/11, and
• you were under 24 years old or enrolled in college at least part-time at the time of your parent’s or guardian’s death.