Delivered
February 13, 2026
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) would like to share information which may be helpful to you and/or your students.
Links in this message go to ISAC's website (isac.org) unless otherwise noted.
You may scroll through this message, or click a link to go to a specific section:
2026-27 (July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027)
2025-26 (July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026)
2024-25 (July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025)
General Information (Not Specific to One Academic Year)
2027-28 ACADEMIC YEAR
One Click College Admit
One Click College Admit is Illinois’ direct college admission program into Illinois public institutions.
Through this State of Illinois program, students in Illinois will receive college acceptances into the state’s public universities by meeting only one criterion for admission: grade point average (GPA).
One Click College Admit:
- Removes application fees, essays, and letters of recommendation
- Expedites the admission process
- Ensures students a spot at an Illinois university or local community college
The deadline date for high school juniors to opt-in to One Click College Admit is May 22, 2026.
June 30: College Assessment Exam Deadline for State Scholar Consideration
Eligibility for the State Scholar Program is based, in part, on a student's highest qualifying ACT or SAT
score. High school juniors who are potential candidates will need to take one of the accepted exams during the specified timeframe to be considered for State Scholar designation, even though Illinois' public institutions are now prohibited from requiring the submission of student test scores as part of the admissions process.
For students who are currently high school juniors, only exams taken between August 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026 qualify for consideration in the State Scholar announcements that will be made during their senior year (i.e., high school juniors, who will be college freshmen during the 2027-28 academic year, will be named Scholars during the fall of 2026). Further details are provided at the State Scholar Program page of our website.
2026-27 ACADEMIC YEAR
FAFSA and Alternative Application Remain Available
The 2026-27 FAFSA remains available online, and should be completed as soon as possible by students who will be attending college between July 1, 2026 and June 30, 2027. FAFSA results are used to determine eligibility for the Monetary Award Program (MAP) grant, as well as several other forms of federal, state and institutional financial assistance.
In addition, the 2026-27 Alternative Application is also available (in English and Spanish). Qualifying
students may file the Alternative Application – which is patterned after the FAFSA – to apply for the MAP grant. Further details are provided at ISAC's Retention of Illinois Students & Equity (RISE) Act page.
Financial Aid Support & Resources
ISAC is dedicated to helping educate students and parents about all aspects of financial aid. We devote
resources to public outreach activities to help families plan for college. Public awareness and education regarding our programs is our priority as we provide students and their families with the most current information available.
The ISACorps™ are recent college graduates trained to serve as near peer mentors to high school students and provide free services to help complete financial aid applications.
Connect with an ISACorps member in your area or schedule an appointment for a free one-on-one virtual meeting.
To find an in-person event closest to you and to view a list of virtual events, please visit the Events page at the ISAC Student Portal. Advance registration may be required for online events.
English- and Spanish-Speaking Counselors Available to Assist You
If you have questions regarding the financial aid application process and ISAC's programs, you may speak with an ISAC Student Engagement representative by calling 800.899.ISAC (4722). Students with general questions may also have a real-time conversation with an ISAC staff member by simply clicking on the "Live Support – Online" button, which appears in the right margin of all pages within the During College and After College sections of the Students & Parents area. English- and Spanish-speaking counselors are available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (CT).
2025-26 ACADEMIC YEAR
FAFSA and Alternative Application Remain Available
Although ISAC has suspended the announcement of 2025-26 MAP grants (for all students whose initial 2025-26 FAFSA was submitted to the federal processor, or whose initial Alternative Application was submitted to ISAC after July 1 , 2025), these 2025-26 applications remain available online. If not already done, an application should be completed and submitted as soon as possible by students attending college between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026. FAFSA results are used to determine eligibility for other forms of federal, state and institutional financial assistance. The suspension of 2025-26 MAP award announcements does not impact any other financial aid programs.
GENERAL INFORMATION
First Generation Scholars Network
If your child is the first in your family to earn a college degree, encourage them to join the First Generation Scholars Network to get support and resources from ISAC, your peers, and colleges across the state. They'll find events and programs that provide tools, resources, mentoring, and connections that can help make the transition to college life easier.
Holiday Schedules
ISAC staff will be unavailable for these holidays
- Monday, February 16, 2026 – Presidents' Day
- Monday, May 25, 2026 – Memorial Day
- Friday, June 19, 2026 – Juneteenth
Staff will again be available the first business day immediately following each holiday.
For Assistance
Access the Students & Parents area or the ISAC Student Portal anytime, or send us an e-mail at [email protected]. With the exception of days when ISAC staff members are unavailable, we will review and respond to messages during regular business hours of Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (CT).