Delivered
February 13, 2026
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) would like to share information which may be helpful to you and/or your college-bound 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:
2027-28 (July 1, 2027 through June 30, 2028)
2026-27 (July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027)
General Information (Not Specific to One Academic Year)
2027-28 ACADEMIC YEAR
May 22: One Click College Admit Opt-in Deadline
February is One Click College Admit (OCCA) Month, making it the perfect time to help the Class of 2027 take a simple, no-cost step toward college admission. Make sure your college-bound juniors are aware that May 22, 2026 is the OCCA opt-in deadline. Refer to the February 6, 2026 "February is One Click College Admit Month" e-Message to learn about four easy ways you can plug OCCA into what you are already doing this spring. The e-Message also provides dates and times for upcoming "OCCA Overview" webinars.
By June 30: High School Juniors Take College Assessment Exams for State Scholar Consideration
Eligibility for the State Scholar Program (SSP) is based, in part, on a student's highest qualifying ACT or SAT score. High school juniors who are potential candidates 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 prohibited from requiring the submission of student test scores as part of the admissions process.
For students who are high school juniors during the 2025-26 school year, 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 for students at the State Scholar Program page within the Students & Parents area.
2026-27 ACADEMIC YEAR
February 13: State Scholar Appeal Deadline
More than 19,100 qualified Illinois high school students were designated as 2026-27 State Scholars last fall.
In order to ensure there are no errors in the announcement of State Scholars, counselors are encouraged to carefully review the sixth-semester roster data they submitted to ISAC. Appeals regarding the announcement of 2026-27 State Scholars must be received at ISAC no later than February 13, 2026.
Further details are provided in the December 15, 2025 "2026-27 State Scholars Announced" e-Message.
March 1: Illinois SETTW Priority Application Consideration Date
Remind your college-bound seniors who plan to pursue a career in teaching that March 1, 2026 is the priority application consideration date for the 2026-27 Illinois Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver (SETTW) Program. In order to complete the SETTW application, the student must log in to the ISAC Student Portal (if they have not already done so, they may create a profile here).
Complete applications received after March 1 will be considered only if available tuition waivers remain after all timely complete applicants have been awarded.
April 30: NES Applications Due
The Nursing Education Scholarship (NES) application period each year starts on March 1 and continues through April 30. Make sure your graduating seniors who plan to enroll in a nursing program are aware that NES applications for the 2026-27 academic year must be submitted no later than Thursday, April 30, 2026. In order for the application to be considered complete, the 2026-27 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA ®) or Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application) must also be submitted.
FAFSA and Alternative Application Remain Available
The 2026-27 FAFSA remains available online, and – if not already done – 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). Further details are provided at ISAC's Retention of Illinois Students & Equity (RISE) Act page.
Encourage your college-bound students to check out the Financial Aid Planning area for information regarding resources that are available to help them complete the financial aid process.
Financial Aid Application Completion Initiative and Nonparticipation Form
All Illinois public high school students are required to complete either the FAFSA or the Alternative Application as a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma. Please see ISAC's Financial Aid Application Completion Initiative page, as well as the November 4, 2025 "2026-27 Financial Aid Application Completion Data Available" e-Message, for more information.
Students and/or parents who choose to not complete either the FAFSA or the Alternative Application may complete the Financial Aid Application Nonparticipation Form online via the Program Applications & Status Checks area of the ISAC Student Portal . A student and/or parent will need to create a profile to complete and sign the Nonparticipation Form.
GENERAL INFORMATION
February 26: Success Network Conference
If you have not already done so, register today for the 13th annual Illinois Education and Career Success Network (Success Network) conference – Stronger Together: Creating Opportunity for Every Learner – being held on February 26, 2026, at Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills. Further details, including access to online registration, are provided in the February 11, 2026 "Register Now for Success Network Conference" e-Message.
April 16: Next Commission Meeting
The next meeting of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission is scheduled to take place on Thursday, April 16, 2026. Further details, including a listing of tentative agenda items, will be available prior to the meeting via the ISAC's Governing Board: The Commission section of the About ISAC area.
Visit the Commission Meeting Schedule page for information regarding all meetings scheduled in 2026.
Professional Development Opportunities
Be sure to attend our free professional development events that are taking place throughout the spring. Visit the Upcoming Professional Development Offerings page for specific details, including topics, dates, and registration. Send questions to [email protected].
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.
Processing Schedules
The SSP system remains available on holidays during regularly-scheduled hours.
For Assistance
Access the Counselors area anytime, or send an email message to Partner Services at [email protected]. We will review and respond to messages during regular business hours of Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (CT).