Teachers of Illinois Scholarship Program

The 2027 fiscal year (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027) appropriation for the Teachers of Illinois Scholarship is $8,000,000.

Teach Illinois Scholarship Program: Part 2763 - Administrative Rules

Please review the eligibility, how to apply, dates and timelines, award amounts, and definitions sections for additional program information.

2025-26

The 2025-26 payment processing cycle has commenced. Schools should submit first, second, and third-term claims as soon as possible.

Awarding for the 2025-26 Teachers of Illinois Scholarship Program has taken place for all timely applicants who have been certified as eligible.

Colleges may now certify 2025-26 Teachers of Illinois eligibility via the Teachers of Illinois system.

The 2025-26 Teachers of Illinois application remains available.

In order for appropriated funds to be awarded to as many eligible students as possible, priority payment request deadlines are established for each term: 

• Term one (fall for semester and quarter schools) Priority Payment Request Deadline Date: As soon as possible 
• Term two (spring for semester schools; winter for quarter schools) Priority Payment Request Deadline Date: As soon as possible
• Term three (spring for quarter schools) Priority Payment Request Deadline Date: As soon as possible

Colleges must complete certification for each Teachers of Illinois Scholarship applicant listed in GAP Access. A complete application (submitted by the student) and a complete certification record (submitted by the college) are required to be considered for an award.

Learn more about the Teachers of Illinois Certification process in the Certification section of the USER GUIDE.

Based on initial certification that the school submits to ISAC, as well as awarding prioritization factors, ISAC proceeds with the awarding processes and sends the appropriate notification to each applicant. 

All timely applicants whose colleges have certified their eligibility by the requested ISAC receipt date are included in the awarding process.

Learn more about awarding and awarding prioritization in the Awarding section of the USER GUIDE.

Teachers of Illinois awards are paid directly to the institution which certifies the applicant’s eligibility. Payment of scholarship is requested by the school through ISAC. We will then authorize a voucher in the amount of the payment request (claims) and submit the voucher to the State Comptroller’s office. Funds are issues by the State Comptroller to the institution. Schools can start submitting Teachers of Illinois claims up to 10 days before the term begins. 

Payment processing becomes available after awarding has taken place. The claims are submitted in the Teachers of Illinois system in the GAP Access portal. 

Learn more about the payment process in the Payment Process section in the USER GUIDE.

The Teachers of Illinois payment process is done using the Teachers of Illinois system through ISAC’s GAP Access portal.

Submitting payment requests is a two-step process that involves generating and submitting the request. By submitting a payment request, a college a certifying that the student meets all eligibility criteria. Learn how to submit claims in the Payment Process section of the USER GUIDE.

• Teachers of Illinois User Guide
• Administrative Rules 
• GAP Access Processes
• Assigning an Administrator in GAP Access 
• Studentaid.gov page defining eligible noncitizen
• ISAC Rise Act
• Payment Offset and Reconciliation
• Refunds and Unpaid Claims