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Grants

A grant is a type of gift aid that does not require repayment. Each grant has different requirements for eligibility. Eligibility for need-based grants is determined using federal and/or state formulas and the information the student provided on the FAFSA.  Completion of the FAFSA is the only application required to be considered for the specific grant programs listed below.  The Illinois Student Admissions Commission administers several grants.  Please visit collegezone.com to find information regarding these programs.

Federal Pell Grant

The Federal Pell Grant is a federally-funded grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Education.

  • Need-based
  • Awarded to students with an EFC less than 4,042
  • Awards very from $890 to $4,731
  • Available to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor's degree or professional degree
  • In some cases, a student may receive a Federal Pell Grant for attending a post-baccalaureate teacher certificate program
  • Awarded to both full- and part-time undergraduate students

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

The FSEOG is a federally-funded grant awarded by the Office of Student Financial Aid

  • Need-based
  • Awarded only to Pell Grant-eligible students
  • Award amounts vary
  • Must be enrolled full-time
  • Availble to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor's degree or professional degree

Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)

The ACG is a federally-funded grant awarded by the Office of Student Financial Aid.

  • Need-based
  • Awarded only to Federal Pell Grant eligible students
  • Entering freshmen who have completed a rigorous secondary school program, defined as a set of courses by the Secretary of Education; or have completed two Advanced Placement (AP) courses with a passing grade of 3 or higher; or two International Baccalaureate (IB) courses with a passing score of 4 or higher
  • Sophomores who have completed a rigorous secondary school program, and have a cumulative 3.0 GPA during freshman year
  • $750 for freshmen
  • $1,300 for sophomores
  • Awarded to both full- and part-time undergraduate students
  • The amount of ACG, in combination with the Federal Pell Grant and other financial aid cannot exceed demonstrated financial need.

Eligible students will be notified. Click here for more information regarding eligibility.

Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (SMART) Grant

The National SMART Grant is a federally funded grant awarded by the Office of Student Financial Aid.

  • Need-based
  • Awarded only to Federal Pell Grant eligible applicants
  • Juniors and seniors (total earned hours greater than or equal to 60 and less than 120)
  • Eligible majors: physical, life or computer science; engineering; mathematics; technology; or a critical foreign language
  • 3.0 GPA
  • $4,000 each year
  • Awarded to both full- and part-time undergraduate students
  • The amount of SMART Grant in combination with Federal Pell Grant and other financial aid cannot exceed demonstrated financial need.

Eligible students will be notified. Click here for more information regarding eligibility.

Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant

The TEACH Grant is a new federally-funded grant that will be awarded to eligible students for the 2008-2009 award year. The Department of Education will not have final rules and regulations for the program until July 2008. The following preliminary information has been released. Please note that the eligibility criteria and other terms and conditions could change when the rules are finalized. Please continue to check this site for updated information.

The Office of Student Financial Aid recommends that only students who are committed to teaching a high-need subject in a designated low-income school upon graduation consider this possible source of funds.

  • Non-need-based, but must file a FAFSA
  • U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
  • Undergraduate and Graduate Students
  • $4,000 each year
  • Awarded to both full- and part-time students
  • Score above the 75th percentile on a national standardized college admissions test or have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 as a high school graduate and maintain that GPA throughout your academic program
  • Complete TEACH Grant counseling and sign a TEACH Grant Agreement to Service and Promise to Pay.  Grant recipients agree to teach for at least four years within eight years of finishing their teacher preparation program and to teach high-need subjects in designated schools that serve low-income students. If you do not complete the four-year teaching obligation, your grant will convert to an unsubsidized loan, which you will have to repay with interest.
  • Enroll in coursework or plan to complete coursework toward a career in teaching and/or in a high need subject area
    • Bilingual Education and English Language Acquisition
    • Foreign Language
    • Mathematics
    • Reading Specialist
    • Science
    • Special Education
    • Other identified teacher shortage areas as of the time you begin teaching in that field

Monetary Award Program (MAP) Grant

The MAP Grant is a state-funded grant awarded by the Illinois Student Aid Commission

  • Need-based
  • Students and parents must be Illinois residents
  • Available to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor’s degree or professional degree
  • Awarded based on formula; students with an EFC greater than 9,000 are not eligible
  • Students with sophomore-standing who have accumulated 75 MAP Eligibility Units or students who have accumulated 135 MAP Eligibility Units are not eligible
  • Awards vary from $300 to $4,968
  • Awards for students with less than 15 credit hours per semester will be pro-rated
  • Grants may be limited based on FAFSA application date, number of applicants and funding levels appropriated by the Illinois General Assembly.

University of Illinois Tuition Grant

The University of Illinois Tuition Grant is an institutional-funded grant awarded by the Office of Student Financial Aid.

  • Need-based
  • Students and parents must be Illinois residents
  • Available to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor’s degree or professional degree
  • Awarded based on formula; students with an EFC greater than 10,000 are not eligible
  • Award amounts vary
  • Must be enrolled full-time
  • Grants may be limited based on FAFSA application date and completion of the financial aid application process