Illinois National Guard Grant
- Illinois Veterans Grant
- Illinois MIA/POW Scholarship
- Montgomery GI Bill Educational Benefits (Chapter 30, 33, 1606, and 1607)
- Federal Vocational Educational Benefits for Disabled Veterans (Chapter 31)
- Federal Education Benefits for Dependents of Veterans (Chapter 35)
How to apply
The Illinois National Guard (ING) Grant application is available online as an interactive
application. The online application has many benefits, including program information
which is available at your fingertips, online edits which prevent errors, elimination
of mailing time, and immediate confirmation that your application has been received
at ISAC.
The complete application must be received by ISAC on or before the deadline date,
and an application must be submitted for each academic year in which benefits are
to be used. The online, interactive application collects all the information needed
to determine eligibility. Additional documentation (including the Notice of Basic
Eligibility [NOBE] which is used to apply for the GI Bill) is not required and, if
submitted to ISAC, will not be returned to the applicant.
If you are a qualified applicant, ISAC will send you an eligibility letter, which
you should provide to your college's financial aid office as soon as you receive it.
(ISAC's processing time is approximately four-six weeks.)
What determine eligibility?
The applicant must have served for at least one year in the Illinois National Guard, must be currently active in the Illinois National Guard, and cannot be in default on any educational loan or owe a refund on a federal or state grant. The applicant must also be registered with the Selective Service or be exempt from their registration requirements.
How are recipients selected?
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission reviews the application and notifies the student of the award. The award notice must be submitted to the veterans affairs advisor at Prairie State College before the award will be posted to the student’s account.
How is the amount of the award determined?
The amount of the award is equal to the student’s charges for tuition and registration
fees. Lab fees and book fees are not covered by Illinois National Guard Grant and
are the responsibility of the student. However, students are encouraged to apply for
other federal grants to meet these costs by completing the Free Application for Federal
Student Aid (FAFSA) with PSC School Code (001640) as the school choice at www.fafsa.ed.gov
How and when are the funds paid out?
Illinois National Guard Grant recipients do not receive a cash award. Appropriate charges based on the credit hours the student is enrolled in are billed to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, and the amount credited to the student’s account. The recipient is entitled to full payment of tuition and certain fees to any state-supported Illinois institution of learning for the equivalent of three calendar years of full enrollment including summer terms.
Additional information
This award can be used for both undergraduate and graduate work. If the student also is eligible for the Illinois Student Assistance Commission MAP Grant, the Illinois National Guard Grant must be used first.