Monetary Award Program (MAP)
2026–27 maximum of $8,064; individual award depends on need and cost, with a 135 MAP-paid-credit lifetime limit.
About Monetary Award Program (MAP)
MAP is Illinois’s major need-based state grant, posted to tuition and mandatory fees at approved schools.
ISAC reviews need, residency, undergraduate program, participating college, and prior paid hours; the lifetime limit is 135 MAP Paid Credit Hours. A state Alternative Application may be available to people who cannot file FAFSA under state law. Returning students had a March 1 priority date for 2026–27, but that priority date was not a general eligibility deadline.
List at least one approved Illinois institution on FAFSA and file early; the 2027–28 priority date for returning students is February 1, 2027. The state sets a yearly suspense date based on funds; do not confuse it with school payment-claim deadlines. Check MAP-paid credits in the portal and ask your college to calculate the award.
Who it serves and what it can cover: 2026–27 maximum of $8,064; individual award depends on need and cost, with a 135 MAP-paid-credit lifetime limit.
How to apply or get help: List at least one approved Illinois institution on FAFSA and file early; the 2027–28 priority date for returning students is February 1, 2027. The state sets a yearly suspense date based on funds; do not confuse it with school payment-claim deadlines. Check MAP-paid credits in the portal and ask your college to calculate the award. For case-specific questions, contact the program or financial-aid office named on its official page.
State student financial-aid program