The Retention of Illinois Students and Equity (RISE) Act, signed into law by Governor Pritzker, provides a pathway to apply for Monetary Award Program (MAP) grant funding via the Alternative Application through the ISAC website. This program is intended for qualifying undocumented students and for transgender students who are not eligible for federal financial aid because they did not register for selective service.

In order to receive the MAP grant, all students, whether completing the FAFSA or the Alternative Application, must still meet the eligibility criteria for MAP.

Undocumented and transgender students who have not completed the FAFSA, and who want to determine their eligibility to complete the Alternative Application, can review the information at www.isac.org/AlternativeApp. While the Alternative Application itself includes pre-screening questions to determine if a student is eligible to complete it, students are also encouraged to consult their school counselor or financial aid office to determine whether they should complete the FAFSA or the Alternative Application.

Please watch this one-minute video about the RISE Act and Alternative Application in English or Spanish for more information.