Application Process

To apply for a National Guard Grant Scholarship, the applicant must be on active duty status and have served for at least one year in the Illinois National Guard. Enlisted persons currently serving and company grade officers are eligible. Time served in other branches of the U.S. Armed forces does not count toward this requirement. The application can be obtained from the ISAC web site at www.collegezone.com and from your unit. You may also obtain this form in the Office of Financial Assistance. The applicant must apply to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) for these educational benefits and must supply all requested information. In order to receive benefits, your application must be submitted by the deadline dates listed below. Applications are renewed each academic year, which begins with the fall term and concludes the following summer term. No payments will be made on behalf of any eligible student unless a current application is on file. Listed are the deadline dates for submission of the application for the National Guard Grant program:

  • Fall semester: October 1
  • Spring semester: March 1
  • Summer semester: June 15

Covered Cost

  • Tuition
  • Certain Fees
  • Payments are made to only one institution per term. If the applicant enrolls at a second institution for the same term, he/or she must arrange for payment through the college of record. However, the college of record is not required to bill ISAC for charges incurred at another institution.
  • The University of Illinois at Springfield will submit payment information to ISAC for you.

University Requirements

The applicant will be required to submit the eligibility letter to the Office of Financial Assistance, along with a Request for Benefits Form [PDF] after registering for classes. The Request for Benefits Form can also be picked up in the Office of Financial Assistance located in UHB 1015.

Additional Information

You can be enrolled in both the NG and Ch 1606 programs at the same time. Also, you may be enrolled in NG and Ch 30 benefits if you served on active duty prior to enlisting in the National Guard. The applicant must notify ISAC in writing of name, address, or college choice as they occur. All college changes must be received by ISAC before the deadline dates to be effective for the appropriate term (s).

Allow four weeks for the processing of your application. If no response has been received after four weeks, contact ISAC at 1-800-899-4722, extension 0. Mail completed application to:

D-3A, Illinois National Guard Grant Processing
Illinois Student Assistance Commission
1755 Lake Cook Road
Deerfield, Il 60015-5209

ISAC Full Benefit Description

Illinois Veterans Grant

Program Information

If you have served at least one year of federal active duty service in the Armed Forces of the United States; or served on federal active duty service in a foreign country during a time of hostilities in that country and were honorably discharged after each period of federal active duty service; and/or are honorably serving** you may be eligible for the Illinois Veteran Grant (IVG) Program. Any member of the Illinois National Guard or a Reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States who meets the eligibility requirements is considered a qualified applicant for the IVG Program. Qualified applicants are encouraged to submit an IVG Program application if they anticipate attending college at any point in the future. While program eligibility can be confirmed for qualified applicants at any time, funds will be disbursed only for terms in which you are enrolled at an Illinois public college or community college.

Application Process

To obtain your Illinois Veterans Grant (IVG) award, you must complete an application through the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC). The application can be downloaded through the Web address www.collegezone.com or may be obtained from the Office of Financial Assistance (UHB 1015). Once ISAC has processed the application, they will mail an award letter to the student certifying the amount of eligibility. This award letter must be submitted to the Office of Financial Assistance.

Covered Cost

  • Tuition
  • Certain Fees

University Requirements

The applicant will be required to submit the eligibility letter to the Office of Financial Assistance, along with a Request for Benefits Form [PDF] after registering for classes. The Request for Benefits Form can also be picked up in the Office of Financial Assistance located in UHB 1015.

Additional Information

This award can be used for both undergraduate and graduate work. The points will remain on your record and can be used anytime during your educational career. This award can be used in conjunction with the Veteran’s Chapter 30 program, but not with any other state programs. Talk with the Veterans Official at the Office of Financial Assistance for further information on this award.

ISAC Description

MIA/POW SCHOLARSHIP

If you are the dependent of a person who was an Illinois resident at the time he/she entered active duty and has been declared to be a prisoner of war, missing in action, dead as a result of a service-connected disability, or disabled with a 100 percent disability as the result of a service-connected cause as recognized by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or the U.S. Department of Defense, you may be eligible to receive the MIA/POW Scholarship. 

This scholarship may be used at public colleges in Illinois, and is administered by the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs. You can visit the ISAC web portal to check your eligibility and apply for this scholarship.

ISAC Portal

For more information, contact the Illinois Department of Veteran's Affairs at 217.782.3564.