Illinois Alternative Application

The RISE Act: Another option for financial aid in Illinois

If you were previously ineligible for state of Illinois financial aid, the Retentional of Illinois Students & Equity (RISE) Act is a new law that may allow you to receive aid. Those eligible include undocumented students who are residents of the state of Illinois.

Also eligible are undergraduate students of good academic standing who lost their Monetary Award Program (MAP) funding because they haven’t reached junior standing after using 75 MAP funded credit hours.

Submit the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid

The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) created an Illinois-specific online application for MAP (Monetary Awards Program). The Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid is patterned after the FAFSA. The data collected on the application is used to calculate your expected family contribution (EFC) and determine your MAP eligibility.

Submit Alternative Application

Financial aid questions?

Office of Financial Aid
Phone: (847) 543-2062
Email: finaid@clcillinois.edu

Free application workshops

Attend a free in-person or virtual workshop to get help filling out your FAFSA and alternative applications!

To receive financial aid and many scholarships, you must fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) every year. Not eligible for FAFSA? You may be able to complete an Alternative Application for Illinois financial aid.

View workshop information en Español (PDF).

In-person workshops

Registration not required.

Grayslake Campus
July 24, 4–6 p.m., room C122
August 6, 3–5 p.m., room C122
August 22, 3–5 p.m., room C122

Lakeshore Campus – Waukegan
July 16, 4–6 p.m., room S208
August 8, 3–5 p.m., room S208

Southlake Campus – Vernon Hills
July 18, 4–6 p.m., room V306
August 7, 3–5 p.m., room V102

Virtual workshops

To schedule a virtual appointment, email fa.facoach@clcillinois.edu with preferred dates and times.

Bring these items to the workshop so our financial aid specialists can help you complete your application:
- For FAFSA completion, please have your Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID and password, as well as the FSA ID for any of your contributors.
- Your Social Security number if you have not created an FSA ID. It is essential to enter this number correctly on the FAFSA form!
- Your driver’s license number, if you have one.
- 2022 federal tax information, tax documents, or tax returns, including IRS W-2 information, for you (and your spouse, if you are married) and for your parents if you are a dependent student.
- Records of child support received (if applicable).
- Current balances of cash, savings and checking accounts.
- Net worth of investments, businesses, and farms.

Frequently asked questions

The Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid is accessible online through the ISAC website. Pre-screening questions at the beginning of the application help you determine which application (Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid vs. FAFSA) to complete.

If your answers to the pre-screening questions show you should not complete the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid, a message will advise you to consult your high school counselor, a financial aid professional or an ISA Corps member for help completing the FAFSA.

An EFC will be calculated and provided to the college via the MAP component of the Gift Assistance Programs (GAP) Access portal as an Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid Student Record.

MAP award amounts will be calculated for eligible students and provided to colleges via GAP Access. As with all MAP awards, eligibility notification will be provided to the student by the college, not ISAC.
It costs nothing to apply. Like the FAFSA, accessing financial aid via the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid is a free application.
For 2022-2023 Aid Year, plan to compile the following items:
- your tax forms
- your parents’ tax forms (if applicable)
- your driver’s license or state ID
- social security card (if applicable)
- information about assets such as: savings, certificates of deposit, stock shares, bonds, investments in real estate, businesses or farms
Yes. Just like the FAFSA, you must apply every academic year.
Contact Gema Mariscal (a Financial Aid Coach at CLC) by phone (847) 543-2368 or email fa.facoach@clcillinois.edu with any questions or for help applying.
To stay-up-to-date with all the information on the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid you can also visit ISAC’s website.
CLC hosts free workshops with brief presentations about the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid. At the workshops you can get help completing the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid or FAFSA application.
Also see these resources:
- Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid User Guide (PDF)
- Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid User Worksheet (PDF)
No. The FAFSA is a federal form to request financial aid. Undocumented students, including DACA recipients, should not submit a FAFSA form. Filling out the FAFSA can have legal consequences. Consult with your counselors and advisors for support.
No. Completing the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid won’t affect your immigration/legal status in any way, unless you falsely claim to be a U.S. citizen.
In addition to offering federal and state financial aid programs, CLC also awards scholarships, via the CLC Foundation. The CLC Scholarship application is available year-round. These scholarships are based on academic achievement, financial need and field of study. Many scholarships are open to all students, regardless of citizenship status. 
View CLC scholarship opportunities
You can also visit  Information for Undocumented Students to learn more about additional resources and about advocates for our undocumented students.
There are also external scholarship opportunities available. 
View external scholarship opportunities

Illinois Alternative Application

The RISE Act: Another option for financial aid in Illinois

Submit the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid

Financial aid questions?

Free application workshops

In-person workshops

Virtual workshops

Documents needed to complete 2024-25 FAFSA or Illinois Alternative Application

Frequently asked questions

How do I apply?

How much does it cost to apply?

What documents do I need as I prepare to apply?

Will I need to reapply every year?

Where can I find help applying?

If I am undocumented, should I also apply for the FAFSA?

Will applying affect my immigration/legal status in the future?

What other sources of aid are available?