FINANCIAL AID

FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid: Form used for federal and state aid. This form is used to determine the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) using federal methodology.

CSS Profile - Private schools may require additional information that is not provided by the FAFSA, therefore, the student may have to register with the College Scholarship Service which is the financial aid division of the College Board. NOTE: Not all schools require this form so please check with your counselor or call the college/universities admission or financial aid office.

Institutional Forms - Schools may also require a family to fill out an form which will provide them with additional information no available on the FAFSA. Please check with your counselor or contact the school for verification.

EFC Estimators

EFC Estimator Form

***ACT Financial Aid Need Estimator***- The Financial Aid Need Estimator estimates what your family might expect to pay toward college costs and provides you with the basic costs of attendance at specific institutions.

Other Financial Aid Sites

Financial Aid Information - This is an excellent home page of links to many financial aid related sites, ranging from institutions to government to scholarships to scam alerts.

Loans

Loans are provided through participating lending institutions and repayment of balance and interest is required. The Stafford and Plus loan links are provided by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC).

***Federal Stafford Loan Program & Federal PLUS Loan Program***

Scholarships

College/University Scholarships award both academic and performance scholarships. Check with individual institutions to learn of available awards.

Fastweb - This site is an excellent free scholarship search database.

Colleges and Scholarships - This web site is designed to offer college bound students and parents easy access to information on colleges and universities throughout the United States, free college and financial aid searches, SAT and ACT test preparation tips, and more.

ISAC Gift Assistance Programs


The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) provides financial aid for college education through the many gift assistance programs that it administers. Gift assistance is awarded in the form of scholarships, grants, tuition waivers and loan repayment for teachers and child care providers. As an approved participant in any of the gift assistance programs administered by ISAC, postsecondary institutions may receive funds on behalf of eligible students.

ISAC Financial Aid Programs

ISAC Grants

ISAC Scholarships