alternativeapplication | Student Financial Aid

RISE Act Alternative Application

The Retention of Illinois Students & Equity (RISE) Act allows eligible undocumented students and transgender students who are disqualified from federal financial aid to apply for all forms of state financial aid. The Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid provides a pathway for these qualified students to apply for Monetary Award Program (MAP) grants.

To accommodate RISE Act-eligible students (both undocumented and transgender students), ISAC has created an Illinois-specific online application for MAP grants. Instead of completing the FAFSA to begin the MAP application process, these students may choose to complete the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid. The data from the application will be used to calculate an Student Aid Index (SAI), which is used in determining a student’s MAP eligibility. The application, patterned after the FAFSA, is now available for the 2024-25 academic year.

The RISE Act application via the ISAC website

Upon notification from ISAC that a student has completed the RISE Act application and is eligible for state funds, students will be notified via email from Chicago State University that they may view their state grant eligibility via Cougar Connect.
If a student is interested in attending Chicago State University, in addition to completing the RISE Act application, the student needs to apply for admission to the University. Students may apply online.