Illinois Veterans Benefits

The Illinois Veterans Grant (IVG) is an entitled program administrated through the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC). IVG pays for tuition and mandatory fees (activity and technology) at Illinois public community colleges and universities.

Requirements

Must meet one of the following criteria:

• Have served at least one year of federal active duty service in the Armed Forces of the United States, which may include the Illinois National Guard and the Reserve component of the Armed Forces, or
• Regardless of the length of service, have served in a foreign country in a time of hostilities in that country; have been medically discharged for service related injuries; or have been discharged prior to August 11, 1967

Received honorable discharge
Meet one of the following criteria:

• Have been an Illinois resident at the time of entering federal active duty service or within six months prior to entering the service, or
• Have been a student at an Illinois public 2 or 4 year college at the time of entering federal active duty service
• Have established, or plan to establish Illinois residency within six months after leaving federal active duty service, or
• If married to a person in continue military service: 
                  -Have applied for this grant within six months after and including the date that the spouse was
                        stationed within Illinois, or
                  -If the spouse was stationed outside Illinois, have established or plan to establish Illinois
                        residency within six months after and including the date the spouse was separated.

Not be in default on a student loan

Eligibility

Veterans may use IVG for undergraduate or graduate level for the equivalent of four academic years of full-time enrollment, which is measured in eligibility units. The amount of eligibility a recipient has used is determined by converting credit hours to eligibility units, as indicated below:

Application

• Complete the Illinois Veterans Grant (IVG) application available online.
• Veteran must submit all DD214 Member-4s to our Veterans Office.

The Illinois National Guard Grant (ING) is an entitled program administrated through the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC). ING pays for tuition and activity fees at Illinois public community colleges and universities.

Requirements

To be a qualified applicant, you must:

• Be an Illinois National Guard member, defined as meeting one of these two criterion:
  • be active in the Illinois National Guard or
  • have been active in the Illinois National Guard for at least five consecutive years and had his/her studies interrupted by being called to federal active duty service for at least six months and be within 12 months after your discharge date from the Illinois National Guard. (These applicants may be eligible to receive an additional year of ING Grant Program eligibility. Eligibility under this provision is determined by the Education/Incentives Branch of the Military Personnel Office in Springfield, Illinois. Questions regarding your individual eligibility status under this provision should be directed to your chain of command, or to the Education/Incentives Branch of the Military Personnel Office at 217.761.3782).
• Have completed one full year of service in the Illinois National Guard
• Be an enlisted member or an officer
• Be enrolled at an Illinois public 2- or 4-year college
• Not be in default on any student loan, nor owe a refund on any state or federal grant
• Maintain an acceptable grade point average (GPA) according to the policy determined by your college
• Submit your complete application on or before the deadline date, based on the first term for which you wish to receive funds each academic year. For 2012-13:
  • October 1, 2012 - Full Year Consideration
  • March 1, 2013 - Only 2nd Semester (2nd/3rd Quarter) and Summer Consideration
  • June 15, 2013 - Only Summer Term Consideration

Eligibility

• Use of ING Grant benefits is limited to specific periods of time.
• Assessment of eligibility unit usage is based on enrolled hours per term, not the dollar amount paid by the benefits.
• ING Grant benefits can only be used during terms for which the application is submitted prior to the corresponding deadline (for example, if an ING Grant application is submitted after the October 1 fall-term/full-year deadline but before the spring term deadline, then an applicant who is eligible for both programs could choose to use IVG benefits for the fall term, and ING Grant benefits for the spring and summer terms).

Application

• Complete online Illinois National Guard Grant (ING) application
• Veteran must provide all DD214 Member-4s to our Veterans Office

The Illinois MIA/POW Scholarship is an entitled program administrated through the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC). MIA/POW pays for tuition and activity fees at Illinois public community colleges and universities.

Requirements

Dependents of a veteran who has been

• Declared by the Department of Defense or US Department of Veterans Affairs to be a prisoner of war; missing-in-action; or
• To have died as the result of a service-connected disability; or be permanently disabled from service-connected causes with 100% disability; and,
• Who was an Illinois resident or was an Illinois resident within six months of entering service.

Eligibility

Eligible dependents are entitled to full payment of tuition and certain fees to any state-supported Illinois institution of higher learning consisting of the equivalent of four (4) calendar years of full-time enrollment including summer terms (i.e., 120 points).

Application

• Complete the Illinois MIA/POW Scholarship application form available online
• Dependent must provide our Veterans Office with the Veteran's Dependent Scholarship Card and a copy of the MIA/POW acceptance letter.