Section 2750.10  Summary and Purpose

 

a)         The Illinois Graduate and Retain Our Workforce (iGROW) Tech Scholarship Program was established to recruit and retain individuals to work in technology jobs that have a high demand for new employees by providing scholarship assistance to Illinois students pursuing those careers. Awards are limited based on funding levels appropriated by the Illinois General Assembly. [110 ILCS 947.65/120]

 

b)         This Part establishes rules that govern the Program. Additional rules and definitions are contained in 23 Ill. Adm. Code 2700 (General Provisions).

 

Section 2750.15  Definitions

 

"Qualifying Degree" – an associate or bachelor's degree granted by a qualified institution in the field of computer information sciences; information technology; information science; computer science; computer systems networking and telecommunications; computer and information systems security or information assurance, including cybersecurity; or management information systems. 

 

"Qualifying Job" – a job with an employer in this State performing work that is directly related to the field of study that qualified the candidate for assistance under this program.  [110 ILCS 947/65.120]

 

Section 2750.20  Applicant Eligibility

 

A qualified applicant shall:

 

a)         be a resident of Illinois;

 

b)         have graduated from high school or have received a State of Illinois High School Diploma and have maintained a cumulative grade point average of no less than 2.5 on a 4.0 scale;

 

c)         pursue or intend to pursue a qualifying degree;

 

d)         be enrolled at an ISAC-approved institution of higher learning, on at least a half-time basis, in a course of study necessary to secure a qualifying degree; and [110 ILCS 947.65/120]

 

e)         maintain satisfactory academic progress as determined by the institution.

 

(Source:  Amended at 48 Ill. Reg. 12611, effective August 1, 2024)

 

Section 2750.30  Program Procedures

 

a)         An application for an iGROW award must be submitted annually, and an applicant must also complete the FAFSA®.  In order to receive priority consideration for an award, an ISAC application and the federal FAFSA must be completed and received by a date established each year by the Commission and posted on the ISAC website, preceding the academic year for which the scholarship is being requested.  No applications will be considered for processing if received after the published date unless funds remain available for disbursement.

 

1)         Applications are available on ISAC's website (isac.org).

 

2)         If the application is incomplete, ISAC will notify the applicant, who will have an opportunity to furnish the missing information. The application will only be considered for processing as of the date the application is complete and received at ISAC's Deerfield office. 

 

b)         Scholarship assistance is limited to the full-time enrollment equivalent of 8 semesters or 12 quarters of payment for undergraduate study.

 

c)         ISAC will annually determine a maximum award amount. Award funds may not exceed the full costs of tuition and fees, and room and board in the amount of the standard housing and food allowance used for all undergraduate students, at a public institution.  [110 ILCS 947.65/120] For recipients at private institutions, the award may not exceed the maximum amount payable to a student enrolled in the most expensive comparable program of study at a public institution.

 

d)         Awards are payable only for two semesters or three quarters in an academic year.

 

e)         ISAC shall select the recipients from among those who have submitted complete applications and have supplied required information, including qualified and timely new and renewal applicants.

 

f)         Awarding priority shall be given to renewal applicants who continue to meet the eligibility requirements; then those applicants who demonstrate academic excellence, demonstrate financial need or minority applicants.  Once renewal applicants have been awarded, the awarding methodology shall consider academic excellence, financial need and minority status as evenly-weighted separate values that will be summed to determine an overall priority score.

 

g)         The total number of awards in a given fiscal year is contingent upon available funding. If funding is insufficient to pay all eligible applicants, awarding will be based on the date the completed application is received in ISAC's Deerfield office.

 

h)         Each qualified applicant who is selected to receive a scholarship shall be notified by ISAC.  Applicants not receiving the scholarship will be notified as well.

 

i)          The total amount of funds awarded to a qualified recipient in a given academic year, when added to other financial aid available to the qualified recipient for that year, shall not exceed the cost of attendance.  If the amount of financial aid to be awarded to a qualified student exceeds the institution's cost of attendance, the iGROW Tech Scholarship shall be reduced by the amount by which the cost of attendance is exceeded.  [110 ILCS 947.65/120]

 

j)          If the recipient receives other assistance targeted specifically for tuition, fees, and room and board expenses, the combined assistance shall not exceed the total tuition, fees, and room and board expenses incurred by the recipient, and if it does, the institution shall reduce one of the awards accordingly.

 

k)         If the recipient is eligible for assistance under MAP, the recipient may not be eligible for a full iGROW award because MAP must be factored into the financial aid package prior to receiving iGROW assistance.  The institution, however, may request an iGROW award to finance tuition and fees expenses not paid by MAP. 

 

l)          ISAC pays scholarship funds directly to the institution of record in the name of the recipient.

 

m)        Prior to receiving scholarship assistance under this Part, the qualified applicant must sign an Agreement/Promissory Note that is submitted to ISAC.  The Agreement/Promissory Note shall include the following stipulations:

 

1)         for each year of scholarship assistance received, the recipient pledges to work in Illinois in a qualifying job for a period of not less than one year, but in no event for a period of less than two years.  [110 ILCS 947.65/120]

 

2)         the recipient shall begin working within one year after completion of the program for which the recipient received assistance under this Part, and shall work on a continuous basis for the required period of time.

 

3)         if the work requirement is not fulfilled, the scholarship converts to a loan and the recipient must repay the entire amount of the scholarship prorated according to the fraction of the employment obligation not completed, plus interest at a rate equal to 5%, and if applicable, reasonable collection fees. 

 

4)         The recipient agrees to provide ISAC with evidence of compliance with program requirements (e.g., responses to annual follow-up questionnaires, etc.)

 

n)         A recipient of a scholarship awarded under this Part will not be in violation of the agreement entered into pursuant to subsection (m) during the periods in which the recipient:

 

1)         enrolls at a qualified institution on a full-time basis as a graduate student in a course of study related to the technology degree for which the recipient qualified for the scholarship; 

 

2)         serves, for not more than three years, as a member of the United States Armed Forces;

 

3)         is temporarily totally disabled, for not more than three years, as established by a sworn affidavit of a licensed physician;

 

4)         is actively seeking but unable to find full-time employment with a State employer that satisfies the criteria set forth in subsection (m)(1) and is able to provide evidence of that fact; or

 

5)         becomes totally and permanently disabled as established by sworn affidavit of a qualified physician. [110 ILCS 947.65/120]

 

o)         Scholarship recipients who withdraw from a program of computer science or other related major area of study (see Qualifying Degree), but remain enrolled in a qualified institution to continue their postsecondary studies in another academic discipline, shall not be required to commence repayment so long as they remain enrolled on a full-time basis or if special circumstances that warrant extension of repayment can be documented, including, but not limited to, service in the United States Armed Forces and temporary total disability. [110 ILCS 947.65/120]

 

(Source:  Amended at 48 Ill. Reg. 12611, effective August 1, 2024)

 

Section 2750.40  Institutional Procedures

 

a)         Institutions shall submit payment requests to ISAC, and shall request payment for tuition and fees only up to the amount of actual tuition and fee expenses incurred.

 

b)         Upon receipt of scholarship funds, the institution shall verify the recipient's enrollment status for the term for which the award was intended.

 

c)         Upon receipt of the scholarship funds, if the recipient has withdrawn from enrollment for the terms for which the award was intended, the recipient may receive payment for tuition and fees incurred up to the term award.  The room and board allowance shall be prorated based on the institution’s return of funds policy. The institution shall return the appropriate amount of the payment to ISAC.  [110 ILCS 947.65/120]

 

d)         To provide sufficient time for processing and vouchering through the State Comptroller's Office, all payment requests must be received by ISAC no later than July 1.