Section 2734.30  Program Procedures

a)          An applicant applies for a MAP Plus grant by using the form that the United States Department of Education (ED) designates as an application form for federal student financial aid.  (See Section 483 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 USC 1070a).)

1)         An applicant, spouse and/or parents of the applicant, as applicable, are required to submit financial information on the application regarding income, asset value and non-taxable income (e.g., Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, public aid, veterans' or Social Security benefits). This information shall be kept confidential.

2)         A recipient must report to the institution all additional gift assistance, such as tuition waivers and scholarships.

3)         An applicant must file his/her application by the MAP Plus deadline date established by ISAC.

b)        The application must be complete at the time the grant is awarded.

c)         MAP Plus awards are applicable only toward tuition and mandatory fees.

d)        The maximum MAP Plus grant available to a qualified applicant is $500 per year.

e)          If a recipient withdraws from enrollment after the expiration of the tuition refund/withdrawal period, the recipient shall receive MAP Plus funds to pay for tuition and mandatory fee costs incurred.

f)          MAP Plus grant payment is subject to the availability of funds and by the amounts appropriated to ISAC by the General Assembly. If funds are insufficient to pay all claims, grants will be awarded according to the date the completed applications were received, until funds have been expended.

g)         It is the responsibility of MAP Plus recipients to gain admission to approved Illinois institutions of higher learning and institutions are not obligated to admit MAP Plus recipients. Illinois institutions of higher learning approved for participation in the Monetary Award Program are eligible to participate in MAP Plus.

h)         If a recipient's academic program involves out-of-state and/or foreign study, enrollment must be in accordance with subsection (d) and the following provisions:

1)         The recipient must be enrolled at the ISAC-approved institution of higher learning, and the out-of-state/foreign study must be applicable to the student's degree or certificate program at the student's institution of record.

2)         The ISAC-approved institution of higher learning must record each semester/quarter in which the funds were or are to be used.

3)         An institution shall not request MAP Plus assistance for more than one regular school year for any one qualified applicant enrolled on at least a half-time basis.

i)          The MAP Plus grant shall not pay for audit courses, credit-by-examination and/or life experience, or noncredit course offerings (except qualifying remedial courses). Such course work cannot be used to meet the half-time requirement. Remedial courses shall be eligible for MAP Plus payment provided the student has been accepted into an eligible degree/certificate program and is taking the remedial courses as a part of that program. Payment shall not be made for more than the equivalent of one year of remedial course work (i.e., 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours). Repeat courses are eligible for MAP Plus payment.