Section 2730.30  Program Procedures

a)         The recipient is exempt from paying the following:

1)         tuition;

2)         registration fees;

3)         graduation fees;

4)         general activity fees;

5)         matriculation fees; and

6)         term fees.

b)         The recipient is responsible for payment of other fees, including the following:

1)         book rental fees;

2)         laboratory and supply fees;

3)         air flight fees;

4)         hospital and health insurance fees;

5)         room and board;

6)         parking fees;

7)         student union fees;

8)         athletic fees;

9)         proficiency or placement exam fees and other similar fees; and

10)         service fees.

c)         Benefits are applicable to both undergraduate and graduate enrollment.  There is no minimum credit-hour enrollment requirement.  Benefits are applicable for noncredit courses.

d)         Benefits are limited to use only at Illinois public senior universities and at any Illinois public community college.

e)         Within the constraints of appropriation levels, two semester or three quarter term payments and one summer term payment are made directly to the institution after it officially certifies to ISAC that the applicant has registered and is attending classes.  No seminars or other special terms are covered under the grant.  Summer term is considered the final term of the academic and fiscal year.

f)         Benefits for eligible recipients who have completed less than 10 years of active duty service in the Illinois National Guard are limited to the equivalent of four academic years of full-time enrollment.

g)         Benefits for eligible recipients who have completed 10 years of active duty service in the Illinois National Guard are limited to the equivalent of six academic years of full-time enrollment.

1)         Benefits for an academic year shall be determined on the basis of credit hours in which the qualified applicant enrolls. Each credit hour (and noncredit hour for which benefits are used) will be converted to "eligibility units" according to the following chart:

2)         When a qualified applicant becomes eligible to receive educational assistance under Section 2730.40(b), the number of units used will be calculated as follows:

A)        Multiply the percentage of the tuition and fee charges exempted by the ING Grant by the number of credit hours attempted.

B)        Convert the result to eligibility units, as described in the table in subsection (g)(1).

3)         Eligible recipients who have completed less than 10 years of active duty service in the Illinois National Guard may continue to reapply and accumulate up to 120 units. Eligible recipients who have completed 10 years of active duty service in the Illinois National Guard may continue to reapply and accumulate up to 180 units. Full program benefits may be extended for one additional term if the recipient has accumulated fewer than the maximum number of eligibility units but does not have enough units remaining for the number of hours in which the recipient is enrolled for the term.

4)         If an eligible recipient withdraws from enrollment after the expiration of the tuition refund/withdrawal adjustment period, the recipient shall receive a grant for costs incurred up to the term award provided the institution's tuition refund policy indicates the recipient has incurred charges in the amount of the claim.

5)         In the event that the recipient withdraws from a course or courses prior to the end of a term, a refund will be made according to the institution's refund withdrawal policy and eligibility units will be adjusted accordingly.

6)         The eligibility units used for a noncredit course shall be the same as the number of eligibility units used for a credit course having the same number of total faculty contact hours.

h)         If a current year applicant is discharged, transferred to the inactive Illinois National Guard, or has membership extended by the Illinois National Guard, ISAC will send a revised eligibility letter or ineligibility letter to the applicant.  In the case of discharge, a copy of the letter will be sent to the institution of record.

i)          Except as otherwise provided in this Part, if a recipient ceases to be an active status member of the Illinois National Guard during a term, benefits cease, and the student is responsible for the unpaid costs attributed to the remainder of the term.  If an applicant becomes eligible during a term, in accordance with Section 2730.20(b), benefits will be prorated for that portion of the term for which the applicant is eligible, provided the application is submitted by the deadlines.  Costs are prorated on the basis of the institution's scheduled days of instruction minus institutionally scheduled holidays and examination periods.

Calculation:  Total tuition cost divided by total instructional days = cost per day x days of eligibility = total proration.

j)          If the recipient of a grant awarded under this Part ceases to be a member of the Illinois National Guard, but has been active in the Illinois National Guard for at least five consecutive years and had studies interrupted by being called to federal active duty for at least six months, then that recipient shall continue to be eligible for a grant for one year after discharge from the Illinois National Guard, provided that the recipient has not already received the exemption from tuition and fees for the equivalent of four years of full-time enrollment under this Part.

k)         Out-of-state residents will receive tuition and applicable fee benefits equivalent to those received by in-state residents at the Illinois institution; recipients attending out-of-district community colleges will receive tuition and applicable fee benefits equivalent to those at the in-district rate.  Recipients shall not be responsible for paying the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition nor will they be responsible for paying the difference between in-district and out-of-district tuition.  Institutions are permitted to require documentation of residency in order to determine in-district or out-of-district payment.

l)          If a student is eligible for both an Illinois National Guard Grant and a MAP grant, the Illinois National Guard benefits must be used first.  A student cannot decline an Illinois National Guard Grant in favor of using MAP.

m)        If a recipient of the grant fails to complete the military obligation according to the agreement, all proceeds received must be repaid to the Illinois Department of Military Affairs.  DMAIL will collect the funds, which will be used by ISAC for the purpose of this Part.

(Source:  Amended at 44 Ill. Reg. 11008, effective July 1, 2020)