Veterans Assistance

National Guard Grant (NG)

How to apply:

To apply for a National Guard Grant Scholarship, the applicant must be on active duty status and have served for at least one year in the Illinois National Guard.  Enlisted persons currently serving and company grade officers are eligible.  Time served in other branches of the U.S. Armed forces does not count toward this requirement.  The application can be obtained from the ISAC web site at www.collegezone.com. and from your unit.  You may also obtain this form in the Office of Financial Assistance.  The applicant must apply to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) for these educational benefits and must supply all requested information.  In order to receive benefits, your application must be submitted by the deadline dates listed below.  Applications are renewed each academic year, which begins with the fall term and concludes the following summer term.  No payments will be made on behalf of any eligible student unless a current application is on file.  Listed are the deadline dates for submission of the application for the National Guard Grant program:

Fall semester:  October 1st

Spring semester:  March 1st

Summer semester:  June 15th

How are you selected?

After the application is processed and one year of duty is verified by the Illinois Department of Military Affairs, an eligibility letter is sent to the applicant.  The applicant will be required to submit the eligibility letter to the Office of Financial Assistance, along with a Request for Benefits Form after registering for classes.  The Request for Benefits Form can also be picked up in the Office of Financial Assistance located in UHB 1015.

How is the amount of the award determined?

A grant recipient is entitled to receive tuition and activity fees for any number of hours enrolled.  Credit hours are converted to eligibility units with a maximum usage of 96 units. This grant can be used for both undergraduate or graduate enrollment.  There is no minimum enrollment requirement, and benefits are applicable to noncredit courses.

Concurrent Enrollment:

Payments are made to only one institution per term.  If the applicant enrolls at a second institution for the same term, he/or she must arrange for payment through the college of record.  However, the college of record is not required to bill ISAC for charges incurred at another institution.

The University of Illinois at Springfield will submit payment information to ISAC for you.

Additional Information: 

You can be enrolled in both the NG and Ch 1606 programs at the same time.  Also, you may be enrolled in NG and Ch 30 benefits if you served on active duty prior to enlisting in the National Guard.  The applicant must notify ISAC in writing of name, address, or college choice as they occur.  All college changes must be received by ISAC before the deadline dates to be effective for the appropriate term (s).

Allow four weeks for the processing of your application.   If no response has been received after four weeks, contact ISAC at 1-800-899-4722, extension 0.  Mail completed application to:

D-3A, Illinois National Guard Grant Processing
Illinois Student Assistance Commission
1755 Lake Cook Road
Deerfield, Il 60015-5209.