AIM HIGH Grant Program
Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) / Illinois public universities
State-funded grant for full-time undergrads at Illinois's 12 public universities, run by each university with its own award amounts and criteria.
- How much
- varies by university
- Who qualifies
- Attended an Illinois high school; Illinois resident; first-time enrollment at the campus; full-time undergraduate at a participating public university; household income no more than 8 times the federal poverty guideline; meets the university's GPA or ACT/SAT minimum; no bachelor's degree; not incarcerated; not in default. Students applying only for the university's matching funds may have different rules.
- For high school seniors, students starting college, undergrads, transfer students
- U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen
- Need-based: your FAFSA decides how much you get.
- When to apply
- Check dates Set by each university; FAFSA-driven. Check the university's AIM HIGH page.
- How to apply
- File the FAFSA and check the AIM HIGH page of the public university you plan to attend (linked from ISAC's AIM HIGH page) for any extra application steps
- What you'll need
- FAFSA only
- Last checked
- October 28, 2026, against the official page (isac.org)
The details
Aspirational Institutional Match Helping Illinois Grow Higher Education (AIM HIGH). ISAC gives each of the 12 public four-year universities AIM HIGH funds, and each university sets its own award amounts, GPA/test-score minimums and any extra steps; universities also provide matching institutional awards. Renewable: renewal awards are at least as much as the first-year award unless your cost of attendance drops. Participating: Chicago State, Eastern Illinois, Governors State, Illinois State, Northeastern Illinois, Northern Illinois, SIU Carbondale, SIU Edwardsville, UIC, UIS, UIUC, Western Illinois.
More money from Illinois
- Monetary Award Program (MAP) Grantup to $8,400 per year (tuition and mandatory fees only)
- Higher Education License Plate (HELP) Programvaries; tuition and mandatory fees only
Keep looking
- Answer a few questions to see every program you qualify for
- Nearby states: Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Wisconsin
- Federal aid and national scholarships (open to students in any state)
- The FAFSA in plain English (2027-28)
- Should I file the FAFSA if I don't think I'll qualify?
- FAFSA deadlines by state (2027-28)
- The FAFSA for parents: what you need to do
- How to save on textbooks: free, rented and cheaper options
We list programs; we don't decide who gets them. Always check the official page before you apply. Spot something wrong? Tell us.