Higher Education License Plate (HELP) Program
Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC)
Check datesRenews each year
Need-based grants funded by collegiate license plate sales, for undergrads at Illinois colleges that have a special plate.
- How much
- varies; tuition and mandatory fees only
- Who qualifies
- Undergraduate at an Illinois college with a special collegiate license plate; each college sets its own requirements.
- For students starting college, undergrads
- Need-based: your FAFSA decides how much you get.
- When to apply
- Check dates Set by each participating college; FAFSA-driven.
- How to apply
- File the FAFSA, then ask your college whether it participates in HELP and what else (if anything) to submit
- What you'll need
- FAFSA only
- Last checked
- October 24, 2026, against the official page (isac.org)
The details
Part of the proceeds from Illinois Secretary of State collegiate license plates funds grants for undergraduates attending those colleges. Pays tuition and mandatory fees for two semesters or three quarters a year (summer only by separate request to the college). Usable for the equivalent of 10 semesters or 15 quarters of full-time study. How many grants there are depends on plate sales and the yearly appropriation.
More money from Illinois
- Monetary Award Program (MAP) Grantup to $8,400 per year (tuition and mandatory fees only)
- AIM HIGH Grant Programvaries by university
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.