Illinois Veteran Grant (IVG) Program
Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC)
Apply any timeRenews each year
Pays tuition and mandatory fees at Illinois public colleges for eligible Illinois veterans, for up to 4 years of full-time study.
- How much
- tuition and mandatory fees at Illinois public colleges (4 years of full-time study)
- Who qualifies
- U.S. Armed Forces veteran or honorably serving member (incl. Illinois National Guard/Reserve with federal active duty)
- At least one year of federal active duty (or service in a foreign country during hostilities, a service-related medical discharge, or discharge before Aug 11, 1967); honorable discharge for the most recent period of federal active duty or honorably serving; Illinois residency rules (resident when entering service or within 6 months before, and back in Illinois within 6 months after leaving; or 15 consecutive years of Illinois residency after service); not a current ROTC member; drill time does not count as active duty; enrolled at an Illinois public college.
- For undergrads, grad students, adults going back to school, trade school students
- When to apply
- Apply any time Apply any time; the complete application must be processed (about 12 weeks) and your college notified by the last scheduled day of classes of the term you want covered.
- How to apply
- Submit the IVG application once through the ISAC Student Portal with your documents (e.g., DD-214
- A commanding officer letter if currently serving)
- Give your Notice of Eligibility to your college's financial aid office
- Allow about 12 weeks
- What you'll need
- state application
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (isac.org) and page 2
The details
Entitlement program covering tuition and mandatory fees at Illinois public colleges and community colleges, undergraduate or graduate, for the equivalent of four academic years of full-time enrollment (120 eligibility units). Can be used alongside the Montgomery or Post-9/11 GI Bill and the ING Grant. Eligibility, once established, does not need to be renewed; apply once.
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
- 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.