Illinois Promise

Source: https://www.osfa.illinois.edu/types-of-aid/other-aid/illinois-promise/ Parent: https://www.osfa.illinois.edu/

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is committed to providing access to quality education for high-achieving students from all backgrounds.

However, current economic circumstances threaten the affordability of higher education, particularly for students from the lowest income levels. With the shift of primary funding for state universities from state support to tuition, the need to maintain access to higher education is particularly pressing.

Illinois Promise began in Fall 2005 to ensure the affordability of higher education for students from the lowest income levels. Illinois Promise assures eligible recipients sufficient grant and scholarship funds in combination with a minimal employment expectation to cover their estimated cost of tuition and fees, food and housing, and books and supplies. Illinois Promise does not provide funding for summer classes.

Eligibility Criteria

Students must meet all of the following criteria to be considered for Illinois Promise.

• You and your parent(s) must be Illinois residents.
• You must have attended and graduated from an Illinois high school.
• You must be under the age of 24 and admitted as a new freshman or new transfer student.
• Your Student Aid Index (SAI) determined through the FAFSA must equal 0.
• Family income must be at or below the federal poverty level. For the 2025-2026 academic year, please see the 2023 federal poverty guidelines below. For the 2026-2027 academic year, please see the 2024 federal poverty guidelines below.

Federal Poverty Level (FPL)

• Your total family assets must be less than $50,000.
• You must be enrolled in at least 12 hours during the fall and spring semesters.
• To be eligible for renewal, students must remain Pell-eligible, family assets must be less than $50,000, and the parent and student must remain Illinois residents.

Application Process

To be considered for Illinois Promise, you must submit the FAFSA by March 15 prior to each academic year. There’s no separate Illinois Promise application form; however, once we receive your FAFSA information, we may request and require additional documents to confirm your eligibility criteria.

Assistance

Illinois Promise will fund the estimated cost of tuition and fees, food and housing, and books and supplies through grants and scholarships and by asking you to work approximately 10 to 12 hours a week. Other expenses aren’t included, nor are the additional costs of special programs such as intercampus enrollment, concurrent enrollment, and study abroad. A loan may be offered to cover personal miscellaneous expenses not covered by other financial aid.

Since you can’t begin employment until you arrive on campus, you’re encouraged to bring sufficient funds to buy books, supplies, and any other items necessary to start the semester.

Illinois Promise funding will be provided to eligible students for 4 years of attendance at Illinois if you continue to meet the program requirements. Annual renewal of the FAFSA is required, and you must meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements. As with the tuition guarantee, the 4 years of eligibility for Illinois Promise begins when you enroll at the university and runs continuously.

Students with an extenuating personal situation or academic reason that requires enrollment in summer classes or enrollment beyond 4 years may petition for funding. Be aware that appeals are only approved in highly exceptional situations. Below are the deadlines for submitting an appeal:

2025-2026 Academic year:

• Fall 2025 – October 10, 2025
• Spring 2026 – March 13, 2026
• Summer 2026 – July 10, 2026

The 2025-2026 Illinois Promise appeal form may be found here: 2025-2026 Illinois Promise Appeal

2026-2027 Academic year:

• Fall 2026 – October 9, 2026
• Spring 2027 – March 12, 2027
• Summer 2027 – July 9, 2027

The 2026-2027 Illinois Promise appeal form may be found here: 2026-2027 Illinois Promise Appeal

• More About Illinois Promise
• Illinois Annual Fund
• Office of Undergraduate Admissions
• Office of the Registrar

Contact Information

For questions related to the I-Promise financial aid and eligibility:

Office of Student Financial Aid\ Phone: 217-333-0100\ Fax: 217-265-5516\ Email: finaid@illinois.edu