Illinois Student Assistance Commission

What Illinois Student Assistance Commission does

The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) is a state-chartered agency of the State of Illinois, established in 1957 as the Illinois State Scholarship Commission and renamed in 1989, headquartered in Deerfield with additional offices in Springfield and Chicago. ISAC administers the state's primary financial aid programs, most notably the Monetary Award Program (MAP) — the fourth-largest need-based grant program in the United States, awarding over $400 million annually to approximately 145,000 undergraduates — alongside a portfolio of roughly 20 targeted scholarship and grant programs (ING Grant, IVG, NES, MTI, Golden Apple Scholars, AIM HIGH, ECACE, Teachers of Illinois, and others) and the College Illinois! 529 prepaid tuition program. The agency's technology stack is centered on the GAP Access portal (a secure, 2FA-authenticated service-oriented platform used by institutional financial aid administrators to process eligibility, certifications, and payments) and the ISAC Student Portal (student-facing interface), with daily data feeds to Illinois school districts via the Financial Aid Application Completion Initiative to identify FAFSA non-filers. ISAC's distribution model combines digital self-service portals, a multilingual (English/Spanish) toll-free call center (800.899.ISAC), and the ISACorps program — near-peer college graduate counselors stationed in every community college district providing in-person pre-college counseling, particularly to low-income and first-generation students. ISAC also operates the Illinois Designated Account Purchase Program (IDAPP), a secondary student loan market with default-prevention servicing, in partnership with ECMC and First Mark Services.

ISAC is funded primarily through annual Illinois General Assembly appropriations (FY26 Operating Budget: $36,932,000), supplemented by federal grant programs (GEAR UP, federal College Access Challenge Grants), College Illinois! prepaid tuition program management, and IDAPP loan servicing income; the agency provides all student and family services free of charge and does not generate commercial revenue. Its customer base spans the entire Illinois postsecondary ecosystem: Illinois high school students and families (the primary beneficiary population), high school counselors, financial aid administrators at Illinois public universities and community colleges, undocumented and DACA students served through the RISE Act Alternative Application pathway, and special populations including veterans, National Guard members, teachers, nurses, and dependents of police/fire/correctional officers. Governance is provided by a ten-member Commission appointed by the Governor, currently chaired by Kevin B. Huber, with Eric Zarnikow serving as Executive Director and a staff of approximately 250 personnel.

Name

Illinois Student Assistance Commission

Legal name

Illinois Student Assistance Commission

Website

https://isac.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) is the State of Illinois's college access and financial aid agency, administering the MAP grant program (over $400M annually to ~145,000 students), the College Illinois! 529 prepaid tuition program, and an ISACorps near-peer counselor network serving Illinois high school students, families, and postsecondary institutions statewide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

State Student Financial Aid Administration

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Federal & Federally-Sponsored Credit Agencies (6111)

akta.pro primary industry

Government Student Financial Aid Agencies (EDADAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Grantmaking Agencies & Education Program Grants Administration (EDADAHAD), Scholarship, Financial Aid & FAFSA Support Platforms (EDAFAMAF), Education Funding Planning (College/529) (FSAEAAAF), Tuition Assistance & Voucher/ESA Program Administration (EDADAHAF)

Keywords

• State financial aid agency
• Need-based grant programs
• College access services
• 529 prepaid tuition
• Student loan servicing

Headquarters

HQ city

Deerfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. State Appropriations and Budget: ISAC is a state agency funded primarily through annual appropriations by the Illinois General Assembly and Governor. The FY26 Operating Budget is $36,932,000. Most ISAC-administered programs are subject to sufficient annual appropriations.
2. Federal Grant Programs: ISAC administers federally-funded programs including GEAR UP grants and federal student loan programs, and receives federal College Access Challenge Grants to support college access and outreach activities.
3. Prepaid Tuition Program (College Illinois!): A 529 prepaid tuition program that allows families to prepay or lock in future tuition and mandatory fee costs for Illinois community colleges and universities. ISAC administers this program with oversight from an Investment Advisory Panel.
4. Secondary Loan Market (IDAPP): ISAC's Illinois Designated Account Purchase Program (IDAPP) maintains a portfolio of educational loans, generating revenue through loan servicing and interest. Borrowers who consistently make timely payments or live and work in Illinois may receive a reduced interest rate.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

ISAC is the official Illinois state agency that administers student financial aid programs, including the state's flagship Monetary Award Program (MAP) need-based grant (over $400 million annually to ~145,000 undergraduates), the College Illinois! 529 prepaid tuition program, approximately 20 targeted scholarship and grant programs (Golden Apple Scholars, MTI, ING Grant, IVG, NES, Teachers of Illinois, ECACE, AIM HIGH, etc.), and the IDAPP secondary student loan market. It also provides statewide college access outreach through ISACorps near-peer counselors, the ISAC Student Portal, the GAP Access institutional portal, and free one-on-one FAFSA completion assistance to Illinois students and families.

Product overview

Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) offers a comprehensive portfolio of financial aid and college access programs centered around its core Monetary Award Program (MAP) grant platform, supplemented by the GAP Access institutional portal for schools, the ISAC Student Portal for students, and the ISACorps service. The product ecosystem includes One Click College Admit for direct college admissions, the College Illinois! 529 Prepaid Tuition Program for savings, the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid for state-only aid, and approximately 20 targeted scholarship and grant programs (including Golden Apple Scholars, MTI, ING, IVG, NES, Teachers of Illinois, ECACE, AIM HIGH, and more). Programs addressing college access include the ISACorps near-peer advisers, Illinois PaCE career planning, the Financial Aid Application Completion Initiative with mandatory FAFSA completion, and the Education Matters awareness campaign.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Education Matters Illinois: A multi-dimensional movement, awareness campaign, and community of practice initiated by ISAC to support college access and completion for Illinois students. Formerly known as College Changes Everything.
• ISACorps
• College Changes Everything
• GAP Access
• Monetary Award Program (MAP)
• College Illinois!

Products and services

• Monetary Award Program (MAP) Illinois's flagship need-based grant program providing tuition and mandatory fee coverage for approximately 145,000 undergraduates demonstrating financial need; the fourth largest program of its kind in the country, annually awarding over $400 million.
• College Illinois! 529 Prepaid Tuition Program Tax-advantaged 529 prepaid tuition program allowing families to lock in future tuition and mandatory fee costs at Illinois community colleges and universities at present-day rates.
• Illinois Designated Account Purchase Program (IDAPP) ISAC's secondary market maintaining a portfolio of educational loans, serviced by trained loan specialists for default prevention efforts.
• GAP Access (Gift Assistance Programs Access) Secure portal for institutional partners to conduct data inquiries, submissions, eligibility announcements, and payment requests for ISAC-administered programs including MAP, IVG, ING Grant, NES, and other scholarship programs; requires 2-factor authentication.
• ISAC Student Portal Online portal for students providing access to financial aid applications, ISACorps member search, career planning tools, college search and admissions guidance, and program information; serves as the primary student-facing digital interface.
• One Click College Admit Illinois direct admissions program allowing students to gain admission to Illinois public universities and community colleges without application fees, essays, or recommendation letters; only GPA required for participating schools.
• ISACorps Recent college graduates stationed across Illinois community college districts providing near-peer pre-college counseling services for low-income, first-generation students; part of ISAC's college access and outreach division.
• Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid State-only financial aid application pathway for qualified students ineligible for federal aid, including undocumented students meeting RISE Act criteria, to access MAP grants and other state aid.
• Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Public-private partnership scholarship program identifying talented high school seniors and college students, particularly from diverse backgrounds, who commit to teaching in high-need Illinois schools.
• Illinois PaCE (Postsecondary and Career Expectations) Curriculum and resources for counselors to support students in postsecondary and career planning, with training available for implementation.
• Illinois GEAR UP Federal discretionary grant program providing direct services to approximately 30,500 students in 25 middle schools and 25 high schools across Illinois over a seven-year period using a cohort model.
• Financial Aid Application Completion Initiative Initiative providing daily data to school districts identifying students who have not filed FAFSA or Alternative Application; enables counselors and ISACorps to assist students with completion.
• Illinois National Guard (ING) Grant Grant for active duty Illinois Army or Air National Guard members; all electronic processing and management through GAP Access portal.
• Illinois Veteran Grant (IVG) Program Grant program for veterans; IVG benefit usage processing takes place through GAP Access portal.
• Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship Scholarship encouraging minority students to enter teaching and teach in schools with at least 30% minority population; electronic processing through GAP Access portal.
• Nursing Education Scholarship (NES) Scholarship for nursing students; all electronic processing including eligibility certification and payment requests takes place through GAP Access portal starting from the 2023-24 cycle.
• Teachers of Illinois Scholarship Program Scholarship for future teachers with service commitment; all electronic processing including eligibility data, certifications, and payment processing through GAP Access portal.
• AIM HIGH Grant Pilot Program Grant program for Illinois public 4-year universities with matching requirements; data collection and reporting completed through GAP Access portal.
• ECACE Scholarship Program (Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity) Scholarship for early childhood education; electronic processing and management through GAP Access portal including student data, eligibility certification, and payment processing.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $400 million in MAP grants awarded annually to ~145,000 undergraduates
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• KaplancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2025Illinois and Kaplan continue the Prepare for Illinois' Future program, a first-in-the-nation free test prep initiative. Governor Pritzker proposed $7 million in FY27 funding to extend the program through June 2027. The program targets workforce shortages in nursing, engineering, IT, and healthcare. Over 12,000 students enrolled in 13 months, achieving a 97% predicted NCLEX-RN pass rate for nursing students.
• Golden Apple FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA public-private partnership between ISAC and the Golden Apple Foundation to identify talented high school seniors and first/second-year college students (particularly from diverse backgrounds) who have the promise and drive to be excellent teachers in high-need schools. ISAC administers the Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program.
• Advance IllinoisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerISAC partnered with Advance Illinois and the Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University to create the Illinois 60 x 2025 Network, a community of practice designed to facilitate the state's goal of increasing the proportion of adults with high-quality degrees and credentials to 60% by 2025.
• Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with ISAC and Advance Illinois to create the Illinois 60 x 2025 Network, a community of practice to help local and regional teams accelerate progress toward the state's 60% postsecondary attainment goal.
• Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISBE collaborates with ISAC on the Financial Aid Application Completion Initiative and the state's FAFSA graduation requirement. ISAC helps support high schools in meeting the mandate (P.A. 101-180) requiring all Illinois public high school students to complete either the FAFSA or Alternative Application as a prerequisite for receiving a high school diploma.
• Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) and Illinois Community College Board (ICCB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISAC collaborated with IBHE and ICCB to launch the One Click College Admit direct admissions program, offering Illinois high school students admission to most of the state's public universities and all community colleges without fees, essays, or recommendation letters.
• Illinois State Attainment Working GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished by Governor Pritzker to set an attainment goal for postsecondary degrees and credentials of value. ISAC is a member of this working group, which is conducting stakeholder engagement through surveys and regional sessions (July 7 - September 1) to develop the state attainment goal.
• ECMC (Educational Credit Management Corporation)minorOthersECMC serves as ISAC's loan servicer for defaulted student loans. Payments for ISAC's Debt Management Department are directed to ECMC at P.O. Box 16129, St. Paul, MN 16129. Phone: 800.367.1589.
• First Mark ServicesminorOthersAlternative loan servicer referenced in ISAC's IDAPP (Illinois Designated Account Purchase Program) contact information, accessible at www.firstmarkservices.com for alternative loan servicing.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Scholarship America: Nonprofit scholarship administrator that designs and manages scholarship programs for employers, foundations, and communities. Comparable as an administrator of scholarship programs outside the state agency framework.
• Niche: College search, admissions, and financial aid information platform serving students and families. Comparable in offering career/college planning tools and financial aid information that overlaps with the ISAC Student Portal's functions.
• ECMC (Educational Credit Management Corporation): Nonprofit organization that services defaulted student loans and runs college access programs. Comparable as a partner/adjacent organization: ECMC is ISAC's contracted loan servicer for defaulted loans and runs similar college access initiatives.

Direct peers

• California Student Aid Commission: California's state student financial aid agency administering Cal Grant and other need-based aid programs. Directly comparable as a sister state agency operating a flagship need-based grant program with similar scholarship, outreach, and digital processing mandates.
• Massachusetts Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA): Massachusetts state agency administering need-based grants (e.g., MASSGrant) and scholarship programs. Directly comparable as a state-level financial aid agency with scholarship administration and outreach functions.
• Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA): Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's state financial aid agency, also a federal student loan guarantor (like ISAC's historical FFELP role). Comparable in administering state grants, loan servicing, and 529 (PA 529) programs.
• New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC): New York's state student financial aid agency administering TAP and other grants. Closest functional analog to ISAC in scope (state aid administration, outreach, loan programs) and in operating a state 529 college savings program.
• Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board: Texas's state-level higher education coordinating body that administers TEXAS Grants and other financial aid programs. Comparable scale and statutory scope of state-level financial aid administration.

Broad incumbents

• Federal Student Aid (FSA) - U.S. Department of Education: Federal entity administering federal student aid including Pell Grants, federal student loans, and FAFSA. Comparable as the overarching financial aid administration authority that ISAC partners with and routes students through (NSLDS, FSA Partner Connect integrations).

Regional players

• Bright Start (529 plan, Illinois Treasurer): Illinois's other 529 college savings plan offered by the State Treasurer, providing direct competition to ISAC's College Illinois! prepaid tuition program within the same state. Comparable product category (529) and shared Illinois market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/isacfinaid
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ISACvid
• Facebookfacebook.com/ILStudentAssistance
• Instagraminstagram.com/isacfinaid
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/state-of-illinois---illinois-student-assistance-commission

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Illinois Student Assistance Commission