NOTE: This document was generated from the 1995-1997 UIUC Programs of Study. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, but be advised that requirements may have changed since this book was published. Errors may have also been introduced in the conversion to a WWW document. Thus for items of importance, it might be wise to seek confirmation from either the paper version or a live human being.
The Merit Recognition Scholarship (MRS) administered by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) is awarded solely on the basis of scholastic achievement. The $1,000 award is for entering freshmen who graduated in the top 5 percent of an Illinois high school class. Recipients must attend an Illinois postsecondary institution. The program is dependent upon annual funding by the state. In 1994-95, funding was sufficient for only the top 2 percent of graduates to receive awards. Potential recipients are notified by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.
The Paul Douglas Scholarship, another program not based on need and administered by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, is for students in teacher education curricula. While amounts vary, a typical award for students attending the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $5,000. Recipients must have graduated in the top 10 percent of their high school classes.
In addition to scholarships administered by the Office of Student Financial Aid and the ISAC, numerous agencies, organizations, and businesses provide funds to students in specific curricula. These outside agencies, organizations, and businesses often contact individual departments or units for nominations of potentially eligible recipients. For further information, students may wish to contact the departments in which they are enrolled or have been accepted for admission.
A major source of financial assistance for undergraduate students is the federally funded Pell Grant program. For academic year 1994-95, awards ranged from $200 to $2,300.
As indicated in The Application Process (see previous section), undergraduate aid applicants should submit all parts of their Pell Grant Student Aid Reports to complete their aid application files. While Pell Grant eligibility does not determine eligibility for other financial aid, students must demonstrate that they have applied for this federal program before receiving assistance from the University's more limited resources.
ILLINOIS STUDENT ASSISTANCE COMMISSION (ISAC) MONETARY AWARD PROGRAM (MAP)
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission Monetary Award Program (MAP) is another major source of grant assistance to undergraduate Illinois residents attending colleges and universities in the state. Ranging from $400 to $3,800 (1994-95), this award is granted on the basis of demonstrated financial need and applied toward tuition and fees.
NOTE: The Illinois Student Assistance Commission also administers a State Scholar Program that recognizes scholastic achievement. It is not necessary for a student to be named a State Scholar to be eligible for a monetary award, nor does receiving such recognition guarantee eligibility for a monetary award.
The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant is a grant program distinct from the Federal Pell Grant (above). The federal government annually provides postsecondary institutions with allocations from which awards are made. At UIUC during 1994-95, awards ranged from $200 to $2,400.
Students for Equal Access to Learning (SEAL) and Student-to-Student Matching (STSM) grant programs are funded by voluntary student contributions and matching funds provided by the state through the Illinois Student Assistance Commission. Students at Urbana-Champaign initiated the SEAL program by referendum in 1970 and have reaffirmed it every four years since. STSM grants are awarded in accordance with rules prescribed by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission. During academic year 1994-95, awards ranged from $100 to $1,000.
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