Fillable Illinois Veteran Grant Program Application

ILLINOIS VETERAN GRANT (IVG) PROGRAM APPLICATION

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Applicants must have served federal active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States. The term “Armed Forces of the United States” shall be

defined as the United States Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard.

If the applicant applies while serving in the Armed Forces of the United States and is designated as a qualified applicant, he/she must reapply

upon separation.

Members of the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) are not eligible. Applicants are not eligible if their only service has been attendance at a

service academy.

Required federal active duty service criteria:

Each period of service must be characterized as honorable.

Have at least one year of federal active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States, unless he/she:

•

Was medically discharged and the medical reason for discharge was service related, or

•

Was discharged prior to August 11, 1967, or

•

Served in a foreign country in a time of hostilities in that country.

Required Illinois residency criteria:

Must have been a legal resident physically residing in Illinois within six months prior to entering the Armed Forces of the United States; and

Must have physically returned to Illinois and established residency within six months of leaving such service; and

Must reside in Illinois unless he/she is a member of the Armed Forces of the United States at the time of enrollment in school; or

If the applicant does not meet the criteria indicated in item(s) 3b and/or 3c because he/she is married and resides with a spouse who is

currently serving in continued military service outside of Illinois, the applicant must submit a copy of the spouse’s orders spanning the period

of time required to meet Illinois residency criteria. (If spouse has been discharged, a copy of his/her DD214 may be required to show mailing

address after separation.)

Proof of Illinois residency is required if the veteran’s home of record on the DD214 Member 4 or equivalent DOD documentation prior to entry is

other than Illinois, or if the veteran’s mailing address upon separation is other than Illinois. These documents must have been issued/dated within

the relevant six months prior to the date entered into service and/or within six months after the date of separation (or spouse’s separation if

applicable). The following list contains examples of acceptable documents.

•

• Statement of benefits history from the Illinois Department of Public

Illinois Driver’s License

•

Aid

Illinois identification card

• Illinois Department of Employment Security Statement of Benefits

•

Illinois high school or college transcript

•

Utility bill in the applicant’s name

The applicant must not owe a refund on a federal or state grant, and must meet or otherwise be exempt from federal Selective Service registration

requirements.

A qualified applicant in default on any federal student loan shall be permitted one term of assistance, during which a satisfactory payment record

must be established. If such a repayment record is not established, additional assistance shall be denied until a satisfactory repayment record is

established. To establish repayment arrangements on a defaulted loan guaranteed by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC), call

800.934.3572.

BENEFITS AND ELIGIBLE COLLEGES

This program pays eligible tuition and allowable fees at any Illinois public college or community college. Qualified applicants may use this grant at the

undergraduate or graduate level for the equivalent of four academic years of full-time enrollment. Contact the financial aid office at your college to

determine what portion of your total tuition and fees will be covered by this grant.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES (prior versions of this application will only be accepted if all pertinent information is provided)

Please note: If the DD214 Member 4 lists prior federal active duty service, a DD214 Member 4 or equivalent must be submitted for each period of prior

federal active duty service. Also please note: an applicant currently serving on federal active duty must provide proof of continuing federal active duty

service when his/her current enlistment expires and reapply after discharge from federal active duty service. Any needed corrections to the DD214

Member 4 must be completed before submitting the application.

Applicants must complete this application and supply the required documents. Applicants should keep a copy of the completed application and

documents. Allow at least four weeks for processing of the application. Incomplete applications and/or missing documentation will delay an eligibility

decision.

ISAC will send qualified applicants a “Notice of Eligibility.” It is important to keep a copy of the notice in order to present a copy to the school as

needed. Qualified applicants must notify their college’s financial aid office of their eligibility status as soon as possible, but not later than the last

scheduled day of classes for the term for which a grant is requested.

TO OBTAIN AN EQUIVALENT COPY OF YOUR DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE DD214 MEMBER 4

Write to the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs, P.O. Box 19432, Springfield, Illinois 62794-9432 or phone 217.782.4652; or write to the National

Personnel Records Center, Military Personnel Records, 9700 Page Blvd, St. Louis, Missouri 63121 (Web site: vetrecs.archives.gov). Reserve and

National Guard members may also contact their unit’s chain of command for assistance regarding additional equivalent documentation, such as a

Reserve Retirement Points Statement or NGB22 or 23.

FOR ASSISTANCE

If you have questions, or to learn more about the financial aid process and available programs, visit us at , call an ISAC College Zone

Counselor at 800.899.ISAC (4722), or send an e-mail message to .

MAIL TO:

D-3A IVG PROCESSING, ISAC, 1755 LAKE COOK ROAD, DEERFIELD, IL 60015-5209

ISAC #F103 07/05

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