Section 2700.30  General Institutional Eligibility Requirements

a)         ISAC Program Participation Agreement

1)         All institutions shall execute an ISAC Program Participation Agreement in order to participate in ISAC gift assistance programs.

2)         The ISAC Program Participation Agreement shall identify the ISAC programs under which the institution's students may receive benefits.

3)         The ISAC Program Participation Agreement shall include provisions requiring institutions to comply with, federal and State laws and regulations.

4)         The ISAC Program Participation Agreement may be modified or terminated in accordance with 23 Ill. Adm. Code 2790, Limitation, Suspension and Termination Proceedings.

b)         With respect to ISAC student assistance programs, institutions shall develop and maintain procedures to verify the consistency and accuracy of information received from their enrolled recipients.

c)         Institutions shall be subject to possible limitation, suspension or termination of eligibility for failure to comply with federal and State laws and, regulations and for failure to maintain the standards required by this Section for initial participation.  (See 23 Ill. Adm. Code 2790.)

d)         Postsecondary institutions that participate in gift assistance programs shall annually submit to ISAC a copy of their tuition refund policy.  The submissions shall not be considered ISAC approval of the policies.

e)         Postsecondary institutions that participate in MAP are required to have in place or establish a program, determined by the institution, that is intended to improve MAP recipients' success, retention and completion in higher education at that institution.  Institutions shall annually submit to ISAC retention, completion and graduation rate data as well as advising and support program information.  This information is intended to enhance ISAC's ability to evaluate and improve MAP effectiveness.

f)         Postsecondary institutions that participate in gift assistance programs shall annually report their tuition and fee charges, as well as initial MAP advance payment requests, to ISAC on or before June 1 preceding each academic year.

1)         Failure to report any cost changes by the deadline will cause the prior year's charges to be used as part of the calculation process for gift assistance benefits.  Failure to report the assessment of a fee charge by the deadline will result in that fee charge being ineligible for payment under ISAC gift assistance programs.

2)         The report shall match specific fee charges with the gift assistance programs that may finance the fee.  These categorizations by the institution shall not be considered ISAC approval.

3)         The Illinois National Guard Grant and the Illinois Veteran Grant (IVG) Programs may finance only a portion of certain fee charges.  (See 23 Ill. Adm. Code 2730.30(a) and 2733.30(e).)

A)        Example:  One fee finances both tuition and text book expenses.  Only the portion of the fee that is attributable to tuition expenses may be financed with program benefits.

B)        Institutions with such a fee shall certify what percentage of the fee is eligible to be financed with program benefits.  Certification shall be performed by the institution's chief fiscal officer.

g)         Institutions shall submit additional reports, data and information to ISAC as may be requested.  These inquiries include, but are not limited to, surveys, enrollment confirmations and evaluation instruments.

h)         Additional institutional eligibility requirements are contained in subsequent Parts of ISAC's rules.

i)          Postsecondary institutions may apply to participate in ISAC-guaranteed loan programs in accordance with 23 Ill. Adm. Code 2720.

j)          Postsecondary institutions may apply to participate in ISAC gift assistance programs in accordance with this subsection (j).

1)         The Commission approves participation in ISAC gift assistance programs for an institution rather than for specific academic programs within an institution.

2)         Prior to applying for participation in ISAC gift assistance programs, the institutional applicant must have authority to operate a postsecondary institution in Illinois.  (See 23 Ill. Adm. Code 1030.)

3)         Institutional applicants that are fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and have degree-granting authority may be approved to participate in ISAC gift assistance programs provided the institution meets and maintains the requirements of subsections (j)(4)(C) and (D).

4)         Public or private not for profit institutional applicants that do not meet the requirements of subsection (j)(3) may be approved to participate in ISAC gift assistance programs if the institution has:

A)        obtained candidate status for the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools accreditation.

B)        applied for and is seeking degree-granting authority.

C)        obtained at least 3 letters indicating the transferability of academic credit from the applicant institution to other institutions.  The letters must be from institutions that are approved to participate in the Monetary Award Program (MAP) and are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

D)        an adequate number of qualified persons to administer their responsibilities under ISAC's rules for gift assistance programs.  In determining whether an institution employs an adequate number of qualified persons, the Commission considers the number of students aided, the number of programs in which the institution participates, the number of applications evaluated, the amount of funds administered, and the financial aid delivery system used by the institution.

5)         Institutional applicants must also supply ISAC with audited financial statements, prepared by an independent third party in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, to establish financial responsibility.  (See, e.g., 34 CFR 668.15.)

6)         Once approved to participate in ISAC gift assistance programs by the Commission, an institution shall receive provisional eligibility for a minimum of 5 academic years.  An institution with provisional eligibility must petition the Commission for full eligibility.  Full eligibility will be granted if the institution meets the requirements of subsection (j)(3) and if there are no outstanding audit exceptions.

k)         As a condition of eligibility for participation in ISAC student assistance programs, postsecondary institutions shall have a valid Program Participation Agreement with ED (see section 487 of the HEA (20 U.S.C 1094)) and shall report their Office of Postsecondary Education Identification (OPE-ID) number to ISAC.

l)          In order to begin and to continue participation in ISAC-administered student assistance programs, institutions must also demonstrate administrative capability and financial responsibility, as defined by federal regulations.  (See, e.g., 34 CFR 668.15 and 668.16.)  An institution's failure to meet and maintain those standards can lead to limitation, suspension or termination proceedings.  (See 23 Ill. Adm. Code 2790.)

m)        Institutions that have been assigned multiple main OPE-ID numbers will be considered separate entities by ISAC.  Different campus codes associated with the same main OPE-ID number will not be considered separate entities.

n)         An institution shall notify ISAC of its Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) in order to receive payment pursuant to any ISAC-administered program.

o)         When an approved institution has a change of ownership resulting in a change of control, a change of location, or a change of name as defined by federal regulations, the institution's Program Participation Agreement with ED may be terminated.  After an institution has undergone a change of status affecting its participation in any Title IV federal student financial aid programs, the institution may have its eligibility with ISAC reinstated by the execution of a new Program Participation Agreement with ED (see, e.g., 34 CFR 600.31) and by the submission and Commission approval of a new application for participation with ISAC.

p)         In any program in which ISAC is required by law to participate with approved high schools and/or institutions of higher learning or educational agencies to create awareness of programs offered by any of the foregoing institutions or the State (such as the Public University Uniform Admission Pilot Program Act [110 ILCS 118]), ISAC and the institution will coordinate.  Measures that may be taken by the institution may include, but are not limited to, the following:

1)         providing ISAC an institutional contact to serve as the liaison with ISAC to coordinate outreach efforts;

2)         timely providing ISAC with the necessary program information or materials for timely communications to the applicable Illinois residents; and

3)         developing an outreach plan prior to deployment and then reviewing the efficacy of the plan periodically thereafter to ensure that:

A)        ISAC and the institution's outreach efforts are appropriately distributed regionally and demographically; and

B)        outreach materials and programs are up-to-date and appropriate.

(Source:  Amended at 47 Ill. Reg. 9433, effective July 1, 2023)