Section 2766.50  Student Applicant and Recipient Eligibility

a)         An eligible student applicant for funding from an AIM HIGH allocation shall:

1)         have attended an Illinois high school;

2)         be engaged in a program of study (i.e., course) that in due course will be completed by the end of the school year;

3)         complete an application for the award no later than 12 months from the last date of the school year within which the coursework was completed;

4)         apply to be enrolled for the first time at the public university campus where the award will be used; and

5)         meet all the student eligibility qualifications and requirements under subsection (b) before receiving an award.

b)         In order to meet the eligibility qualifications and requirements, an award recipient shall:

1)         be a resident of Illinois and a citizen or eligible noncitizen of the United States;

2)         file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) that demonstrates financial need with a household income no greater than 8 times the poverty guidelines updated periodically in the Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under the authority of 42 U.S.C. 9902(2).  The household income of the applicant at the time of initial application shall be deemed to be the household income of the applicant for the duration of the pilot program;

3)         meet the minimum cumulative grade point average or ACT or SAT college admissions test score, as determined by the public university campus;

4)         be enrolled in a participating public university campus as an undergraduate student on a full-time basis, except as noted in Section 2766.40(a)(6);

5)         have not yet received a baccalaureate degree or the equivalent of 135 semester credit hours;

6)         not be incarcerated;

7)         not be in default on any student loan nor owe a refund or repayment on any State or federal grant or scholarship; and

8)         meet any other reasonable criteria, as determined by the public university campus.  [110 ILCS 947/65.100]

c)         An AIM HIGH funded award recipient who meets the eligibility criteria for renewals shall be eligible for an AIM HIGH renewal award in subsequent academic years, the criteria for which shall be determined by the public university campus consistent with the criteria in this Section. AIM HIGH funded award renewal amounts shall be in an amount not less than the AIM HIGH funded amount from the renewal applicant's first year of attendance at the university campus, unless there is a reduction due to changes in the student's cost of attendance, including, but not limited to:

1)         a reduction in credit hours in which a student is enrolled, but remains a full time student, except as noted in Section 2766.40(a)(6); or

2)         switching to a course of study with a lower tuition rate.

d)         An AIM HIGH funded award recipient under subsection (a) or a renewal applicant shall be eligible for non-loan financial aid in the amount determined by the public university campus during the academic year, not including summer terms, and shall be eligible to receive other financial aid.

e)         The total amount of the AIM HIGH funds awarded to a qualified recipient in a given academic year, when added to other financial aid available to the qualified recipient for that year, shall not exceed the cost of attendance.

f)         Applicants eligible for an award using matching requirement funds must meet the criteria in subsection (b). Renewal availability and eligibility criteria shall be determined by the public university campus as required by subsection (b).

(Source:  Amended at 48 Ill. Reg. 4495, effective March 8, 2024)