Financial Aid
Financial Aid Award Guide
Keeping Your Aid
Enroll in Degree or Certificate Program
For all Federal and Illinois State aid programs and many scholarship programs, you must be enrolled in a certificate or associate's degree program and must be taking courses toward that program. Please note that several certificate programs are not eligible for financial assistance.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
To remain eligible for Federal and State aid you must meet Financial Aid Academic Progress Standards. These SAP standards are different from the college's general Academic Standing Policy. SAP standards look at your course completion rate, grade point average and your total hours attempted.
Annual Reapplication Requirement
For Federal and State aid programs, you must reapply every year by submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). To apply online, go to www.fafsa.ed.gov. Deadlines vary by program. For the best aid package, submit your FAFSA in January for the following Fall term.
Dropping or Withdrawal from a Class or Change Grading Method to Audit
Your awards letter lists that amount of financial aid you will receive for various levels of enrollment. You can not receive aid for Dropped or Audited courses. A course is considered "dropped" if you drop before the 100% tuition refund deadline. There are no charges of SAP penalties for dropped courses.
If you withdraw from a course after the tuition refund date, it is a "withdrawal". You will be charged for "withdrawn" courses, and withdrawals can lead to violations of the Financial Aid SAP Policy. If you withdraw from all your courses or stop attending them before completing more than 60% of the semester, you may have to repay all or a portion of the financial aid that you received.
Summer Financial Aid
Limited funds are available for the summer terms. Contact our office in early April to discuss available options.
Personal Financial Changes
If your family experiences an extreme change in its finances due to circumstances such as illness, disability, divorce, or unemployment, you can have your eligibility reevaluated based on your new family financial circumstances. Request a "Special Circumstances" form and submit all of the requested documentation to our office. We will review your request and notify you of the results.
Have some Feedback for ICC Financial Aid? We'd love to hear from you.