Illinois MAP Grant Reduction: Bluejays Feel the Pinch
On Dec. 23, 2024, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) announced that the Illinois Monetary Award Program Grant (also known as the MAP Grant), a need-based grant available for Illinois students who meet the requirements, would be reduced by 8%.
This reduction was a result of budgeting issues from the state, which caused a shortage of funds for the Spring semester. Elmhurst University students are now receiving less MAP aid than originally estimated.
EU’s Assistant Director of Student Financial Services, Megahn Webber, explained, “This past fall, many more students who are eligible for MAP grants enrolled than what was expected. Because of this, ISAC needed to reduce the amount of individual MAP grant awards to ensure that the available funding can support all of the eligible students for the rest of the academic year.”
As of now, ISAC has not mentioned any limitations that may occur with the funding of the 2025-26 school year. This reduction directly impacts a large number of students at EU, as they rely on the MAP Grant to fund their education.
EU student Brandon Pounders shared his experience with this reduction.
“The MAP Grant reduction has added about $300 to my bill for the entire semester,” Pounders said. “That’s $300 that is getting taken away from not just me, but my daughter.”
Pounder further explained how this impact goes further than just his education: “All the extra money I have to save goes to her, not to me. That’s groceries, diapers, wipes, and clothes that are harder to buy, or like an extra 20 hours of work that get sucked away. That’s a lot!”
An anonymous EU student had a similar impact, saying, “The reduction has definitely made my ability to pay for college a little more stretched than what it was last semester. I know that I’m pretty lucky to have the scholarships that I do, thanks to much of the work I’ve put into looking for scholarships and such, but has changed how much I put into paying for this semester’s tuition.”
EU students are reacting to the reduction in various ways, scrambling to find a solution to make up for the lost aid.
Some are turning to employers for assistance. Pounders shared, “Thankfully, yes I have looked into a program with my job that pays for my school, so I am currently trying to do that, but realistically, I shouldn’t have to worry about it that much when I already have a ton of other things to worry about.”
Other students are navigating the often frustrating world of scholarships. “I’ve definitely looked into other options,” explained an anonymous EU student. “I’ve applied to a bunch of scholarships, but it sort of feels like an eternity when you write essay after essay with no response or clear answer for the announcement of who received the scholarship.”
EU students are not alone in this reduction. Webber said that “each student who is eligible for MAP is impacted the same way, regardless of what institution they attend.” So EU is not being affected differently than other Illinois institutions, and thousands of Illinois higher education students are dealing with the same issue.
For students who are frustrated and are struggling to navigate their finances after this reduction, Webber wants to remind them that, “students are encouraged to contact us [Student Financial Services] so we can go over their specific options.”
Webber further commented, “We will continue notifying students of any changes to their aid like this, so please check your emails coming from SFS!”
Though this MAP grant reduction seems small at 8%, it still places a significant financial hurdle for many EU students. As students grapple with the added financial strain, the terms of this reduction remain unknown.
