Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I apply?
   1. Complete the online Teacher Education Scholarship Programs Application. Read and follow the instructions carefully.
      • If you are applying for the IFTC Program, you must also complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the corresponding academic year. Information regarding the FAFSA is located under "Financial Aid" within the Financing sections of the Student Zone.
   2. Incomplete applications cannot be saved, and will not be submitted to ISAC. Once you start to complete the application, you must fully complete all required fields and then submit the completed application. If you are unable to fully complete the application, you will need to begin the process again when you are ready to complete and submit it.
   3. Complete applications for the academic year must be submitted on or before March 1, for priority consideration. All other applications will be processed in date-received order within program guidelines. Once an application has been successfully submitted, a confirmation page will display to verify the exact date and time it was received by ISAC.
      
      
2. What are the selection criteria?
   ISAC selects recipients among qualified applicants based on a combination of program-specific selection criteria.
   
   
   1. Selection criteria for the IFTC Program include:
      • scholarships are awarded first to qualified renewal applicants whose complete applications are received on or before March 1, (other qualified applicants are awarded in date-received order, until funds are exhausted);
      • the applicant's cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) is considered;
      • the applicant's Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is considered; and
      • the applicant's minority status is considered.
        
        

   Renewal recipients who commit to teach in a shortage area and whose shortage disciplines are no longer designated may continue to be considered for an IFTC Program scholarship.

   2. Selection criteria for MTI include:
      • scholarships are awarded first to qualified renewal applicants whose complete applications are received on or before March 1;
      • all other qualified applicants are awarded in date received order, until funds are exhausted.
        
        
3. How will I know if I am awarded a teacher scholarship?
   1. An Initial Certification Document is sent to the school you indicated on your application. The school’s financial aid office will certify your eligibility to participate in the Teacher Education Scholarship Programs.
      • If you are applying for the IFTC Program, note that one of the items certified by the college is whether you have completed a FAFSA. Complete the FAFSA as soon as possible after the January 1st that precedes the academic year for which you are requesting funds. Information regarding the FAFSA is located under "Financial Aid" within the Financing sections of the Student Zone.
   2. Your school must certify your eligibility for the scholarship before an award for either program is determined. You will be considered a qualified applicant if ISAC receives a complete application and your school certifies you as eligible for the scholarship.
   3. ISAC will notify you, in writing, of your eligibility status. You will receive one of the following letters:
      • Notification of Eligibility
      • Notification of Ineligibility
      • Notification of Unavailable Funds
        
        
4. Who determines the scholarship amount, and how is the money disbursed?
   Your school will determine both the amount of your scholarship (within program parameters) and the number of disbursements.
   
   For IFTC scholarships, the maximum annual awards are as follows:
   • up to $5,000 for individuals enrolled and seeking initial certification in a teacher shortage discipline who also agree to teach in a teacher shortage discipline
   • up to $5,000 for individuals who agree to teach in a hard-to-staff school
   • up to $10,000 for individuals enrolled and seeking initial certification in a teacher shortage discipline who also agree to teach in a teacher shortage discipline at a hard-to-staff school
   • based on the amount of program appropriations for the current academic year, funding will not be available to award individuals who are seeking initial teacher certification but neither agree to teach in a teacher shortage discipline nor in a hard-to-staff school

   For MTI Scholarships, your school will determine the amount, up to $5,000, and the number of disbursements.
   
   Your school will certify your enrollment and request payment for each term. Funds are multiply disbursed based on your enrollment status and period of enrollment. If you fail to meet any of the eligibility requirements during the academic year, all undisbursed funds will be deobligated and awarded to the next eligible applicant(s).

5. What expenses does the scholarship cover?
   The scholarship award amount can be applied to tuition, fees, allowance for books, supplies, and room and board expenses charged by the school for students living on-campus; or tuition, fees, allowance for books and supplies, and the standard commuter cost-of-living allowance for students living off-campus. The MTI Scholarship amount cannot exceed $5,000 per academic year, and the IFTC Program amount cannot exceed $15,000 per academic year.
   
   
6. Can I receive additional financial aid if I receive a scholarship?
   Yes. However the amount of the scholarship plus other financial aid cannot exceed the total cost of attendance.
   
   
7. Will I automatically be considered for a teacher scholarship for the next academic year?
   No. A new Application/Teaching Agreement/Promissory Note/Student Certification must be submitted to ISAC for each academic year by the March 1 application priority consideration date. To qualify for an additional IFTC or MTI Scholarship you must continue to meet all the eligibility requirements as previously stated.
   
   
8. What is the teaching agreement and how is it fulfilled?
   IFTC:
   If you are a recipient of the IFTC Program, you must teach for five years on a full-time basis at a nonprofit Illinois public, private or parochial preschool or an Illinois public elementary or secondary school. You must begin teaching within the one year following your termination, graduation or completion from the program of study funded by the scholarship, and continue until the obligation is fulfilled. Your teaching must fulfill the commitment/agreement that you signed prior to receiving the program benefits, (e.g., if you made a commitment to teach in a teacher shortage discipline and/or at a hard-to-staff school, you must fulfill your five years of teaching accordingly).
   
   MTI Scholarship:
   If you are an MTI Scholarship recipient, you must teach one year on a full-time basis for each academic year, or portion of an academic year, in which you received the award. This teaching obligation must be fulfilled at a nonprofit Illinois public, private or parochial preschool, elementary or secondary school, at which no less than 30 percent of the enrolled students are minority students as certified by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). You must begin teaching within one year following termination from the program of study funded by the scholarship, and continue until the teaching obligation is fulfilled.
   
   You will be required to submit evidence that you are complying with program requirements.
   
   
9. What happens if I fail to fulfill my teaching commitment for IFTC or MTI?
   If the teaching commitment is not fulfilled, the scholarship converts to a loan, and you must repay the entire amount of the scholarship(s) prorated according to the fraction of the teaching obligation not completed, plus interest. If applicable, you will pay reasonable collection costs.
   
   For both IFTC and MTI recipients, the interest rate is 5%. Refer to the promissory note (located in the Terms and Conditions) for an explanation of the extensions and deferments available to you to extend the time period to fulfill your teaching and/or repayment obligation.
   
   
10. What if I do not make my loan payments for IFTC or MTI?
    If you do not make your payments as scheduled, your loan may go into default status. Possible consequences of default for any educational loan include:
    1. Your default may be reported to all national credit bureaus. You may not be able to get credit cards (e.g., VISA, MasterCard, or department store), car loans, mortgages, etc.
    2. Your negative credit rating will stay on your credit history for seven (7) years after the loan is repaid.
    3. You may lose future eligibility for financial aid, including student loans.
    4. You may be sued, and court costs/legal fees will be added to what you owe.
    5. Your federal and state income tax refunds may be withheld.
    6. Your Illinois professional license may not be renewed.
    7. Your employer may withhold part of your salary for payment of your loan.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, CALL:  1.800.899.ISAC (4722), TDD 847.831.8236 (For TDD Users Only)

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