For the first time in Illinois, eligible undocumented students and transgender students who are disqualified from federal financial aid will now be able to apply for all forms of state financial aid. Due, to the Retention of Illinois Students and Equity (RISE) Act, a new law passed by the General Assembly and signed by Governor Pritzker last June, more students across the state will be able to afford to go to college. In addition to providing a pathway to state aid for qualifying undocumented and transgender students, Governor Pritzker increased the amount of funding available for MAP grants to historic levels. This year, MAP received $50 million more in funding that has served thousands of additional students and increased award size for existing students after years of decline. In addition, Governor Pritzker provided an additional $10 million in funding for AIM HIGH scholarships, which is a merit-based program. For more information about the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid, including eligibility, and to access the application, visit www.isac.org/AlternativeApp.  For one-on-one assistance, students can contact the ISACorps member in their area, or ISAC’s Call Center at 800. 899.ISAC (4722).  Assistance is available in English and Spanish.