Higher education funding for public universities and community colleges in Illinois would gain a $109.7 million increase according to Governor JB Pritzker’s budget proposal for fiscal year 2021. This includes dedicated financial support through the state’s need-based Monetary Award Program (MAP) grant program to make community college tuition-free for eligible students whose families make less than $45,000 per year. The three higher education boards say students will benefit from the governor’s proposed investment through greater access, equity, and attainment. The overall higher education budget proposal totals $2.178 billion, which would reflect a 5.4 percent increase over the current year’s budget. Increases would include:

• $55.6 million (5 percent) for public universities

• $14.9 million (5 percent) for community colleges and adult education

• $50 million for MAP

• $1 million to convert all Illinois public universities to the national Common Application