Financial Aid and Scholarship Office

MAP grant FAFSA priority deadline has passed

The April 23 priority deadline to be considered for a 2026-27 Illinois MAP Grant has passed. FAFSA and Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid records submitted after April 23 have been placed in suspense status, essentially a waiting list. MAP awards are made on a first-come, first-served basis, and available funding may run out. If you submitted after April 23, you should not count on receiving a MAP grant for 2026-27.

If you have questions about your MAP eligibility or other forms of aid you may qualify for, contact us at finaid@niu.edu or 815-753-1395.

FAFSA submitted after April 25? Your aid offer may be delayed.

A U.S. Department of Education system update on April 26 paused FAFSA record loading at colleges and universities nationwide. NIU's Financial Aid and Scholarship Office expects to resume loading records in June.

If you submitted your 2026-27 FAFSA on or after April 26, your financial aid offer may not arrive until July. We will process applications as quickly as possible once loading resumes and will email your offer to your NIU student email account. Check your MyNIU To Do List regularly for any outstanding requirements.

If you have questions or concerns about how this delay may affect your enrollment plans, contact us at finaid@niu.edu or 815-753-1395.

Federal Student Aid Changes

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act introduces major changes to federal loans and aid eligibility starting July 1, 2026. Whether you’re a student or a parent, now is the time to understand how these changes may affect you.

• New annual and lifetime limits on Parent PLUS and GradPLUS loans for new borrowers
• Current income-driven repayment plans (IBR, PAYE, SAVE) are being eliminated
• Updates to Pell Grant and FAFSA asset exemption rules take effect for 2026-2027

Learn what’s changing and how to prepare