Determining Awards for SETTW

ISAC awards 250 Illinois Special Education Teacher Tuition Waivers annually as follows:

• A maximum of 40 tuition waivers are awarded to qualified applicants who hold valid teaching certificates that are not in the discipline of special education. If more than 40 applicants qualify under these provisions, a lottery is used to select 40 recipients.
• A maximum of 105 tuition waivers are awarded to qualified applicants who have graduated from an approved high school prior to the academic year in which the award is made. If more than 105 applicants qualify under these provisions, a lottery is used to select 105 recipients.
• A minimum of 105 tuition waivers are awarded to qualified applicants scheduled to graduate from an approved high school in the academic year in which the award is made and who perform in the upper half of their class according to performance-based academic data provided by the high school at the end of the sixth semester. Recipients for this group are selected from among qualified applicants based on the highest ACT or SAT test scores from the appropriate time period. Any of the 145 tuition waivers not awarded under the provisions outlined in the two preceding bullets are awarded to this group. If the number of applicants who qualify under these provisions is greater than the available number of tuition waivers to be awarded, a lottery is used to select the appropriate number of recipients.

A Notice of Eligibility will be sent by July 1st to each qualified applicant who is selected to receive a tuition waiver. Included with this notice is an Illinois Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver Information and Rights and Responsibilities form. Qualifed applicants who are not selected are also notifed at the same time. ISAC will send a Verification Roster and Certification form to the postsecondary school, however the Financial Aid Office may require a copy of the student's Notice of Eligibility. Refer to the Tuition Waiver Process for certification instructions and form examples.

If a recipient declines the Illinois Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver, the waiver will be awarded to another eligible applicant for the same academic year.

In July, the 12 public four-year colleges in Illinois receive a listing of SETTW recipients who have indicated enrollment at the university.