Financial Aid
Financial Aid at Kishwaukee College
On This Page: Types of Financial Aid | How To Apply | Eligibility & Requirements | Forms & Policies | Important Dates | Leaving Kish
Financial aid can help you pay for college through grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study. We’ll guide you step-by-step through the process so you know what to expect and how to get started.
Before you begin your FAFSA, make sure you have an FSA ID. Follow the steps below to get set up.
Types of Financial Aid
Explore the different types of financial aid available to help you pay for college.
Grants
Free money that does not need to be repaid and helps lower the cost of college. Learn more about grant opportunities.
Loans
Borrowed funds that must be repaid and can help cover remaining education costs. Learn more about loan options.
Work-Study
Part-time, on-campus employment that allows you to earn money while attending school.
Learn more about work-study opportunities.
Scholarships
Awards based on academics, involvement or financial need that help reduce tuition
costs without repayment. Explore available scholarships.
Veterans Benefits
Education benefits for veterans, service members and dependents that may cover tuition,
provide stipends and offer additional support services. Learn more about veterans benefits.
How to Apply
- Complete a FSA ID — Complete an FSA ID as the student. The student's spouse (if married) or parent(s)
- Complete the FAFSA — The FAFSA is available Oct. 1, 2025 for the 2026-27 school year.
- Complete any additional documentation — Additional documents might be requested to complete your FAFSA, you can check your myKish for any additional documents.
Who Qualifies for Financial Aid
You may qualify for financial aid if you:
- Have a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent
- Are enrolled in an eligible certificate or degree program at Kish
- Are a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
- Have a valid Social Security number
- Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
- Complete the FAFSA each year
- Do not owe a refund on federal aid or defaulted student loans
Note: Dual credit and non-credit students may not be eligible for federal aid unless enrolled in a financial-aid eligible academic program.
Financial aid is available for:
- Associate degree programs
- Eligible certificate programs
- Transfer programs (AA/AS/AES)
Not eligible for federal aid:
- Continuing education courses
- Personal enrichment classes
- Non-credit instruction
- Courses outside your declared program (“program mismatch”)
Some students are selected by the U.S. Department of Education for verification.
If selected, you must:
- Submit requested documents through myKish
- Provide tax information (or IRS Data Retrieval)
- Submit household size/income verification
- Respond quickly to avoid delays in aid processing
- FAFSA opens October 1 each year
- Illinois MAP Grant priority deadline is early spring (date varies)
- Documents must be submitted before aid can be awarded
- Request your loan before the end of the semester it will be used for.
Forms & Policies
Fall 2026, Spring 2027 and Summer 2027
Only complete the forms listed if they are requested in your "Required Documents" on the "Financial Aid" page of your Kish Self-Service account or if you received an email or letter notification.
- 2026-2027 Dependent Verification Worksheet
- 2026-2027 Independent Verification Worksheet
- 2026-2027 Verification of Dependent Support Worksheet
- 2026-2027 Asset Information
- 2026-2027 Family Size — Dependent
- 2026-2027 Family Size — Independent
- 2026-2027 Student Non-Tax Filer Verification
- 2026-2027 Parent Non-Tax Filer Verification
- 2026-2027 Marital Status Form
- 2026-2027 Illinois Residency Documentation Requirements for MAP Recipients
- 2026-2027 Unaccompanied Youth Determination
Fall 2025, Spring 2026 and Summer 2026
Only complete the forms listed if they are requested in your "Required Documents" on the "Financial Aid" page of your Kish Self-Service account or if you received an email or letter notification.
- 2025-2026 Dependent Verification Worksheet
- 2025-2026 Independent Verification Worksheet
- 2025-2026 Verification of Dependent Support Worksheet
- 2025-2026 Asset Information
- 2025-2026 Verification of Identity and Purpose — To be completed in the Financial Aid Office
- 2025-2026 Verification of Identity and Purpose — To be completed with a notary
- 2025-2026 Verification of Identity and Purpose — Spanish
- 2025-2026 Family Size — Dependent
- 2025-2026 Family Size — Independent
- 2025-2026 Student Non-Tax Filer Verification
- 2025-2026 Parent Non-Tax Filer Verification
- 2025-2026 Marital Status Form
- 2025-2026 Illinois Residency Documentation Requirements for MAP Recipients
- 2025-2026 Unaccompanied Youth Determination
Per federal regulations, students must meet a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0, completion rate of 67% or more, and be within the maximum time frame to receive financial aid for their educational program. If you have been notified that you have not met one or more of these requirements, and you have extenuating circumstances as to why you have not met the minimum requirements you may use the form below to appeal. Note: students are allowed one warning semester before they are rendered ineligible for federal aid when not meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) minimum requirements.
The preferred method for you to submit your tax information to the College is through the FAFSA. Step-by-step instructions on how to utilize this tool are provided below.
If you are unable or ineligible to use the Data Retrieval Tool, you can request a tax transcript from the IRS website.
How to request your Tax Transcripts and other Tax Filing Information from the IRS Online.
How to request your Tax Transcripts and other Tax Filing Information from the IRS By Mail.
Make sure you order the "IRS TAX RETURN TRANSCRIPT" and not the "IRS tax account transcript." It takes up to two weeks for IRS income information to be available for electronic IRS tax return filers, and up to eight weeks for paper tax return filers. If you are married and filed separate tax returns, IRS tax return transcripts must be submitted for both you and your spouse.
If you have a College Illinois account that you wish to use to pay for courses taken at Kishwaukee College, you must complete and return the College of Illinois Request Form to the Financial Aid office EVERY SEMESTER that you wish to make use of College Illinois funds.
Financial Aid Important Dates
Dates are subject to change. These deadlines apply to students with a completed financial aid file. Delays in submitting documentation may affect disbursement timing.
Funds are first applied to direct costs through the listed refund dates. Any eligible refunds processed after the initial refund date will be issued the following Thursday.
| Event | Date |
| MAP, Pell, FSEOG and Student Loans applied to accounts for returning students. | Sunday, Aug. 10 |
| Funds available for Kish Store. | Monday, Aug. 11 |
| Title IV refund date. | Thursday, Sept. 18 |
| Loans applied for first-time borrowers. | Sunday, Sept. 21; Eligible Refunds issued Thursday, Sept. 25 |
| 2025-2026 FAFSA available. | Wednesday, Oct. 1 |
| Deadline for Foundation scholarships. | Wednesday, Oct. 15 |
| Late-start aid applied. | Thursday, Oct. 23 |
| Late-start refunds sent. | Thursday, Oct. 30 |
| MAP priority deadline. | Monday, Dec. 1 |
| Fall loan request deadline. | Thursday, Dec. 4 |
| End of semester. | Friday, Dec. 12 |
| Event | Date |
| Pell, FSEOG and Student Loans applied to accounts for returning students. | Sunday, Jan. 4 |
| Funds available for Kish Store. | Monday, Jan. 5 |
| Title IV refund date. | Thursday, Feb. 12 |
| Loans applied for first-time borrowers. | Sunday, Feb. 15; Eligible Refunds issued Thursday, Feb. 19 |
| Deadline for Foundation scholarships. | Sunday, March 15 |
| Late-start aid applied. | Thursday, March 26 |
| Late-start refunds sent. | Thursday, April 2 |
| Spring loan request deadline. | Thursday, April 30 |
| End of semester. | Friday, May 15 |
| Event | Date |
| Pell, FSEOG and Student Loans applied to accounts for returning students. | Sunday, May 17 |
| Funds available for Kish Store. | Monday, May 18 |
| Title IV refund date. | Thursday, June 11 |
| Late-start aid applied. | Sunday, June 28 |
| Late-start refunds sent. | Thursday, July 2 |
| Deadline for Academic Achievement and Dual Credit. | Friday, July 31 |
Leaving Kish or Changing Enrollment?
If you withdraw from classes or plan to leave Kishwaukee College, your financial aid eligibility and repayment responsibilities may change. We recommend contacting Financial Aid at finaid@kish.edu or by calling 815-825-9328 before making enrollment changes to understand how your aid may be affected.