AIM HIGH Grant Requirements
The AIM HIGH Grant program, funded by the State of Illinois, provides merit-based awards to undergraduate students beginning with the 2019-2020 award year. The award is designed to encourage Illinois students to attend an in-state university, improve college affordability, and reduce student loan debt. For 2025-2026 and 2026-2027, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign will provide $5,000 per year awards ($20,000 over four years) to the top academically admitted new freshmen in-state students in each academic college who meet all of the following criteria:
- Is a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen or meet the “undocumented student” criteria of the RISE Act.
- Is a resident of the state of Illinois and attended an Illinois high school.
- Is a full-time undergraduate student enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program.
- Cannot be incarcerated.
- Cannot be in default of any student loan nor owe a refund or repayment on any State of federal grant or scholarship.
- For the initial year of eligibility, students must file the FAFSA or RISE alternative application and household income must be no greater than eight times the federal poverty guidelines as outlined in the chart below.
- For 2025-2026, preference will be given to students that have filed a 2025-2026 FAFSA or RISE alternative application by March 15, 2025 (see Maximum 2023 Income).
- For 2026-2027, preference will be given to students that have filed a 2026-2027 FAFSA or RISE alternative application by March 15, 2026 (see Maximum 2024 Income).
| Persons in Family/Household | Maximum 2023 Income (2025-2026 Academic Year) | Maximum 2024 Income (2026-2027 Academic Year) |
| 1 | $116,640 | $120,480 |
| 2 | $157,760 | $163,520 |
| 3 | $198,880 | $206,520 |
| 4 | $240,000 | $249,600 |
| 5 | $281,120 | $292,640 |
| 6 | $322,240 | $335,680 |
| 7 | $363,360 | $378,720 |
| 8 | $404,480 | $421,760 |
| Every Additional | Add $41,120 | Add $43,040 |
- The AIM High Grant is renewable and available for up to four years (eight semesters) of continuous full-time enrollment provided the student meets Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements.
AIM HIGH Grant renewal awards are contingent on funding availability. Each school must provide new financial aid funding to match a portion of the AIM HIGH Grant funding provided by the State of Illinois. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign will match the state funding with the Illinois Tuition Grant and Illinois Commitment programs.