Pay Less, Get More at NIU.
State of Illinois AIM HIGH Program
Through a powerful partnership with the State of Illinois' AIM HIGH program, NIU is making college more affordable for Illinois students. We've expanded our financial support to help talented students from Illinois high schools and community colleges achieve their dreams without the burden of overwhelming costs.
The grants in this program have residency, family income and other criteria. NIU has also set additional eligibility criteria within the state parameters. See each award for specific requirements.
Zero tuition and fees for your first year at NIU—and potentially beyond. Available to Illinois high school graduates with a 3.0+ GPA and family income under $115,000. Your path to a debt-free degree starts here.
Build your future with a $4,000 scholarship ($1,000 annually for four years) for eligible students graduating from Chicago Public Schools or a DeKalb County high school. Special awards also available for eligible Kishwaukee College and City Colleges of Chicago transfers.
Transfer students, your hard work pays off. Receive a renewable $2,000 award when you earn a transfer merit scholarship and meet the AIM HIGH criteria.
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AIM HIGH Eligibility Requirements*
- Be an Illinois resident who attended an Illinois high school.
- Be a first-time incoming freshman or transfer student.
- Be seeking your first undergraduate four-year degree.
- Complete the NIU admission application including submission of all required documents by February 1.
- Be a citizen or eligible non-citizen (be eligible for federal and/or state student aid).
- File a FAFSA or Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid by the February 1 priority deadline. **
- Not have received a bachelor’s degree or earned the equivalent of 135 semester credit hours.
- Not be incarcerated.
- Not be in default on any student loan.
- Not owe a refund or repayment on any state or federal grant or scholarship.
- Have a household income at or below eight times the poverty level. This information will be collected on the FAFSA. 2025 income will be used to determine 2027-2028 eligibility based on the chart below. The household income at the time of initial application will be the income used throughout the duration of the program (even if the income changes in subsequent FAFSAs submitted by the applicant).
| Number of People in Household | AIM HIGH Maximum Income*** |
|---|---|
| One | $125,200 |
| Two | $169,200 |
| Three | $213,200 |
| Four | $257,200 |
| Five | $301,200 |
| Six | $345,200 |
| Seven | $389,200 |
| Eight **** | $433,200 |
*These requirements are defined by the state of Illinois.
**NIU will continue to offer AIM HIGH programs on a rolling basis after the priority deadline as funds remain available. AIM HIGH programs will not be automatically included in financial aid offers after the State of Illinois MAP Grant suspense date.
***Household limits may vary from year to year.
****For more than eight people in the household, add $43,040 for each person.
Still have more questions about AIM HIGH programs?
Learn about renewal criteria your AIM HIGH program funding and explore AIM HIGH frequently asked questions.