Huskie Pledge

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for a Huskie Pledge Grant, you must:

• Be an Illinois resident.
• Be a graduate of an Illinois high school during the 2022-2023 school year.
• Have a cumulative 3.0 high school GPA or higher.
• Be a full-time (12 hours per semester) incoming freshman at NIU in the fall of 2023.
• Apply for admission to NIU and file a FAFSA or the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid by the priority deadline of Feb. 1, 2023.
• Have a parent who is an Illinois resident listed on your FAFSA or Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid.
• Have a family adjusted gross income at or below $75,000. This information will be collected on the 2023-24 FAFSA or Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid using the 2021 tax year.
• Have family assets of $75,000 or less, as defined by the FAFSA. (Home equity and the value of retirement accounts are not considered.)
• Meet all criteria as outlined by the State of Illinois AIM HIGH program.

How It Works

The Huskie Pledge Grant covers tuition and general fee expenses that aren't met by other financial aid. To determine the amount of your Huskie Pledge Grant, we'll look at your initial NIU, federal and state aid. This includes:

• Federal Pell and Supplemental Grants.
• Illinois Monetary Award Program (MAP) grants.
• Merit scholarships.
• Advantage Grant (our traditional need-based grant).

If you qualify, you'll receive a Huskie Pledge Grant in the amount of any remaining expenses for tuition and general fees.

If you continue to meet renewal eligibility criteria, you'll receive the same Huskie Pledge Grant amount for up to four more years, regardless of changes to your other financial aid.

See examples.