SPRINGFIELD – Legislation sponsored by State Senator Paul Faraci which makes the AIM HIGH Grant Pilot Program permanent is now law.

“This will help students from working-class families afford college,” said Faraci (D-Champaign). “We need to keep our best and brightest here, and this legislation will really make a difference.”

Beginning with the 2019-2020 academic year, The Aspirational Institutional Match Helping Illinois Grow Higher Education (AIM HIGH) Grant Program has provided merit-based, means-tested student financial aid to first-time, full-time undergraduate students and transfer students who are Illinois residents attending any of the 12 Illinois public four-year universities. AIM HIGH-participating universities are required to provide matching funding for institutional awards for students who meet certain eligibility requirements, as well as those established by each individual university.

Senator Faraci’s legislation will do a few things, including making the AIM HIGH Grant Pilot Program permanent, increasing transparency in the program to allow more students to take advantage, increasing access for part-time students and making changes to the matching requirements for the public universities.

“Students from Illinois deserve the opportunity to afford college if that is the route they take,” said Faraci. “If we make things easier for our students, then they will stay after they graduate to help build our local economy.”

House Bill 301 was signed into law Friday and takes effect immediately.