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Scholarships and Financial Aid

85% of degree students are awarded some form of financial aid

$46 million in financial aid is awarded annually to SAIC degree students

95% of SAIC students are employed or in grad school six months after graduation
Scholarships
SAIC Merit Scholarships
We award merit scholarships to new students based on a holistic review of student portfolios, test scores, artist statements, academic records, and recommendations. Merit scholarships are annually renewed as long as students maintain a successful academic standing. Merit scholarships range from $2,000 to $25,000 per year. Scholarships are financial awards that do not need to be repaid.
Types of Merit Scholarships
- Presidential
- Distinguished
- Honors
- Recognition
- Incentive
- Enrichment
International:
- Trustee
- Premier
- Esteemed
- Influential
No additional application is required; merit scholarships are awarded at the time of admission based on a holistic view of your portfolio and application materials. Learn more about how to assemble a scholarship-winning portfolio.
Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship
Admitted Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) applicants will qualify to receive a $2,000 PTK Scholarship, per academic year, through the admissions process once PTK status is verified. This is in addition to any other merit scholarships awarded through SAIC Admissions. A separate application is not necessary for this award.
Scholarships and Deferred Admissions
If you defer admission to a later term, you will need to resubmit an updated portfolio, statement of intent, and recent transcripts to be considered for future merit-based scholarships.
Outside Scholarships
In addition to SAIC scholarships, there are many sources of outside scholarships. We encourage students to begin their search early.
We also post frequent opportunities on our Facebook and Twitter pages.
Financial Aid
FAFSA
U.S. Citizens and eligible non-citizens should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be considered for need- and non-need based aid.
Important Dates:
OCT 1 | FAFSA Opens |
DEC 1 | FAFSA Priority Deadline |
JAN 15 | FAFSA Award Letters sent for admitted Fall students who have applied |
Find tutorials and helpful information on filling out the FAFSA.
Please include our school code, #001753, on the FAFSA so that your information is sent directly to us to evaluate.
Gift Assistance
Federal and state governments offer gift assistance (which does not need to be repaid) to eligible students.
Examples include:
- SAIC need-based grants and scholarships
- Endowed and restricted scholarships
- Federal Pell Grants
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG)
- Veterans Benefits
- Monetary Award Program (MAP) for Illinois residents attending approved Illinois schools
- Other state-funded programs
Employment Opportunities
- Federal Work Study Program
- Institutional Employment
Loans
- Federal Direct Subsidized Stafford Loan>
- Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan
- Federal Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS)
- Private Education Loans
For further details on Financial Aid, please visit our Student Financial Services pages.