Payment Options

Payment in full or payment arrangements of any balance not covered by financial aid must be made by the 15th before each semester begins in order to avoid late fees, restriction of access on campus, and prevention from future registration and release of academic transcripts/ diplomas.

Tuition/Fees Payment Due Dates

Term

Due Date

Summer

May 15

Fall

August 15

Winter

December 15

Spring

January 15

Payment Options

Check or Money Order (Cash is not accepted): Bursar's Office - Sharp Building 
(Made payable in US currency, drawn on a US bank)

Mail

SAIC Bursar's Office 
37 S. Wabash Ave., Suite 245 
Chicago, IL 60603 
312.899.5122 
Do not send 529 Plan or Outside Scholarship payments to the Bursar's Office. To avoid delays in processing, those payments must be sent to the Student Financial Services office.

In Person

SAIC Bursar's Office 
37 S. Wabash Ave., Suite 245 
Monday – Friday, 11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. 
312.899.5122 

Transact (Credit/Debit Card), Wire Transfer, International Payments, ACH (Automated Clearing House)/Electronic Checks


How to pay by Credit/Debit card in Transact

  1. Log in to Transact: Students—Log into Self-service and click on the Transact button in the Financial Account section. Your internet browser's pop-up blocker must be turned off so Transact will open in a new tab or window. 
    Parents/Authorized Payer—Log in to Transact directly.
  2. Initiate Checkout: In the bottom right-hand corner, click Make a Payment and enter the amount you wish to pay. Then scroll down and click Continue.
  3. Choose the Credit Card Payment Option: On the Payment Method drop down menu, select Credit Card and click Continue.
  4. Enter the Credit Card Information: Enter the cardholder name, credit card number, expiration date, and security code.
  5. Click Continue to Proceed with Checkout: You may choose to save your credit card for future use.

U.S. credit card payments are subject to a 2.75 percent fee. Foreign credit card fees may vary depending on the country.

International Payments in Transact: US and Non-US Currencies

Students and families that would like to make international payments towards the student’s tuition and fees student account at SAIC can do so in Transact by choosing “International Payment” as the payment method upon checkout. There you will have two payment entities to choose from; Convera and Flywire. You may wish to compare exchange rates with both to choose your best option. Students access Transact through Self-Service and others that have been set up by the student as a Payer by the student can access Transact.

How to Obtain Wire Payment Instructions from Transact

SAIC's wire payments are processed in Transact. The following steps will guide you through the process:

  1. Log in to Transact: Students—Log into Self-service and click on the Transact button in the Financial Account section. Your internet browser's pop-up blocker must be turned off so Transact will open in a new tab or window. Parents/Authorized Payer—Log in to Transact directly.
  2. Initiate Checkout: In the bottom right-hand corner, click Make a Payment and enter the amount you wish to pay. Then scroll down and click Continue.
  3. Choose the International Payment Option: On the Payment Method drop down menu, select International Payment and click Continue.
  4. Enter the Currency Information: Select the country you are paying from and click Get a quote. On the next screen, select your desired currency.
    1. If your home currency conversion displayed is higher than what your bank offers, please scroll to the bottom and click Show More Options to select USD. Selecting USD will allow you to take advantage of your bank's currency conversion rate.
    2. If your home currency conversion displayed is the same or less than what your bank offers, you may select your home currency to take advantage of Convera’s currency conversion rate.
  5. Obtain Wire Transfer Instructions: You will receive wire transfer instructions that are valid for 72 hours.
  6. Instruct Your Bank to Transfer the Funds (Do Not Go to a Convera or Flywire Location): Use the wire transfer instructions provided to complete the payment through your bank. Your SAIC student account will be credited with the payment within 2-5 business days. Please do not reuse old wire payment instructions as this may cause delays with your payment. These steps must be completed each time you wish to make a wire payment.

If your payment does not credit to your SAIC student account within 2–5 business days, please contact Convera directly by phone at 1.877.218.8829, Flywire at 1.800.346.9252 or by email at students.convera.com or support@flywire.com for further assistance.

How to pay by Electronic Check (ACH) in Transact

  1. Log in to Transact: Students—Log into Self-service and click on the Transact button in the Financial Account section. Your internet browser's pop-up blocker must be turned off so Transact will open in a new tab or window. Parents/Authorized Payer—Log into Transact.
  2. Initiate Checkout: In the bottom right-hand corner, click Make a Payment and enter the amount you wish to pay. Then scroll down and click Continue.
  3. Choose the Electronic Check Payment Option: On the Payment Method drop down menu, select New bank account and click Continue.
  4. Enter the Bank Account Information: Enter the bank account holder name, account type, routing number, and bank account number. (Please note: wire routing numbers and debit card numbers are not used with electronic check payments.)
  5. Click Continue to Proceed with Checkout: You may choose to save your account for future use.

529 College Savings/Qualified Education Plans

Please be sure all information and payments are sent to the Student Financial Service office and NOT to the Bursar's Office to avoid a delay in the processing of these funds. A 529 Plan is an education savings plan operated by a state or educational institution designed to help families set aside funds for future college costs. Students should list the 529 Plan amount in the asset section of the FAFSA if the 529 Plan is in the name of the student or the dependent student's parent. It may be necessary for SAIC to adjust a student's FAFSA and their award package to meet federal, state, and institutional awarding policies. A 529 Plan payment will be applied as a "payment" on the student's account.

529 Plan Processing and Instructions

Students using a 529, College Savings or Qualified Education Plan to pay for educational expenses must notify Student Financial Services prior to the beginning of the semester. Students should complete a request to receive funds from their state provider four weeks before the payment due date each semester that they are using the 529 Plan as payment towards their tuition charges. If the funding from these resources is intended to be used to pay for the balance due on the semester's payment due date and will not be received in time, we recommend that you enroll in a semester payment plan in order to keep your student account in good standing. Dates to request funds from your provider are as follows:

Term

Date to Request Funds

from State Provider

Tuition/Fees

Payment Due Date

Summer

April 15

May 15

Fall

July 15

August 15

Winter

November 15

December 15

Spring

December 15

January 15

Students should inform the state provider sending the funds to the Student Financial Services office that their name and student ID number should appear on all correspondence and transactions. If the agency that holds your 529 benefits requires invoices, please contact Student Financial Services immediately with the contact information of the agency, and the name of the student. In some cases, SAIC may be required to complete a form or letter of credit that is provided by the 529 Plan provider.

Payments and correspondence should be sent to:

School of the Art Institute of Chicago 
Attn: 529 Administrator 
Student Financial Services, Sullivan Center 
36 S. Wabash Ave., Suite 1200 
Chicago IL 60603