Parent & Family Financial Services

Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) as soon as possible after October 1 at FAFSA.gov. Remember to list SAIC in the school section using FAFSA school code: 001753. This application must be completed every year to qualify for aid. Review key FAFSA dates and deadlines below.

Every college and university awards financial aid differently, using individual criteria and many different processes, so it is best to familiarize yourself with SAIC’s financial aid process. Learn more about Cost & Financial Aid at SAIC.

Failing to provide requested information on various financial aid forms is one of the most common mistakes people make when applying for financial aid. For instance, if a required Social Security number is missing from the FAFSA, it will be automatically rejected.

Each year, calculate your budget for each semester and academic year. After your student receives their award letter, confirm that you and/or your student have enough funds to cover direct costs charged to their student account and indirect costs for living, transportation, personal, and book/supply costs. Helpful calculation forms with sample figures are available on the Student Financial Services website. 

If further funds are needed, you may need to apply for additional loan funds. Some loans such as Federal Direct PLUS and alternative/private loans offer the option of preapprovals for credit before the application is submitted for processing. The suggested time to complete loan applications is at least one to two months before the academic year or semester begins.

Student Financial Services sends a number of communications to students throughout the year. Make sure your student is forwarding those emails to you, as appropriate.

A wealth of information about paying for college is available. You can find resources via the internet, the local library, the government, banks and lenders, and the financial aid offices of colleges and universities. You may want to consider researching outside scholarships as well. Ideally, a student should apply for outside scholarships 12–14 months before the academic year begins. 

Suggested websites to search for outside scholarships are listed on the Student Financial Services website.

At SAIC, we offer multiple payment methods to fit your needs, including check or money order, in-person payments, credit/debit card payments, international payments, electronic check payments, and more. Learn more about how to make your payment.

Electronic bills are available to students and payers in Transact. Payers are set up by the student in Transact, and an email notification is sent each month to students and payers when a new bill is available. Learn more about payment plan timing and enrollment here.

To stay on track with your tuition payments, please note the following due dates:

Payment arrangements must be completed by the 15th before each semester to avoid late fees and restrictions on campus access, registration, and transcript releases.

Note: Payments received by December 20 each year will be credited to your account and included on that year's 1098-T form (if eligible). Payments after December 20 will be credited in January and included on the following year's 1098-T form. More information is available at saic.edu/1098t.

It is important to keep your student's account current. Students whose accounts are delinquent will have a hold placed on their records, preventing them from future registration and possibly limiting their access on campus. In addition, transcripts and diplomas will not be released until all financial obligations to SAIC have been met. Learn more.