Undergraduate Financial Aid

As an undergraduate student, you have many options to help pay for school. But, figuring it all out can be overwhelming.

At Spring Arbor University, receiving the financial assistance you need is simple. All you need to do is apply for admission and fill out a FAFSA form using our federal school code of 002318. Make SAU your first college choice on the FAFSA if you are considering attending SAU.

FAFSA is different this year. Learn more about what to expect on our FAFSA information page.

To help you get an idea of your future financial aid package from SAU, check out our Net Price Calculator to estimate your tuition/financial aid.

Net Price Calculator
Set Up a Payment Plan

FAFSA

Before you do anything, fill out the FAFSA (stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid). It is the federal form that will determine what aid is available for you. It usually takes about 55 minutes to fill out, but it is the essential first step to getting aid. After you complete the FAFSA, our financial aid office will put together a custom financial aid package which will include any federal and state grants, federal and state loan options, and SAU scholarships and grants available to you.

Make SAU your first college choice on the FAFSA if you are considering attending SAU. Our federal school code is 002318. You must complete separate loan request forms for any and all Federal Direct Loans desired.* This is above and beyond the FAFSA form you are required to submit. Apply in a timely manner and follow up on any aid/loan if you do not receive a response within four to six weeks. Federal guidelines are strict, and if all information is not submitted within certain time limits, you may be ineligible for certain types of aid.

We also have a wide assortment of online links to peruse in the “Financial Aid Resources” tab, where you’ll learn about the other financial aid avenues open to you.

Financial Aid Adjustments for Loss of Income

We realize that these are challenging economic times for many families in Michigan and across the U.S., and are committed to doing what we can to assist you with finding all of the financial aid available.

When you complete the FAFSA, you are providing financial information from the prior tax year, which is sometimes not reflective of your family’s current financial picture. To assist in situations in which the current income may be less than the income on which the FAFSA was based, the government allows schools to use what is considered Professional Judgment to use current financial information. In fact, the U.S. Department of Education recently issued guidance that provides schools with some additional options for individuals who have been receiving unemployment benefits.

If your family has experienced a loss of income, we encourage you to contact our financial aid office to review your situation (517.750.2900). We cannot guarantee that there will always be additional aid available; however, we will be happy to review your situation.

Please note that minor changes in income do not typically impact aid eligibility.

Grants, Scholarships and Loans

Grants are free money, usually awarded based on need rather than performance. Learn more about grants.

You’ll soon discover that all those late night study sessions or all that time spent practicing athletics, music or art were well worth it. Scholarships are free money, typically connected to performance, be it academic, athletic, music or art. Check out our scholarship offerings and use our academic scholarship eligibility table to calculate how much money your academic achievements will get you. Learn more about scholarships.

Loans are money you must pay back after finishing school. Although nobody wants to have to take out loans for school, a majority of students must take out some form of loan for college. We can provide you options for low-interest, fixed-rate federal (a Master Promissory Note (MPN) and Entrance Counseling (EC) must be completed for all first Federal Direct Loans taken at Spring Arbor University) loans for higher education after you complete your FAFSA. You qualify for different loans based on your and your family’s financial status. Learn more about loans.

Financial Aid Application Process

  1. Student is accepted to SAU.
  2. Student completes a FAFSA entering SAU’s federal code of 002318.
  3. Student completes the verification process if notified he/she has been selected.
  4. The SAU Financial Aid Staff determines eligibility for institutional, state, and federal awards based on the rules that govern each program. Details of eligibility requirements and the selection process can be obtained by contacting the Financial Aid office. Institutional, state, and federal need-based awards are based on the information provided on the FAFSA and the resulting EFC (estimated family contribution).
    1. Additional information regarding specific programs may be found on the Types of Aid web page.
  5. Financial aid is disbursed each semester via electronic posting to a student’s school account once eligibility is verified.
  6. Students are required to make satisfactory academic progress (SAP) to maintain financial aid eligibility each year. Details of the SAP policy are available from the Financial Aid office.
  7. Students must meet enrollment requirements applicable to each aid program from which they receive an award.
    • Institutional awards — Typically full-time
    • State awards — half-time (awards will be pro-rated if less-than-full-time)
    • Federal Direct and PLUS loans — half-time (awards will be pro-rated if less-than-full-time)
    • Pell Grant – at least one-credit hour
    • Contact the Financial Aid office for enrollment requirements for other types of awards
    • Note that audit credits are not counted when determining aid eligibility or enrollment levels.
  8. Students receiving federal work-study must continue to have need as determined by the federal formula to maintain work-study eligibility.
  9. Awards may be renewed based on the award requirements for each type of award.
  •  Students exceeding their assessed need, as determined by the FAFSA, from the combination of SAU aid and aid from other sources, will have their SAU aid reduced to allow for full use of aid from the outside sources.
  • You must notify the Financial Aid Office if you receive other forms of financial assistance not listed on this award letter.
  • If you withdraw from SAU or drop classes before completing the semester, you may be required to repay all or a portion of the financial aid you have received.
  • You must complete Direct Loan online Entrance Counseling and a Direct Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN) at studentloans.gov before your loans can be processed.
  • If you have questions regarding the MPN process, please contact the Direct Loan Applicant Service line at 800.557.7394.

Off-Campus Study Programs

  • Students enrolled in a program of study abroad approved for credit by SAU may be considered as enrollment at SAU for purposes of applying for federal student financial aid.
  • Students are not eligible for regular institutional awards during a period of study abroad; however, some funding is available during a study abroad semester. Contact the Financial Aid office for details.

Federal Student Financial Aid Penalties for Drug Law Violations

Students convicted of any drug offense during a period of enrollment for which the student was receiving Title IV, HEA program funds, under any federal or state law involving the possession or sale of illegal drugs will result in the loss of eligibility for any Title IV, HEA grant, loan or work-study assistance.

Financial Aid Resources

Federal School Code – 002318

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at benefits.va.gov/gibill.

Michigan Educational Trust (MET)

Set up an educational trust fund for your student prior to them enrolling in college. To learn more, visit the MET website.

Work-study

The federal government provides funds to colleges and universities to provide students with on-campus employment. Learn more about student employment at SAU.

Other financial aid options

Below are links to websites about other financial aid available to undergraduate students:

Questions? Don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Find contact information for the Financial Aid Office here: