Grants
Free money is good – see if you qualify for free aid by way of the following grants. The list below includes grants through Spring Arbor University, as well as the federal government and state government. To learn more about the financial aid offered at the state level, visit the Michigan student financial aid Web site. Learn about federal student aid from the U.S. Department of Education by visiting www.studentaid.ed.gov.
SAU Grants
Early Planning Grant
Diversity Grant
- Eligibility: All American minority students who meet the criteria and apply for the Multicultural Leadership Scholarship, but are not selected
- Value: $1,500
- Applying: Complete the application process for the Multicultural Leadership Scholarship
- Renewal policy: Renewable each year; must maintain certified involvement in Multicultural Student Organization
SAU Grant
- Eligibility: Students who demonstrate a significant level of unmet need
- Value: Varies based on unmet need
- Applying: Submit FAFSA
- Renewal policy: Submit FAFSA; recalculated each year
Athletic Grant
- Eligibility: Factors considered include leadership, academic standing, sportsmanship, respect for authority, student relationships, competitive spirit and ability
- Value: Varies, but precludes most forms of SAU aid other than academic
- Applying: Complete recruit form available from SAU Athletic Web site
- Renewal policy: Renewable
Endowed and Annually Funded Scholarships/Grants
- Eligibility: Each scholarship has specific requirements
- Value: Varies, depending on funding
- Applying: Submit SAU Supplemental Aid Application by Feb. 15
- Renewal policy: Renewable with annual application
Free Methodist Ministerial/Missionary Discount
- Eligibility: Fulfill one of the following criteria:
- Student declaring intention of full-time Christian ministry service with the Free Methodist Church
- Dependent of a Free Methodist minister (active, retired or deceased)
- Ordained Free Methodist minister in pastorate
- Free Methodist missionary or dependent of Free Methodist missionaries in active service or on furlough
- Value: Those fulfilling criterion number 1, number 2 or number 3 receive a 25 percent tuition discount. Those fulfilling criteria number 4 receive at least 50 percent off tuition, plus an additional scholarship up to 100 percent of need.
- Applying: No application required; minister must submit copy of license
- Renewal policy: Renewable
Free Methodist Church Matching Grant
- Eligibility: Any Free Methodist student whose home church provides a scholarship on their behalf
- Value: Maximum of $2,000 per year, matched dollar-for-dollar
- Applying: Contact the SAU Office of Financial Aid for appropriate form
- Renewal policy: Renewable each year in which a scholarship is received from the home church
State and Federal Government Grants
Michigan Tuition Grant
- Eligibility: Michigan resident attending private college in Michigan; have financial need (student receiving MTG not eligible to receive MCS)
- Value: $2,100 maximum (for 2008-09)
- Applying: File FAFSA by state deadline. Contact the financial aid office for official date. A private college in Michigan must be listed first on your FAFSA
- Renewal policy: Submit FAFSA annually
Federal Pell Grant
- Eligibility: Financial need
- Value: $890 to $4731 (2008-09)
- Applying: Submit FAFSA
- Renewal policy: Submit FAFSA annually
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
- Eligibility: Pell Grant recipients with exceptional financial need
- Value: $100 to $4,000
- Applying: Submit FAFSA
- Renewal policy: Submit FAFSA annually
Federal College Work Study Program (CWS)
- Eligibility: Financial need
- Value: Varies; student usually works less than 15 hours per week
- Applying: Submit FAFSA and SAU Campus Work Application
- Renewal: Submit FAFSA annually
Federal Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)
- Eligibility: Pell Grant recipient, U.S. citizen, full-time student; demonstrated need; first-time regular student - first-year rigorous high school curriculum, second year at least 3.0 GPA - first and second years of undergraduate program
- Value: $750 first year; $1,300 second year
- Applying: Submit FAFSA
- Renewal: Submit FAFSA annually
Federal SMART Grant
- Eligibility: Pell Grant recipient, U.S. citizen, full-time; demonstrated need; GPA at least 3.0; Eligible major, i.e. math, science, computer science; third and fourth years of undergraduate program
- Value: $4,000 each year
- Applying: Submit FAFSA
- Renewal: Submit FAFSA annually
TEACH Grant
- Eligibility: Undergraduate teacher education, master's in special education or master's in education students planning to teach in high-need fields (must work in high-needs field, or grant will be converted into a federal unsubsidized Stafford Loan).
- Value: $4,000 each year ($16,000 total for four-year undergraduate programs; $8,000 total for graduate studies)
- Applying: Submit FAFSA and TEACH application
- Renewal: Submit FAFSA annually (Note: Acceptance of the TEACH Grant may reduce the Michigan Tuition Grant and Michigan Competitive Scholarship eligibility).
- To learn more, click here.
Private Donors and Lenders
Financial aid from private parties usually takes the form of scholarships and grants that businesses, organizations or donors established to honor local students. Be it the Rotary or Lions Club, an area bank or hospital, or a wealthy citizen, you can be eligible for these by entering a certain field of study, attending a certain college or university, participating in certain extracurricular activities or graduating with a certain GPA. Loans might come from a bank or relative.