Applying for Financial Aid
Dig into your options
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 two hours to fill out, but it is the essential first step to getting aid. After completing the FAFSA, our financial aid office will put together a custom financial aid package which will include federal and state grants, federal and state loan options, SAU scholarships and grants and any other aid that is available.
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 Stafford 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 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 a FAFSA is completed, financial information is provided from the prior tax year which in this economy is often not reflective of an individual’s or 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 your financial aid counselor to review your situation. We cannot guarantee that there will always be additional aid available; however, your financial aid counselor will be happy to review your situation.
Please note that minor changes in income do not typically impact aid eligibility.
Loans
Loans are money you must pay back after finishing school. Although nobody wants to have to take out loans for school, a majority of our 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) must be completed for all first Federal Stafford Loans taken at Spring Arbor University*) and state 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...
Grants
Grants are free money, usually earned by meeting certain qualifications that aren't performance-related. Every year, there is over one billion dollars of unclaimed grant money for college students. Students are awarded grant money based on various factors and situations. There’s a good chance you will qualify for some grant money. Check out the grant money available through SAU, or check out other places where grant money is available. Learn more...
Scholarships
You’ll soon discover that all those late night study sessions or all that time spent on the athletic field were well worth it. Scholarships are free money, typically connected to performance, be it academic, athletic, leadership or some other area. 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...
Financial Aid resources
Federal School Code - 002318
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 Web site.
Work-study
The federal government provides funds to colleges and universities to provide students with on-campus employment. Learn more...
Other financial aid options
Below are links to Web sites about other financial aid available to undergraduate students: