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 website. Learn about federal student aid from the U.S. Department of Education by visiting www.studentaid.ed.gov.

SAU Grants

Diversity Grant

• Eligibility: All American minority students who apply for the Multicultural Leadership Scholarship, but are not selected
• Value: $6,000 ($1,500 per year) 
• Applying: Complete the application process for the Multicultural Leadership Scholarship by Feb. 15 (contact the Office of Intercultural Relations)
• Renewal policy: Renewable; maintain involvement in the 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 (Grant amount can change each year as family's unmet need changes)

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: Free Methodist licensed ministerial student, minister, missionary or dependent
• Value: Between 35 percent and 60 percent of tuition. The discount includes all types of institutional aid, including but not limited to academic scholarships, need based aid, endowed scholarships, etc.
• Applying: No application required; documentation may be requested
• Renewal policy: Renewable 

Note: These discount levels are available only to traditional campus program students. Students enrolled in a GPS undergraduate program are eligible for up to a 25% total ministerial discount or a 50% missionary discount if they meet the criteria listed above.

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; financial need; student receiving MTG not eligible to receive MCS
• Value: $1,610 estimated maximum
• Applying: File FAFSA by MTG deadline. Spring Arbor University must be listed first on your FAFSA
• Renewal policy: Submit FAFSA annually by MTG deadline

Federal Pell Grant

• Eligibility: Financial need
• Value: $555 to $5,550
• 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

TEACH Grant

• Eligibility: Undergraduate teacher education students planning to teach in high-need fields (Note: Grant converts to federal unsubsidized Stafford Loan if criteria are not met.) TEACH Grant
• Value: $4,000 each year ($16,000 total for four-year undergraduate program)
• 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).

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.