SAIC Scholarships & Grants for Undergraduate Students

SAIC awards merit scholarships to students who demonstrate exceptional levels of thoughtfulness, skill, conceptual capabilities, and academic groundedness. Scholarships are financial awards that do not need to be repaid. All students are automatically considered for merit scholarship. No additional application is required, and merit scholarships are awarded at the time of admission based on a holistic view of your portfolio and application materials.

Advice for Developing a Merit Scholarship Portfolio 

• Be bold, experiment, take risks, and be inventive. 
• Show us what makes you different, present your work in a clear and cohesive manner, and go beyond technique. 
• Build a portfolio of thematic work—multiple pieces that share similar ideas, techniques, or media. 
• Mesh great ideas—political, environmental, and even social within your work. 
• Think about your portfolio as a gallery show you are curating. 
• Highlight work that is consistently expressive, curious, and thought-provoking. 
   

Students considered for a merit scholarship may receive one of the scholarships listed below: 

• Presidential 
• Trustee
• Distinguished
• Premiere
• Honors
• Esteemed
• Recognition
• Influential 
• Incentive 
• Enrichment
   

Please contact the Office of Admissions at 800.232.7242 or by email at admiss@saic.edu for more information about merit-based scholarships and the scholarship review process for new students.

• What It Is: Offered to admitted PTK members, enhancing any other merit scholarships received.
• Amount: $2,000 per academic year.
• How to Apply: No additional application required; candidates are automatically considered through the admission process.

• What It Is: Available for children of employees at colleges within the Tuition Exchange consortium.
• Amount: Determined yearly by the Tuition Exchange consortium; for 2027–28, it is $44,000.
• How to Apply: Submit a complete application through the regular SAIC admissions process by February 1, while requesting a Tuition Exchange Scholarship at your parent’s workplace.
• Learn More: For more details on eligibility and application, visit tuitionexchange.org.

• You must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine your financial need. 
• Eligibility may also depend on your enrollment status (full-time/part-time) and specific financial criteria set by SAIC 

1. Complete the FAFSA: Submit your FAFSA as early as possible to ensure your financial need is assessed. 
2. Submit Additional Documents: You may be required to provide supplementary financial information or documents. 
3. Review Notifications: Once your application is processed, check your SAIC email for scholarship offers. 

In order to be eligible for need-based aid, please file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at fafsa.gov (even if you’re unsure if you’ll qualify). Remember to file your FAFSA as soon as possible as some types of assistance are limited. 

October 1 — New FAFSA opens for next award year. 

November 15 — Students applying for Early Action admission who indicate within their application that they intend to apply for aid are required to complete the FAFSA by the November 15 Early Action application deadline. This will allow SAIC to provide a full financial aid award offer along with your admission decision. If SAIC has not received your FAFSA by November 15, your application will be moved to the Regular Action admission pool.

January 1 — SAIC priority deadline for completing the FAFSA for undergraduate Illinois residents.

January 15 — Students applying for Regular Action admission who intend to apply for aid are required to complete the FAFSA by the January 15 Regular Action application deadline, so we may issue your full financial package at the same time as your admission decision. If your admission application is received by January 15 but your FAFSA is not completed until later, we will notify you of your admission decision, merit scholarship award, and full financial aid award within two weeks of SAIC’s receipt of your completed FAFSA. Note, a delay in completing your FAFSA may impact the amount you receive for any institutional awards, as there is a limited pool of this type of funding available.

February 1 — SAIC priority deadline for completing the FAFSA for all other students. 

April 15 — SAIC begins sending award letters for eligible continuing students who have completed a FAFSA. 

Pro-Tips:

• Click here for tutorials and helpful information on filling out the FAFSA.
• Please include our school code, #001753, on the FAFSA so that your information is sent directly to SAIC.