If you currently receive federal, state, or institutional financial aid, you may be able to use some or all of your aid toward the cost of your SAI program. This includes scholarships, grants and loans* (personal and educational).
*SAI does not provide financial aid in the form of grants or loans.
Only your home university can confirm that the financial aid you currently receive may be used to fund your study abroad program. Your application can always be updated with your financial aid status and you will be subject to adhere to the financial deadlines.
As a student who utilizes financial aid, you have two options for paying your SAI program costs:
- Pay in full and reimburse yourself when your financial aid is disbursed. In this case, you will follow SAI’s regular payment schedule that consists of submitting application fee, security deposit, enrollment deposit, 50% of the program cost and then a final payment.
- Defer payment of your program cost balance (i.e., the amount that aid will cover) until your financial aid is disbursed. Only the amount covered by financial aid may be deferred. In this case, you are required to follow steps 1 – 5 below.
Steps for financial aid students who wish to defer payment
Step 1: Prior to submitting your application to SAI, speak with the financial aid office at your home university to ensure that you are able to use your financial aid (grants, scholarships, private or educational loans) toward your SAI program.
Step 2: Complete the SAI program application indicating the type of aid that you normally receive during a regular school year.
Step 3: Upon acceptance to your SAI program you’ll be asked to submit deposits to confirm your enrollment. After submitting your deposits, the SAI Business Office will send you the Financial Aid Agreement Waiver.
Step 4: Complete the Financial Aid Agreement Waiver and submit a $650 Financial Aid Program Deposit (see chart below for due date), which secures your position as a financial aid student with SAI. The $650 Financial Aid Program Deposit is not an additional cost, but will be applied toward your full program balance.
Step 5: Facilitate completion of the Financial Aid Verification Form by forwarding the digital document to the financial aid office at your home university or by downloading a pdf version of the Verification form and submitting the form to your financial aid office. When your Verification form is completed, all three parties will receive a copy of the Verification form. The SAI Business Office will make the necessary adjustments to your invoice and send it to you and the listed emergency contact, if permitted.
* Please note that failure to submit the Financial Aid Program Deposit and the Financial Aid Agreement Waiver by the deadline will automatically revert your application to a regular pay schedule. If a payment deadline has been missed, your enrollment will be paused until your financial account is settled.
DEADLINES
| Program Term | Financial Aid Program Deposit & Financial Agreement Waiver Due | Financial Aid Verification Paperwork Due | Final Payment Due | Deferred Payment Due |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | May 15** |
June 15 | July 1 | 2 weeks after disbursement |
| Spring Winter |
October 15** |
Nov. 15 | Dec. 1 | 2 weeks after disbursement |
| Jan Term Maymester Summer Short |
90 days prior to program start** | 76 days prior to program start | 60 days prior to program start | 2 weeks after disbursement |
** If you enroll after this date, the Financial Aid Program Deposit & Financial Agreement Waiver are due within 5 days of submitting enrollment deposits.
Please take careful note:
- Financial aid students are responsible for ensuring that all forms are submitted by the dates listed above. Students who are unable to meet the deadline may be granted an extension by submitting payment to bring their account current. Your university might require a prescreen form or Authorization form to release your financial information to SAI. Please be sure to complete the release form in a timely manner otherwise your form might not be completed by your home university. Due to FERPA laws, your home university might require a Prescreen form or an Authorization to Release Information in order to release financial aid information to SAI. Please be sure to complete any documents needed in a timely manner otherwise your Verification form might be delayed.
- Any SAI program balance not covered by financial aid must be paid to SAI by the regular payment due dates.
- Financial aid students are bound by the SAI Cancellation and Withdrawal Policy. If a student withdraws from a program before all fees are paid, they will be liable for any penalties reflected in the Cancellation Policy.
- Some Universities will not complete a digital Verification form but will instead have a portal for you to upload a PDF version. If this is the case for you, your form will be emailed to you.
SAI Financial Aid Resources
- General Financial Aid Information (PDF) (106KB)
- Upcoming Webinars:
- To be announced soon
- If you have missed these live webinars, they will be available for you once the session is over.
- If you have any questions please reach out to financialaid@saiprograms.com. Students who are enrolled should reach out to their SAI Financial Representative.