Paying for tuition is top of mind for many students and their families. Let’s look at the monthly breakdown of your options for paying for college with SPU scholarships, outside scholarships, the FAFSA, and more.
Apply to SPU
Your admission application automatically puts you in the running for most SPU scholarships. Whether you’re an artist, athlete, or aspiring engineer, find the scholarships you qualify for and follow directions on how to apply. The earlier you do this, the better!
- First-year students Early Action deadline (for priority admission!): November 1
- First-year students regular deadline: January 15
- Transfer students Early Action deadline: April 1
- Transfer students entering Autumn Quarter: Apply by July 1
The next most important step is to file your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
File your FAFSA
Some student aid programs have limited funds so the sooner you file The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) – the better off you’ll be. The FAFSA is used to determine the type and amount of financial aid you qualify for and is available to file on October 1.
- First day to file for all students: October 1
- First-year Early Action priority date to file: November 1
- First-year deadline to file (for priority consideration): January 15
- Transfer Early Action priority date to file: April 1
- Transfer student priority date to file: July 1
Important note: Even if you miss the priority deadline, turn in your completed FAFSA as soon as you can so we can give you the best award possible. And if you’re a continuing student, you’ll need to file the FAFSA yearly (the priority date to file is May 1), in order to be considered for ongoing aid.
Apply for SPU scholarships
Your admission application is your application for most SPU scholarships! However, SPU also administers outside scholarships, including ROTC awards or veterans’ benefits, church match scholarships, and specific donor awards. In addition, you can apply for various partial tuition scholarships including engineering, fine arts, and athletics scholarships and awards.
As a transfer student, alongside SPU-administered grants and awards, you’re automatically considered for merit-based scholarships and transfer awards, and can also apply for degree-specific awards and partial tuition scholarships.
Deadlines: various
Apply for outside scholarships
Find scholarship opportunities for SPU students from outside agencies and organizations. You can browse through all of them, or search using specific keywords. You can also search for scholarships in scholarship databases organized according to majors or areas of interest on our Scholarship Search Sites page.
Deadlines: Various
Choose the right payment plan
Don’t forget to look into payment plans and choose one that’s right for you. These plans help students and families spread their college bills over several months.
Find a part-time or Work-Study job
In addition, think about Student Employment: getting a part-time job or being part of a work-study program. SPU offers several job-searching and application resources. Many work-study jobs are available to students on campus. Studies have shown that working part-time improves school performance and increases your chances of finding a job after graduation — all the while putting money in your pocket!
