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Online/Hybrid Undergraduate Aid
The financial aid process can seem overwhelming – it doesn’t have to be.
We are here to help you every step of the way. We believe that a high-quality, Christian education should be accessible and affordable. That is why 100% of our undergraduate students receive financial aid assistance. Together, we will find a financial aid package that will make your journey to Anderson University a reality.
Undergraduate students can apply for financial aid as early as October 1 each year and may be eligible for institutional awards, federal & state financial aid, and outside funding. Types of financial aid are listed below.
Have any questions? We’re happy to help.
Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships
316 Boulevard, Anderson, SC 29621
864.231.7555 | Aid@AndersonUniversity.edu
SOUTH CAROLINA STATE AID
This scholarship is awarded to academically outstanding SC residents who attend an in-state college full-time. For more information, please visit www.che.sc.gov.
Application: Students must meet the academic criteria of the program and apply by the deadline dates of their senior year. Applications and additional information are available through the high school guidance office.
Eligibility: General eligibility requirements can be found at www.che.sc.gov. Academic requirements are as follows:
- For early awards:
- A minimum score of 1200 on the SAT (25 on the ACT) by the March national test administration, minimum 3.50 cumulative GPA on the SC UGP at the end of the junior year, and rank in the top 6% of the class at the end of the sophomore or junior year.
OR
- A minimum score of 1400 on the SAT (31 on the ACT) by the March national test administration and earn a minimum 4.00 cumulative GPA on the SC UGP at the end of the junior year.
- For late awards:
- Minimum score of 1200 on the SAT (25 on the ACT) by the June national test administration of the senior year, minimum 3.50 cumulative GPA on the SC UGP at the end of the senior year, and rank in the top 6% of the class at the end of the sophomore, junior, or senior year.
OR
- A minimum score of 1400 on the SAT (31 on the ACT) by the June national test administration of the senior year and a minimum 4.00 cumulative GPA on the SC UGP at the end of the senior year.
Continuation: Students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and earn 30 credit hours each academic year at AU or a PFS-eligible institution. (Note: The 3.0 GPA requirement is based on AU classes only.) Credit hours earned before high school graduation, hours exempted, CLEP, IB, and AP cannot be used to meet the credit hour requirement. The PFS is limited to 8 semesters.
This is a merit-based scholarship that is available to SC students who attend an in-state college full-time. For more information, please visit www.che.sc.gov
Application: There is no application for this scholarship. Students must meet all general and academic requirements to receive the scholarship.
Eligibility: General eligibility requirements can be found at www.che.sc.gov. First-time freshmen attending an eligible four-year institution must meet two of these criteria:
- Earn a 3.0 cumulative GPA based on the SC UGP upon high school graduation.
- Score an 1100 on the SAT or 22 on the ACT.
- Rank in the top 30% of the graduating class.
Continuation: Students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and earn an average of 30 credit hours per year. Credit hours earned before high school graduation, hours exempted, CLEP, IB, and AP can be used to meet the credit hour requirement. The LIFE Scholarship is limited to 8 semesters.
This scholarship is available to SC freshman students who do not meet the criteria for the SC LIFE Scholarship. For more information, please visit www.che.sc.gov.
Application: There is no application for this scholarship. The student must meet general and academic requirements.
Eligibility: Students who do not meet SC LIFE Scholarship requirements but who graduate from high school with a minimum 3.0 GPA on the SC UGP.
Continuation: This scholarship is for freshmen only. If the student earns at least 30 hours with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, s/he can become eligible for the SC LIFE Scholarship in subsequent years.
This Enhancement is for Palmetto Fellows and LIFE Scholarship recipients (sophomores, juniors, seniors) who major in Accounting, Education, or STEM fields (i.e., math or science).
Eligibility: Students must meet (a) all eligibility requirements for the base scholarship and (b) additional requirements which may be found here.
Continuation: Students must the aforementioned requirements and meet all requirements for the base scholarship.
Additional Information: Please visit https://www.che.sc.gov/life-and-palmetto-fellows-math-and-science-scholarship-enhancements.
Note: The above requirements apply to the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years only. For questions regarding previous school years, please email the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships (aid@andersonuniversity.edu).
Students are responsible for checking all Enhancement requirements.
This is a need-based grant program for SC residents who attend an eligible in-state college on a full-time basis. For more information, please visit sctuitiongrants.org/
Application: The application to determine eligibility is the FAFSA, which students must complete online by August 1 each year.
Eligibility: Students must meet the following criteria:
- Students and parent(s), if dependent, must be a legal SC resident, domiciled in SC for a period of not less than 12 months prior to the start of the Fall Semester.
- The student must demonstrate need as determined by the FAFSA.
- Meet all eligibility requirements for federal (Title IV) financial aid programs.
- Enroll full-time at an eligible independent non-profit SC college.
Continuation: Students must satisfy AU’s SAP Policy and earn at least 24 credit hours during the previous academic year. The deadline for applying is August 1st for the following academic year.
FEDERAL GRANTS (FAFSA Required)
Pell Grants are a program for students who have not previously earned a baccalaureate degree. PELL Grants are considered to be the foundation of federal financial aid, to which aid from other federal and non-federal sources might be added. PELL Grants do not have to be repaid and can only be received for up to 12 full-time semesters of enrollment. Students can track their remaining PELL Grant eligibility on the Federal Student Aid website or the SAR.
The FSEOG is a program that awards a limited grant based on financial need, the availability of FSEOG funds at AU, and the amount of other aid received. To be eligible for consideration, a student must be eligible for a PELL Grant. For more information, please visit the Federal Student Aid website.
FEDERAL DIRECT LOANS (FAFSA Required)
Subsidized Loans are low-interest loans made by the US Department of Education (ED) that are awarded on the basis of financial need. No interest payments are required before repayment begins or during an authorized period of deferment. The federal government subsidizes the loan during these periods by paying the interest on behalf of the student. This loan does not require a credit check.
To determine eligibility, a student must complete a FAFSA and the AU financial aid process. Students must also complete an online Entrance Counseling session and sign a Master Promissory Note (MPN). Loan limits are determined by grade level. For more information, please visit the Federal Student Aid website.
The student must be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours each semester. Repayment begins 6 months after graduating or dropping below 6 credit hours. This 6-month period is referred to as the “grace period.”
Unsubsidized Loans are low-interest loans made by the US Department of Education (ED) that are not awarded on the basis of financial need. Students are charged interest from the time the loan is disbursed until it is paid in full. If the student chooses to have interest accumulate, the interest will be added to the added to principal amount (i.e., capitalization), and interest will then be charged based on the accumulated amount. Capitalization increases the amount that must ultimately be repaid. Students who choose to pay the interest while it accumulates will avoid capitalization and lower their loan payments. This loan does not require a credit check.
To determine eligibility, a student must complete a FAFSA and the AU financial aid process. Students must also complete an online Entrance Counseling session and sign a Master Promissory Note (MPN). Loan limits are determined by grade level. For more information, please visit the Federal Student Aid website.
The student must be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours each semester. Repayment begins 6 months after graduating or dropping below 6 credit hours. This 6-month period is referred to as the “grace period.”
This is available to parents of dependent students. The parent must be the student’s biological parent, adoptive parent, or student’s stepparent (if the biological or adoptive parent has remarried at the time of application).
Payments vary based on the amount borrowed and the interest rate in effect. Eligibility is determined by a credit check. Monthly repayment begins when the loan has been fully disbursed. The loan amount that can be borrowed cannot exceed the cost of attendance, less other aid awarded.
Before a parent can apply for this loan, the student must complete the FAFSA and be enrolled at least half-time. Parents must apply online at the Federal Student Aid website with the parent‘s FSA ID and password. If approved, the parent will be required to complete an MPN.
If the parent is denied this loan, a dependent student will be offered an additional Unsubsidized Loan based on his/her grade level. For more information, please visit the Federal Student Aid website.
OTHER FUNDING OPTIONS
Private student loans are the last resource for students who are not eligible for other financial aid or who may need additional funds to meet education expenses. Private student loans should be considered only when all other options have been exhausted, as they typically have higher interest rates than federal student loans, are credit-based, and do not always offer the same benefits as federal student loans. Students are responsible for finding the company through which they want to obtain the loan. Students can seek loan options through banks, credit unions, and other student loan services. Click here to access a tool that helps student research and apply for private student loans.
The FWS program provides part-time jobs for eligible students. To qualify, interested students must complete the FAFSA. These opportunities are hourly positions that pay students on a monthly basis. Earned income will not apply directly toward the student’s bill. Instead, student wages will be sent directly to the student’s bank account. Funding is limited. For more information, visit Student Employment Resources or email the Center for Career Development.
Many organizations offer their employees full or partial tuition reimbursement for furthering their education. Talk to your employer’s Human Resources Department to see if your organization offers tuition reimbursement benefits. For more information about how company reimbursement works see Anderson Central Services or contact the Anderson Central Office.
All authorization letters should be emailed to andersonuniversity@backpackpay.com. Click here to proceed.
Persons with physical disabilities which are vocational handicaps are eligible for financial aid from a State Department of Vocational Rehabilitation. Information may be obtained from the Vocational Rehabilitation Department in the student’s home state. All authorization letters should be emailed to andersonuniversity@backpackpay.com. Click here to proceed.
AU has partnered with many different State prepaid tuition plans (often known as 529 College Savings Plans). Anderson Central handles all billing requirements for these plans.
If you have questions about using your military educational benefits, please email or call (864-231-5581) the AU Certifying Official for more information.
Yellow Ribbon School
AU is a qualified Yellow Ribbon School. This program can help students pay for tuition & fees that the Post-9/11 GI Bill doesn’t cover. For more information, please email or call (864-231-5581) the AU Certifying Official.
Veterans Administration
Eligible veterans can apply for educational benefits through the Veteran Affairs (VA) website at https://www.va.gov/. The VA is the only agency that can determine eligibility for and award this benefit. For questions about eligibility, please contact your VA Regional Office.
After an application has been approved, the VA will send a Certificate of Eligibility to the veteran, who is then required to submit a copy of this document and additional documents to the AU Certifying Official. For more information, please email or call (864-231-5581) the AU Certifying Official.
Address Changes
VA students must notify AU of any address change. For more information, please email or call (864-231-5581) the AU Certifying Official.
Drops and Withdrawals
VA students must report course drops and term withdrawals to the AU Certifying Official via email or phone call (864-231-5581), as soon as they occur. AU will run regular reports to identify these students and ensure timely notification to the VA. At the end of each semester, VA students who earn a grade of “WF” or “WP” are reported to VA with the last date of attendance.
Program Changes
VA students who change programs must notify AU immediately, so that earned credits that fulfill requirements in the new program are transferred to that program. Please email or call (864-231-2120) the AU Certifying Official to report program changes.
Students with outside scholarships that require billing are handled by Anderson Central. Please email this office for additional information.
Anderson University no longer accepts paper checks for Outside Scholarship payments. All payments must now be submitted online.
If you plan to submit multiple scholarships with a single payment (or are submitting more than five scholarships every semester, please email andersonuniversity@backpackpay.com and our team will walk you through bulk submission setup process. If your organization has questions or concerns surrounding submitting payment electronically, please contact andersonuniversity@backpackpay.com for other arrangements.
All efforts were made to produce current & accurate information.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email us – we are happy to assist!
