American InterContinental University (AIU) offers various institutional grants and scholarships to help students fund their education across associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degree programs. These financial awards reduce the cost of tuition and course materials for eligible students. AIU’s financial aid aims to support three core student populations: military service members and their families, international students, and continuing students who meet eligibility criteria for academic success.
AIU primarily issues institutional grants which function as a direct credit toward tuition, not requiring repayment. These institutional grants often cover specific demographic groups (alumni, military) or reward academic achievement upon enrollment or persistence in the program. Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be considered for federal aid, which may be packaged alongside AIU’s own institutional awards to secure funding for their studies.
The university also offers specialized programs to recognize three key achievements: academic, military, and corporate affiliation. The institution provides detailed information on requirements, including GPA minimums, enrollment status, and required academic documents, such as official transcripts, degree certificates, and standardized test scores. The most beneficial award combination is always applied to the student’s tuition account.
Types of Scholarships
AIU offers four main types of institutional awards: merit-based, need-based, identity-specific, and alliance grants.
- Merit-Based Awards: The AIU Success Grant is a one-time award that recognizes new undergraduate students who demonstrate academic success by maintaining a qualifying GPA during their first academic year.
- Need-Based Grants: The AIU Advantage Grant provides funding, typically between $500 and $1,000, to students who face extreme personal or financial hardships.
- Identity-Specific Grants: This category includes four key military awards: the AIU Veterans Grant (up to $1,500), the AIU Military Spouse Grant (up to 10% of tuition costs), the AIU Yellow Ribbon Grant (up to 100% of costs after GI Bill), and the Alumni Referral Grant ($1,000).
- Alliance Grants: The Educational Alliances Grant offers a tuition percentage reduction, typically between 5% and 50%, for employees of partner companies or students transferring from articulation agreement schools.
Scholarship Coverage
AIU scholarships and grants primarily cover tuition costs; they fund your education by acting as a credit on the student’s account.
- AIU Success Grant coverage can be up to $2,000 for eligible undergraduate students. This is a one-time award.
- The AIU Lifelong Learning Grant offers undergraduate alumni up to $1,000 toward graduate degree tuition and program costs.
- The AIU International Student Scholarship provides up to $8,000 per academic year for qualifying students in bachelor’s or master’s programs.
- The AIU Veterans Grant provides veterans up to $1,500 applied to program tuition costs.
Eligibility Criteria
There are three key eligibility requirements for most AIU institutional awards: enrollment status, academic good standing, and FAFSA completion.
- Enrollment Status: Recipients must maintain continuous enrollment in an eligible degree program (associate, bachelor’s, or master’s).
- Academic Good Standing: Students must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) or a qualifying GPA (e.g., 3.5 GPA for the AIU Success Grant) to retain the awards.
- FAFSA Completion: You must complete the FAFSA to determine eligibility for federal and need-based institutional aid.
- You must not combine an AIU scholarship or grant with any other AIU scholarship or grant, unless otherwise stated.
Application Process
To submit an application for AIU scholarships and grants, students follow a simple four-step process through the financial aid office.
- Step 1: Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) to determine eligibility for federal and need-based institutional aid.
- Step 2: Speak with an AIU Financial Aid Advisor to discuss available institutional awards. The advisor reviews the student’s background and automatically applies for eligible grants.
- Step 3: Provide supporting academic documents, such as military discharge papers, prior transcripts, or a referral letter, if required for specific affiliation-based grants.
- Step 4: The school processes the information and applies the award that results in the greatest benefit to the student’s account.
Deadline
There is no single scholarship deadline for all AIU institutional grants; deadlines vary by specific award and enrollment period.
- Grant consideration is typically ongoing for new and continuing students.
- Students should speak with a Financial Aid Advisor at least 6-8 weeks before the planned enrollment date to secure funding.
- The FAFSA deadline is often recommended to be completed at least 6-8 weeks before the planned enrollment date.
