Types of Aid
Scholarships
The faculty and staff of Southern Illinois University believe that those who work the hardest and achieve the best results should receive the greatest rewards. Scholarships are the University's way of recognizing superior academic achievement and removing obstacles between scholars and the knowledge they seek. Annually, SIU awards $1.45 million in academic scholarships
Student Employment
We believe that initiative should always be rewarded. The student employment program offers a variety of jobs that are available throughout campus. Students are paid on an hourly basis, usually at the SIU minimum wage rate, and normally work between 10-20 hours per week.
AIM High/ Saluki Commitment
The AIM High/ Saluki Commitment is our pledge that all NEW and TRANSFER students who meet certain criteria are guaranteed that tuition and mandatory fees will be fully covered for four (transfer students) or eight (freshman students) consecutive semesters at no cost to students or families. In other words, if you qualify for the AIM High/ Saluki Commitment and your financial aid package does not completely pay for your tuition and mandatory fees, we will close the gap to make sure there are no financial barriers between you and your education. The AIM High/Saluki Commitment is part of the broader SIU System Commitment, an initiative supporting students across the SIU System and is funded by the state of Illinois AIM HIGH Program.
Eligibility & Coverage
What’s covered
Your tuition and mandatory fees will be covered after all other financial aid is applied. Coverage is guaranteed for four (transfer student) or eight (freshman student) consecutive fall and spring semesters over two(transfer only get it for two years) - four years as long as you qualify and depending on continued state fund allocations. Funding is capped at 15 hours per semester. Total aid will not exceed the cost of tuition and mandatory fees, so if you receive additional offers in the future, your AIM High/ Saluki Commitment funding will be reduced accordingly.
What’s not covered
The AIM/High Saluki Commitment does not cover housing, course fees, student health insurance, parking permits and fines, summer courses, Study Abroad, books and indirect costs such as transportation and supplies. The program is for new first-time students starting Fall 2021 or later.
Who qualifies
Recipients must meet all of the following criteria:
- Be a first-time incoming freshman enrolling full-time on-campus in the fall 2021 semester or later.
- Have a cumulative high school GPA of 2.75 or higher.
- Have an annual family income less than $120,480 with assets less than $50,000 based on your FAFSA.
- Be an Illinois resident who attended an Illinois high school.
- Be a dependent student under age 24.
- Be eligible for Federal financial aid.
You do not qualify if you have received a bachelor’s degree or the equivalent of 135 semester credits, are in default on any student loan, or owe a refund or repayment on any state or federal grant or scholarship.
How to qualify (and stay qualified)
- Have a current FAFSA on file.
- Enroll in a degree program at SIU Carbondale.
- Stay enrolled full-time for eight consecutive fall and spring semesters.
- Maintain satisfactory academic progress in order for the commitment to be renewed.
You do not need to submit additional information beyond your application and FAFSA to be considered for the AIM High/ Saluki Commitment. If you qualify, we will automatically include it in your financial aid package, and you will be notified when you receive your package.
Who qualifies
Recipients must meet all of the following criteria:
- Be a first-time incoming transfer student enrolling full-time on-campus in the fall 2021 semester or later.
- Have a GPA of 2.0 (as calculated by SIU grading policies) with 12 or more transferable credits.
- Have an annual family income less than $120,480 with assets less than $50,000 based on your FAFSA.
- Be an Illinois resident who attended an Illinois high school.
- Be a dependent student under age 24.
- Be eligible for Federal financial aid.
You do not qualify if you have received a bachelor’s degree or the equivalent of 135 semester credits, are in default on any student loan, or owe a refund or repayment on any state or federal grant or scholarship.
How to qualify (and stay qualified)
- Have a current FAFSA on file.
- Enroll in a bachelor degree program at SIU Carbondale.
- Stay enrolled full-time for four consecutive fall and spring semesters.
- Maintain satisfactory academic progress in order for the commitment to be renewed.
You do not need to submit additional information beyond your application and FAFSA to be considered for the AIM High/Saluki Commitment. If you qualify, we will automatically include it in your financial aid package, and you will be notified when you receive your package.
The Aspirational Institutional Match Helping Illinois Grow Higher Education (AIM HIGH)
Grant Pilot Program provides aid towards a full-time undergraduate student’s cost of attendance
at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. This program is now called the AIM High/Saluki Commitment.
These offers are renewable and available for up to four years (eight consecutive fall and spring semesters) of full-time enrollment provided the student maintains a cumulative 2.75 grade point average (GPA) and meets Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements.
Funds are limited and subject to continued state allocations. Each school must provide new financial aid funding to match the AIM HIGH funding provided by the State of Illinois. Southern Illinois University Carbondale will match the state funding with the AIM High/Saluki Commitment Program.