How Tuition Rewards Works
Tuition Rewards Points are like frequent flyer miles — but for college tuition. Earn points through your employer, savings, insurance, and more, then redeem them for guaranteed scholarships at 440+ private colleges.
What are Tuition Rewards® Points?
SAGE Scholars Tuition Rewards is a unique private college savings program. Tuition Rewards Points represent the minimum scholarship that an eligible student will receive if and when they attend a member school. Schools may count Tuition Rewards as part of their normal institutional aid.
For example, if a family redeems 30,000 Tuition Rewards Points, the student is guaranteed to receive at least $30,000* in financial aid spread equally over four years. The student may receive more, but is guaranteed not to receive less.
Earning Tuition Rewards Points
In the Workplace
Tuition Rewards can be earned by employees at over 50,000 employers nationwide! Rewards can be earned by opting for dental or health care coverage through affiliated national insurance providers, or through employer-provided retirement plans such as 401k and 403b.
By Saving or Investing
Tuition Rewards accrue at a rate of 5% annually (or 2.5% semi-annually / 1.25% quarterly) based on the value of qualified assets or accounts. With the PA 529 College and Career Savings Program, the accrual rate doubles to 10% per year. As your assets appreciate, so do your Tuition Rewards Points!
Other Ways to Earn
- Purchasing cash-value life insurance through a participating organization
- Maintaining membership in affiliated fraternal organizations
- Working with an affiliated financial professional who provides asset management, qualified product sales, annual financial reviews, seminars or workshops
Some affiliated organizations and/or qualified products provide Tuition Rewards using other methods such as annual flat-rate increases or one-time application of rewards. See the specific Terms & Conditions of the program you are enrolled in after logging into your account.
Sponsors — Account Holders
A Sponsor is usually the parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle who owns the Tuition Rewards account. Sponsors are required to register on our website to track and utilize Tuition Rewards Points. Sponsors are responsible for:
- Adding students to their Tuition Rewards account
- Assigning Tuition Rewards Points to students
- Submitting Tuition Rewards Points to member colleges and universities
Students
Students may be sponsored and receive Tuition Rewards Points from multiple sponsors (e.g. parents & grandparents). A sponsor may provide Tuition Rewards to any child in their immediate or extended family — including children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, step, God, and adopted children.
Students can be added to Tuition Rewards at any time from birth through August 31 of the year that the student begins 12th grade.
Beginning in 10th grade, sponsors can invite students to create a student login to access their own account. Certain bonus points are available to students who create a complete student profile.
Using Tuition Rewards Points
Tuition Rewards accrue in the Sponsor’s account. The Sponsor assigns (transfers) points to students. This transfer must happen by August 31st of the year the student begins 12th grade. After that date, the student’s Points cannot be increased.
When a student applies to a participating college, the Sponsor must submit the student’s Tuition Rewards statement within ten (10) days of the application.
The use of Tuition Rewards is limited to full-time, traditional, undergraduate tuition at participating colleges. Tuition Rewards are remitted solely as a reduction to the college’s full tuition bill — not awarded in cash. Each Tuition Rewards Points is equal to a $1.00 guaranteed minimum scholarship or discount. Colleges reserve the right to use the tuition reduction as part of, or separate from, any financial aid packages. Member colleges are not required to accept Tuition Rewards on transfer students.
The maximum discount from Tuition Rewards is 25% of the cost of tuition at a SAGE member college or university.** The reward must be applied evenly over the years of undergraduate education (typically 4 years).
If a student does not use their Tuition Reduction Reward, most rewards can be refunded back to the Sponsor’s account and transferred to a younger eligible student.
For student-specific rewards (such as the Pennsylvania 529 program), students will not earn Tuition Rewards after age 17, or after August 31st of the year prior to high school graduation — whichever comes first.
College Admission & Transfers
Our college list keeps growing, giving students a larger number of schools to choose from. Students do not need to pick a particular college now — that’s one of the great advantages of the SAGE program.
Students must apply and be accepted through a participating college's normal admissions procedures. SAGE membership is not considered in the admissions process.
If students transfer from one participating college to another, the college accepting the student has the right to decide whether it will honor any unused Tuition Rewards.
If your child is a SAGE member but does not attend a participating college, you may have to pay “list price” for a college education. Being part of our unique college savings program will put you closer to meeting your financial goals. In all ways, SAGE will help you save for college!
No Restriction On How You Pay for College
Specific investments used for the calculation of Tuition Rewards Points do not need to be used for payment of college expenses. For example, you may not want to sell appreciated assets at this time, deferring capital gains tax. With the SAGE Tuition Rewards Program, you choose how you pay for college.
Communication With Colleges
Participating colleges may send information to high school students and their families enrolled in the SAGE program — enabling colleges to communicate with members who fit their student profile. Under no circumstances are investment details or account balances ever divulged to participating colleges.
