What are Tuition Rewards?
SAGE Tuition Rewards is a unique private college savings program. Tuition Rewards Points are like frequent flyer miles - but for college tuition!

Tuition Rewards are discounts off tuition at participating colleges and universities that represent the minimum scholarship that an eligible student will receive if and when he/she attends a member institution. Schools count Tuition Rewards as part of their normal institutional and merit scholarships. For example, if a student has 10,000 Tuition Rewards Points, then he or she is guaranteed to receive a minimum scholarship of $2,500 per year over four years, at a SAGE member school.

Earning Tuition Rewards Points
Your Tuition Reward is typically calculated semi-annually and equals 2.5% of the value of your assets listed in the Tuition Rewards (5% annually). As your assets appreciate, so do your Tuition Rewards Points!

Here's an example: if you invest $10,000 with one of SAGE's Financial Partners, and assuming the asset does not increase or decrease in value, then you will earn 500 Tuition Rewards Points annually. If you hold this investment for five years, then you will accumulate 2,500 Tuition Rewards Points. The more you invest with our Financial Partners, and the longer that you are a SAGE member, the more Tuition Rewards Points you'll earn!

To see how earning Tuition Rewards Points can make a private college education a reality, use our Tuition Rewards Calculator.

Using Tuition Rewards Points
Each Tuition Rewards Point equals one dollar in guaranteed scholarships at a SAGE member school. So, if a student receives 10,000 Tuition Rewards Points he or she is guaranteed to receive at least a $10,000 in scholarships spread evenly over four years ($2,500 per year).

When a SAGE student applies to a participating school, his or her sponsor(s) needs to submit the student's Tuition Rewards statement to that school. This is done by the sponsor by logging onto www.sagescholars.com and going to the "Account Statement" page. Tuition Rewards Statements must be submitted to member colleges and universities within 30-days of a student's application.

The Tuition Rewards are limited to undergraduate tuition at participating colleges. Tuition Rewards are remitted solely as a reduction to the participating college's full tuition bill -- and NOT awarded in cash. Colleges reserve the right to use the Tuition Reduction as part of, or separate from, any financial aid packages.

If a student does NOT use his/her Tuition Reduction Reward -- for example, if the student selects a non-participating college -- the reward will be rolled back into the sponsors "Tuition Rewards Bucket." Students have three years from the date of high school graduation to begin use of the Tuition Rewards. If a student enrolls in a college that is not participating in this program -- but subsequently decides to participate -- the college is under no obligation to honor unused rewards (but may choose to do so). If any college should decide to discontinue participation in this program, it has agreed to honor rewards accumulated for any student prior to the last day of the college's participation.

The maximum Tuition Reward that a student may receive is either one-year's of tuition, or $15,600 ($13,800 at some colleges) - whichever is less. The Tuition Reward must be applied evenly over the years of undergraduate education. Typically, this is four years. If the student completes undergraduate education in other than four years, it is up to the participating college to determine how the tuition reduction will be applied per year.

Sponsors - The "Account Holders"
Students may receive Tuition Rewards Points from multiple "sponsors" (ex: parents & grandparents,). A "sponsor" designates the Tuition Rewards Points to students before November 1st of a student's senior year of high school. If the student does not use the Tuition Rewards Points, they can be rolled back into the sponsor's Tuition Rewards account for use by other students. A sponsor may provide Tuition Rewards to children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.

Students are eligible to join the SAGE Tuition Rewards Program from birth until their completion of 10th grade. (The membership cutoff date is June 30th between the sophomore and junior year of high school). Students must be members for at least two full years before beginning college.

Communication With Colleges
Participating colleges may send information to high school students enrolled in the SAGE program -- enabling colleges to communicate to members who fit the college's student profile. Under no circumstances are investor names or investment account balances ever divulged to participating colleges.

No Restriction On How You Pay for College
Specific investments that have been used for the calculation of Tuition Rewards Points need NOT 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.

College Admission & Transfers
Our college list keeps growing, giving your child a larger number of schools to choose from. Rewards can only be used at participating colleges. Students do NOT need to pick a particular college now -- that's one beauty of the SAGE program.

Students must apply and be accepted through a participating colleges' normal admissions procedures to qualify for the reward. 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!