Student Assistance Agency (SAGPI)
| File:Makko Oko SAA Logo.png | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 3 August 2023 |
| Jurisdiction |  SAG Phoenix Islands |
| Agency executive |
|
| Parent agency | Ministry of Education |
| Website | saa.gov.pi |
The Student Assistance Agency, also referred to as the SAA, is a student public assistance agency in the Phoenix Islands established under the Ministry of Education, and the only one to exist in the empire. Its mission outlined under the Higher Education Separation & Improvement Act of 2023 is to "manage all public assistance programs for going to school", notably excluding all institutions that are not higher education. The SAA provides student financial assistance in the form of grants, loans, and work-study funds, being the administrator of the well-known Debose Grant, named after the first Chief, Marcella Debose. Since its establishment, the SAA has paid out roughly IDH$52T in grants to roughly 8% of the 15 million person population of the islands as of 2027, which finance analysts have blamed on complex eligibility requirements and a general discouragement within the rural tribes to go to college, seeing that most jobs don't need a college education.
History
Student Aid
Debose Grant
The Debose Grant is a subsidy provided by the Student Assistance Agency to help students who need it to pay for college. The grant is available to all low and middle-income students who are residents of the Phoenix Islands. The grant can only be used to help a student obtain their first degree, rather it be an Advanced Degree or a Master's Degree. It launched in December 2023 a month before the start of the Spring 2024 term and it is the only statutorily-defined aid that the SAA offers. The grant is paid out in monthly installments of up to IDH$636 as of 2027, with the installments being for the length of the term as set by the institution attending. Variables that can cause the installments to be lower include being on the cusp of high-income, having multiple family using the grant at the same time and going to different institutions and the actual institution attending. Both college and university institutions are allowed to be attended with the grant, and you can obtain either an Advanced or Master's Degree, however, the price to attend an institution could affect how much is paid out.
To qualify for the grant, students must meet the following eligibility requirements:
- Must be a student attending a qualifying institution of higher learning within the Phoenix Islands
- Must be a resident of the Phoenix Islands
- Must be enrolled for at least half-time as designated by the institution attending
- Must have not used the grant to obtain another degree in the past
- Must be declared by the SAA to be of an income level at or below IDH$290K, or if under the age of 21 or living with family, the household's income level
There is no maximum payout or length of time before the grant "runs out", which means the SAA pays out until the student either drops out or successfully obtains their degree. The SAA, however, does have a known policy of lowering the installment amount over time if the student takes two or more years in addition to the years typically required to complete the degree being obtained.
Indigenous Professions Grant
The Indigenous Professions Grant, also referred to as the "INDIEARNING Grant", is a subsidy provided by the Student Assistance Agency to all students majoring in topics that are meant to help advance and develop tribal knowledge within the nation. Majors that qualify include Makkonian Tribal Studies, History, Archaeology, and any other major that the SAA determines on a case-by-case basis to advance tribal knowledge or development. The grant was announced on September 22nd, 2024 and it was launched in the middle of the summer term on June 18th, 2025. This grant is good for six terms and can only be applied towards a master's degree, which advocates for educational equality say limit the power and reach of the grant and have called for it to apply to advanced degrees. The grant pays out in monthly installments like the Debose Grant, paying the full tuition, or IDH$10K if the tuition is more as of 2027.
To qualify for the grant, students must meet the following eligibility requirements:
- Must be a student attending a qualifying institution of higher learning within the Phoenix Islands
- Must be studying for a qualifying Master's Degree
- Must be enrolled for at least half-time as designated by the institution attending
- Must have not used the grant to obtain another Master's Degree in the past
This grant is one of the few that non-residents can qualify for, however, non-residents are paid less out of the grant than residents are. Residents are paid 100% of the qualified payments, whereas non-residents are only paid 70% of them. The SAA has been urged to repeal this policy, with civil rights experts citing it as "unequal treatment" and "discrimination". Notably, this grant and the Debose Grant can both be used at the same time, should the Debose Grant have not been used to pay for the students' Advanced Degree.
Application Process
Administrator of SAA
History
| Name | Start year | End year | Regime |
|---|---|---|---|
| Efren Curley | August 3rd, 2023 | Present | Emperor Conall Solis |
