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All students must complete the each year to determine their eligibility for federal and state financial aid. Undergraduate students who also want to be considered for university need-based aid must complete the . There is a $25 fee to submit the CSS Profile.

The priority deadline for first-year undergraduate students is February 15 each year. ����ר�� has a priority deadline of April 15 for continuing undergraduate students so Student Financial Services can award as much aid as possible after spring grades post in May.

An undergraduate student who applies after the priority deadline may not receive primary consideration since certain financial aid funds can be limited. Graduate and professional students may file any time during the academic year; there is no priority deadline. However, ����ר�� recommends filing the FAFSA no later than May 1 in order to secure funding before the start of the term.

You need to be admitted to ����ר�� and have filed the FAFSA and CSS Profile to help the university determine eligibility for financial aid. Unfortunately, we are unable to determine a student's aid eligibility until their financial aid applications are received and processed. ����ר�� has many financial aid options available to students and their families.

The FAFSA school code is 003613 and the CSS Profile code is 6660.

The federal processor will email the applicant their FAFSA Submission Summary, which summarizes the information provided on the on FAFSA and list the schools who have received the data. If you listed ����ר�� on your FAFSA and CSS Profile, we will receive the data electronically.

Contact Student Financial Services to discuss any special or unusual financial circumstances.

You will be considered for all federal, state (Texas residents only), and ����ר�� need-based funding. Financial aid is offered based on documented financial need and availability of funds.

Generally, financial aid offers are mailed beginning March 15. ����ר�� must receive and review your electronic FAFSA and CSS Profile before providing a financial aid offer.

The aid offer packet provides a comprehensive financial aid package, as well as instructions on how to respond to ����ר��’s offer. Please read and review the information and instructions carefully. If you have questions, contact Student Financial Services.

FAFSA and CSS Profile information are sent to ����ר��, which compares the cost of attending ����ר�� with the amount of money a family is estimated to still need after all state, federal, and scholarship money is factored in. 

Although some students may not qualify for need-based aid in the form of grants, most students qualify to receive non-need based federal loans.

Yes. All students must re-apply by renewing their FAFSA each year. Undergraduate students must also renew their CSS Profile each year in order to be considered for university need-based aid.

No. Most students who cannot answer “Yes” to at least one of the 13 dependency questions on the FAFSA must still include their parents’ information.

You should use the parent that provides the greater financial support (and step-parent if they’re remarried). This may not be the parent with whom you live.

Any need-based financial aid may change, including federal, state and University need-based awards. You could also incur a reduction in the ����ר�� Opportunity Award in your financial aid package.

Before each term begins, scholarships and grants are applied to your student account. If you have applied for and completed necessary loan processing, those funds will be applied each term to your student account when received from the lender.

1. What are the total costs I will need to cover as a student at ����ר��?
2. How does this package of aid you have offered me cover those costs?
3. How much will I need to borrow, and with what types of loans?
4. What lenders do you recommend, and why?
5. Do you have any financial relationship with the lenders you recommend?

1. Go to , Select Students, and enter your ����ר�� ID and Password (same password as ����ר�� email) and click Login.
2. Click the Financials section on the navigation and select Accept/Decline Awards.
3. Select the Financial Aid year for which you wish to view awards. The most current Aid Year is selected by default.
4. Choose the “New” tab to view offered aid.
5. Within each award, select the action you wish to perform, Accept or Decline. You may Accept/Decline multiple awards at one time.
6. Some awards may have the option to be reduced. If so, you will be allowed to edit the amount shown in the Accepted Amount box.
7. To save the Accept/Decline actions, click “Submit” at the bottom of the page.

If you need instructions including screenshots, you can find them here.

For questions or concerns regarding accepting your financial aid, we are here for you. Email enrol_serv@smu.edu or call 214-768-3417.

In order to determine how much a student may receive in financial aid, schools must first determine how much it will cost you to attend the school. The Total Cost of Attendance (COA) is the starting point for all financial aid awards.

Find this year’s COA here.

The COA serves as the maximum limit a student may receive in financial aid. The combined total of all financial aid programs cannot exceed the COA. Any change to one of the individual COA components, including housing, will change the total COA. Because the cost of living on campus is typically higher than the cost of living at home, a change in arrangements could result in a change in need-based eligibility for financial aid.

All first and second-year students are required to live on campus or at home with parents. On rare occasions, students may apply for approval to live off campus with other relatives. To inquire about this exception, go to residential life. Please review the costs page for allowances for living off campus; your aid will be decreased to account for the decreased budget for housing.

After the second year, a student is allowed to live off campus. The expenses for living off campus may be less than living on campus. Please review the off-campus budget listed on the costs page because your aid will be reduced accordingly. If a student needs more funds to cover their off-campus housing expenses, please contact Student Financial Services.

No. A change in your housing arrangements will not impact scholarships.

It depends on the change. Every student’s financial situation is unique. If you’re changing from living on campus to living at home, you may owe less. We recommend that you contact Student Financial Services to see what the full impact will be for you.

When you move to on-campus living your educational costs will reflect the cost of living on campus. Your spring aid will be reviewed and adjusted accordingly.

If you apply to live at home for the year, petition through Residence Life and Student Housing. If you receive an exemption from living on campus, your educational costs will be changed, and your financial aid will be adjusted accordingly.

If your petition is approved, your educational costs and your financial aid will be adjusted accordingly.

Contact Residence Life and Student Housing if you decide you would like to return to campus. If you are able to make this change, you should then contact Student Financial Services to update your educational costs and awards.

You are automatically considered for this federal need-based grant when you complete the FAFSA.

Graduate students are not eligible for federal grants such as the Pell grant, but you may be eligible to receive the state's Tuition Equalization Grant (TEG).

Before each term begins, scholarships and grants are applied to your student account. If you have applied for and completed necessary loan procedures, those funds will be applied each term to your student account when received from the lender.

Grants are gift aid and do not have to be repaid. Loans must be repaid.

This is a need-based aid program that is awarded after all scholarships and grants have been added to your financial aid package. It is based on your demonstrated need that is not met by other scholarships or grants.

����ר�� offers a range of merit and leadership scholarships. In order to apply, a student should submit their application for admission by January 15. There are no additional documents to submit other than the application for admission. However, the Hunt Leadership Scholarship requires a student to submit an additional essay demonstrating exceptional leadership outlined on the admission application. Visit for more information.

All first-year applications that are received by January 15 are automatically considered for merit scholarships. Scholarship committees review all applications and award scholarships to many applicants. We do not publish the qualifications of the different scholarship levels because they are based on the applying applicant pool of that year. The majority of merit scholarship awards are mailed with admission decisions.

Methodist applicants receive the same consideration as all other students for ����ר�� financial aid programs. They also can receive consideration for specifically dedicated programs. These include The Methodist Student Loan Fund, Minister’s Family Tuition Awards ($3,500/term), and United Methodist Scholarships (varying in amount). 

While university scholarships awarded during the admissions process are set, students are encouraged to apply for outside scholarships through websites like and .

Before each term begins, scholarships and grants are applied to your student account. If you have applied for and completed necessary loan processing, those funds will be applied each term to your student account when received from the lender.

This Parent PLUS is a federal loan estimate usually representing the maximum amount of funds your parent may borrow in one academic year to help pay university costs. Contact Student Financial Services to confirm the amount of a PLUS Loan.

After you accept this estimate at , you will receive an email with detailed instructions. A parent is required to apply for the loan through the Department of Education at in order to seek credit approval. The Department of Education and ����ר�� will facilitate the process of obtaining the funds after all requirements have been met. More information regarding PLUS loans may be found here.

The Federal Direct Grad PLUS Loan is a credit-based educational loan available to graduate/professional students enrolled at least half time in a degree seeking program. It is a non-need based loan with the benefit of having a fixed interest rate. Grad PLUS Loans are available regardless of income or assets, and no collateral is required. While the borrower does not have to prove financial need, a credit check is required.

If this is the first time you have borrowed a Federal Direct loan at ����ר��, you will receive detailed instructions on completing the two-step process at . This process includes Entrance Counseling and completion of the Master Promissory Note (MPN). Both steps must be completed before the loan will disburse to the student's ����ר�� tuition account.

Like numerous institutions across the country, ����ר�� provides students and families a to assist them in navigating the complexities of borrowing a private educational loan. Students and their families are free to choose any lender not on ����ר��’s lender list as well.

Yes. ����ר�� allows students and their families to choose their own lender even if not on our . ����ר�� encourages all borrowers to research a lender before choosing them.

You should compare repayment options, including finding out if the repayment options are still applicable if the loan is sold to another lending institution. Other factors to consider are if interest rates are fixed or variable; are interest rates reduced for on-time payments or auto debit repayment; when does the loan repayments start; and if interest accrues while enrolled in school, after graduation, or student is no longer enrolled in a minimum number of credit hours.

����ר�� sends an extensive survey to loan companies interested in processing private loans for students. The survey is used to rate lenders for inclusion on one or more of the preferred lender lists. The university seeks lenders who offer the best customer service, secure electronic processes, repayment benefits, lowest origination points, and other benefits. You may email Mane Desk at manedesk@smu.edu for further information on lender list selection. ����ר�� does not receive payments, benefits or perks from lenders for consideration on the ����ר�� lender list.

Yes. maintains a database of Federal Work Study and non-federal Work-Study campus jobs. Contact the hiring department directly to see find out more about those opportunities. Also, the Student Employment Office offers support to students and employers.

No. Work-Study students receive a biweekly paycheck that they can use as they see fit.

The Student and Miscellaneous accounts can be viewed online at ����ר��pay, which is found through the “Financial Account” panel on the Student Homepage.

Contact Student Financial Services at 214-768-5555 or via email at manedesk@mail.smu.edu and speak with a Student Account Specialist regarding specific bill- or account-related questions.

As long as undergraduate students remain enrolled in 12-18 hours, they are still considered full-time. Therefore, their financial aid is not affected. However, students who drop below 12 hours should check with a Financial Aid Specialist regarding any possible changes to their financial aid package.

If an undergraduate student is receiving federal and institutional need-based aid, 12 hours is considered full time. However, ����ר�� encourages all undergraduate students to enroll and complete 15 hours each semester so that they may graduate in four years (eight semesters). Sometimes, completing 15 hours per semester may not be sufficient to graduate in four years, so students should consider attending summer school.

Typically, institutional scholarships and need-based aid are awarded for eight semesters only to those who began ����ר�� as first-year undergraduate students. Students who enrolled as transfers usually receive institutional scholarships and need-based aid for five semesters only.

Most financial aid questions can be answered by our trained Mane Desk staff, either over the phone or by coming to our service counter. However, we understand that there may be times when you need to speak with a specific, designated financial aid professional regarding circumstances that are unique to you. 

Our Financial Aid Specialist are available to assist students and families by phone, by appointment or if you just happen to be in the building and want to drop by. We’re here to help. 

Staff may be reached via email at manedesk@smu.edu, by phone at 214-768-5555, or by appointment or by drop-in.  Check in through our service desk located on the first floor of the Blanton Student Services Building.