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Financial Aid

Mission Statement

The Financial Aid Office at Southern Methodist University is committed to serving students by providing information to secure the necessary financial resources to meet their educational goals and financial obligations to the university. Our financial aid advisors offer personal attention to help explore a multitude of available scholarships, grants, loans, and payment plans.

The goal of the financial aid program at SMU is to provide financial assistance to students who would not be able to attend college without aid. The university expects that students and parents will contribute to the fullest extent of their ability from income and assets. When considering ways to fund their college education, students should explore all possibilities and adhere to application deadlines. It is the responsibility of the student to complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the CSS/Profile in a timely manner.

Announcements 

  • 2024 Summer Term Financial Aid Request forms for Undergraduate and Graduate students will be available in April. Both forms will be found in the Forms Library.   

  • Financial Aid Notifications for the 2024-2025 Academic Year
    • New incoming & transfer undergraduate students: First year students will start to receive estimated aid offers beginning in February. First year and new transfer students will begin to receive final financial aid offers in April 2024.
    • New incoming graduate students:  Begins April 2024. Actual start date for awarding varies based on your academic program.   
    • Returning/Continuing students (Undergraduate & Graduate) Begins May 2024.
  • Undergraduate Housing Exemptions: If you plan to request or have already been approved for an exemption from On-Campus housing, your financial aid package may change.  Please see the FAQ's page Housing and Food section.  
  • Graduate Student Scholarships, Stipends, and Assistantships are authorized by the Academic Department and submitted to Student Financial Services to be incorporated as part of the total financial aid package.  If you are expecting to receive a graduate scholarship, fellowship, or assistantship but do not see it when you receive your financial aid offer, please contact your academic department immediately for additional information.  
  • Undergraduate Institutional Merit scholarships are authorized, primarily, through the Admissions cycle or by the academic department for the declared major. Eligibility is determined through the Admission process and final list of recipients is submitted to Student Financial Services. Scholarships will be included as part of the total financial aid offer. Requirements for scholarship renewal vary based on the type of scholarship. Current scholarship recipients are evaluated annually at the end of the Spring term for renewal in the following academic year.   
  • Please review your My.SMU Student Dashboard regularly for any outstanding requests or updates to your financial aid information. You will receive a notification via SMU email of any updates or changes to your financial aid package.