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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 

  • 2023 Summer Term Financial Aid Request forms for Undergraduate and Graduate students are now available for use.  Both forms can be found in the Forms Library.   

  • Financial Aid Notifications for the 2023-2024 Academic Year
    • New incoming & transfer undergraduate students:  Began January, 2023 and continues on a daily basis.  
    • New incoming graduate students:  Begins in April 2023 and continues on a daily basis.  Actual start date for awarding varies based on your academic program.   
    • Returning/Continuing student (Undergraduate & Graduate) Begins in late June 2023 after spring term grades are posted.
  • 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 Dining section.  
  • Graduate Student Scholarships, Stipends, and Assistantships are authorized by the Academic Department and submitted to the Office of Financial Aid 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 the Office of Financial Aid.  The scholarship will be included as part of the total financial aid offer.  Requirements for renewing the scholarship varies based on the type of scholarship.  Current scholarship recipients are evaluated annually at the end of the Spring term for renewability.   
  • 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.