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How to Get Financial Aid

• 1. File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

  The FAFSA is a major source of funding for most students and is required for some scholarships. It determines your financial need and may offer you federal or local grants and loans based on your or your family’s income.

  File the FAFSA at fafsa.ed.gov or use the myStudentAid mobile app. Watch a video walk-through of the mobile app here.

  • When prompted, add SMC's school code 002317. This is how you have your FAFSA information sent to SMC. 
  • A list of documents you will need to complete the FAFSA may be found here. Reviewing this document before you begin will help speed the process up.
  • As part of the FAFSA, you will create a FSA ID which will become your credentials for maintaining access to the FAFSA application. For more information on creating your FSA ID click here.
  • If you are having troubles filling out the FAFSA, please contact our office or click here for clarifying information and common FAFSA errors.
• 2. Apply for Scholarships

  All students are automatically considered for academic scholarships when they apply for admission. Other scholarships require an application. Browse and apply for scholarships here.

• 3. Apply for Loans (If Needed)

  If grants and scholarships do not cover your expenses, you can apply for loans to pay the remainder of your bill. Learn more about loans here.

• 4. Check Your SMC Email

  All communication regarding your financial aid will be sent to your SMC email and/or to your home address. It is important to check your email frequently to learn about the awards you received and any follow-up requirements.

  To learn how to access your SMC email, click here.

• 5. Complete Follow-up Requirements

  It’s important to stay on top of things when it comes to financial aid. Your scholarship may require a formal acknowledgement of your acceptance, or it may require you to write a thank you letter to the donor. Loans require loan counseling, and federal aid sometimes requires verification. All of this will be communicated to you via your SMC email. Complete all requirements in a timely manner to ensure that aid will be applied to your account successfully.

• 6. Go to Class

  If you don’t attend your first few classes once the semester begins, you will lose your financial aid and may be required to pay it back. Similarly, if you slack off in your classes and earn poor grades, you may lose your aid for following semesters. It’s important to take your education seriously, attend class, and get good grades to maintain your aid and stay on track to earning your degree.