Financial Aid Rules and Regulations

Financial Aid Payments and Disbursements

Students are responsible to stop in the Financial Aid Office each semester after they have registered to ensure their grants or scholarships are credited to their account. The Business Office will mail financial aid disbursement checks to eligible students. Financial aid disbursement dates are listed in each semester’s class schedule.

You must reapply for financial aid each academic year. In addition, you must maintain satisfactory academic progress and not be in default status with a Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Stafford Loan, Federal SLS/Plus Loan, Federal Direct Loan or Nursing Loan or owe a refund on any Title IV Grant (Federal Pell, Federal SEOG or SSIG) received at any institution you have attended. For more detailed information, contact the Financial Aid office.

Financial Aid Regulations

Southwestern Michigan College must follow federal, state and institutional regulations in the awarding of financial aid. ANY ERRORS MADE IN DETERMINING ELIGIBILITY FOR OR AMOUNT OF AID WILL BE CORRECTED. Corrections may reduce the amount of a student’s financial aid awards.

Financial Aid Refunds

For information concerning refund procedures for financial aid recipients, including how to apply for a refund, refund eligibility, allocation of refunds and repayment to sources of aid, contact the Financial Aid Office at (269) 782-1316 or (269) 687-4802.

Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

Financial aid is contingent upon satisfactory academic progress. The Financial Aid Academic Progress Policy is in the Financial Aid Office and in the college catalog. A copy is also mailed to every student who is eligible for financial aid at SMC. You may view a copy of this policy by following the link to this document under Related Links on this page.

Overdue Payments

If you receive notification from the Business Office that you owe for tuition or other expenses incurred, you MUST IMMEDIATELY call or stop at the Business Office in order to arrange for payments. Failure to do so will result in your bill going to a collection agency, which will result in a 50 percent additional charge.

Ferris State University Programs

Students who seek a Ferris State University bachelor’s degree offered at SMC and want financial aid must apply to the Financial Aid Office at FSU in Big Rapids.