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Submit Your Application

Undergraduate Students who are U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens (i.e., permanent residents):

• Submit the  and the .

Undergraduate Students who are not  U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens (i.e., permanent residents), but are considered a Texas resident:

• Submit the  only.

Graduate students submit either the FAFSA or TASFA. The CSS Profile is not required for graduate programs. Students are encouraged to submit aid applications as soon as they are available. 

Filing Dates and Deadlines:   Please remember that you must resubmit aid applications each academic year.

The Department of Education and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) have worked together to develop a process, known as the FUTURE Act Direct Data Exchange (FA-DDX). This process was formerly known as the IRS-DRT (Data Retrieval Tool). FA-DDX simplifies the steps to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by allowing FAFSA to retrieve income and tax data directly from the IRS. Using the FA-DDX saves time, reduces data entry errors, and reduces the need for additional documentation and/or follow-up. All FAFSA applicants and contributors who indicate they have filed their federal tax returns prior to completing their FAFSA may use the FA-DDX process to complete their FAFSA.

All other FAFSA data fields must be completed manually and corrected manually, if necessary, once you receive the FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS). Corrections to the CSS Profile must be made by Financial Aid Services. Contact the SMU Mane Desk at (214) 768-5555 or manedesk@smu.edu for help correcting the CSS Profile.

Make sure to keep all the records you use to file the FAFSA or TASFA, such as your tax documents, W-2's, child support payment records, etc., in a place where you may access them easily. If you are selected for financial aid verification, you may be required to submit one or more of these documents to Financial Aid Services. 

FAFSA is used to determine your eligibility for federal and state aid, whereas the TASFA is used only in determining eligibility for state aid. The CSS Profile is used to determine eligibility for SMU need-based aid. Information on scholarships offered by SMU can be found on the Scholarships webpage. Students are also encouraged to research local organizations or club affiliations for scholarship opportunities. 

Review Your FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS)

Previously referred to as the Student Aid Report (SAR), you will receive your FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS) from the Department of Education a few days after you submit your FAFSA. You may check the status of your FAFSA and retrieve a copy of the FSS by logging in to the  website. Please review the information in the FSS carefully and make corrections as soon as possible, if needed. If you have questions about how to make a corrections, you may contact the SMU Mane Desk at (214) 768-5555 or manedesk@smu.edu or the Department of Education at (800) 433-3243 (4-FED-AID).   

Set Up Your SMU Email Account

Create your SMU e-mail account as soon as you receive instructions. The SMU email is the primary method of communicating with students regarding official business, which includes Financial Aid Offer notifications. Please check your SMU email often for information regarding your financial aid and other official information.  

Watch for Your Financial Aid Offer

Financial Aid Services will send financial aid offers to incoming, first year students based on their admission notification.

• New students will receive their initial financial aid offer by mail. Subsequent aid notifications will be sent by email and available to view in the my.SMU portal.
• Summer and Fall term transfer students will begin receiving financial aid offers in mid-March.
  • Spring transfers will receive financial aid offers in October.   
• Continuing students will begin receiving financial aid offers in May. 

To ensure timely processing of your financial aid package be sure to check your student dashboard in my.SMU for any pending "To-Do" items.  

View Your Financial Aid in my.SMU

Your financial aid notification will include instructions on how to accept your aid in . You will be able to view your aid and take actions to accept, decline or reduce the funding you have been offered.

Verification

***Aid offers may be revised after the verification process is completed so check your SMU e-mail often.***

If your FAFSA is selected for verification, Financial Aid Services will notify you via your SMU e-mail and it will appear as a "To-Do" item. To prevent any delays in processing your financial aid, please submit all requested documents promptly. Financial aid offers are subject to change upon completion of the verification process. You will be notified of any changes to your financial aid via your SMU e-mail address.

Any outstanding To-Do items will be listed on the my.SMU student dashboard.  

Additional Financial Resources

• Use our Net Price Calculator to estimate your costs for a year at SMU
• Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan
  • A parent of a dependent student may apply for this credit-based loan at  and must meet credit approval by the Department of Education. Should the parent applying for the loan have an adverse credit history, they may still be eligible to apply for the loan.
• Federal Direct Grad PLUS Loan
  • Graduate students who file the FAFSA may apply at  for this credit-based loan and must meet credit approval from the Department of Education. Should the student applying have an adverse credit history, they may still be eligible to apply for the loan.
• Private Alternative Loan
  • Private or alternative loans are credit-based loans in the student's name and may require a cosigner.

Still Have Questions?

Please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions on our website. If you do not find what you are looking for, please contact the SMU Mane Desk via email at manedesk@smu.edu or by phone at 214-768-5555.