Managing Your Fall 2026 Aid

Important: Beginning in 2026-2027, financial aid will look a little different. See the Key Information for Financial Aid page for additional information about student aid changes enacted by the 2025 federal budget reconciliation bill.

Five Steps To Ensure You Receive Your Fall Term Financial Aid

Step 1: Your financial aid will not be paid unless you are enrolled at least half-time (6 hours for undergraduates; waitlisted courses do not count towards your total enrollment). To receive all of the aid offered, you must have full-time enrollment by the Drop/Add deadline (Sept. 21). Completing any less than 12 credits in the term may result in your aid being reduced.

Step 2: Double-check your document status to be sure you have submitted all required materials. If asked for follow-up documents, find the list on Wolverine Access.

Step 3: Complete and sign a Master Promissory Note for federal loans on the Federal Student Aid website if you are a first-time Direct Loan borrower at U-M.

Step 4: Complete loan entrance counseling on the Federal Student Aid website if you are a first-time Direct Loan borrower at U-M.

Step 5: Be sure to resolve any academic or financial holds that have impacted your ability to enroll for the fall semester.

Once all of the above items, as applicable, are met, your aid funds will be released and applied to tuition, fees, and housing charges on your student account.

If you are receiving a refund:

Set up direct deposit - If your financial aid is more than your billed charges, the extra amount is refunded to you. Direct deposit is the fastest way to receive a refund (often within three to five business days after it's issued). Learn how to set up direct deposit. If you don't enroll in direct deposit, your refund may be delayed. Students receiving refunds without direct deposit have a check mailed to their active address listed in Wolverine Access, which can add a week or more delay.

– AND –

Update your current address for fall term (important) - Your current address in Wolverine Access is used by the university to contact you. To prevent your mail or mailed refunds (if applicable) being sent incorrectly, it is important to keep your address updated. You are encouraged to review your current and permanent address information each term. This ensures you can receive important information that is mailed.

Note: Because some aid covers only tuition (not orientation charges, printing charges, lost ID fees, etc.), you could receive a refund when there are outstanding charges on your student account. You are responsible for paying the balance on your account even after you receive a financial aid refund.

Did You Know?

Some aid programs require full-time enrollment, while others may be reduced for less than full-time attendance.
It’s not enough to enroll in courses. You must participate to be eligible for financial aid and your courses must count for degree credit. You cannot receive aid for a class if you aren't earning credit for the class.
Students must report additional scholarships, departmental funding, Michigan Education Trust, or veterans’ benefits not already on notices that may affect aid.

Understanding Your Bill

To find your bill on Wolverine Access:

Visit Wolverine Access
To see your charges in detail, select "Account Inquiry" from your Student Center.

The Charges Due section shows a running total of your charges by due date. You may view individual bills by clicking on the invoice number in the Invoices Due section.

Because bills are issued before financial aid funds for fall term are credited to student accounts, a special item called Pending Aid is displayed on the bill. This is the amount of financial aid the university expects to credit to your account based on the financial aid notice. It is a snapshot in time and does not change.

The Amount Due section shows the total amount owed before Pending Aid is included. If you are enrolled at least half-time, have signed your federal loan documents, and have completed the requirements to receive fall aid, Pending Aid will appear on your bill and be subtracted from your charges.

How Much Do I Owe?

If you have pending aid on your bill, take the Amount Due at the top of the bill and manually subtract your Pending Aid. This is what you owe by Aug. 31, 2026. But keep in mind:

Pending aid is the amount of aid you were expected to receive when the bill was issued. If you have received aid since then, it will appear on your Wolverine Access Account Summary page. (Additional funds may affect the amount of your aid.) Subtract this amount from your charges to determine the balance due or use the bill estimator on Wolverine Access to calculate it.
PLUS and private loans, third-party credits, and private scholarships will not appear as pending aid. They are credited when funds are received. If they have not appeared by the time you pay your bill, pay the amount due on your bill to avoid a late fee. After funds are applied, your monthly bill will contain a credit.
Disbursement of aid to students’ accounts will begin on or about Aug. 24 for the fall 2026 term. When funds are credited, pending aid items will be removed. Initial aid refunds will be issued to students Aug. 27.

Did You Receive a Private Scholarship?

Checks sent to U-M are applied to the student account, half for fall and half for winter, unless otherwise specified.
If a check is sent to the student but made out to U-M, submit it to us for processing. Checks can be submitted in person at the Scholarship Materials Dropbox, located in the second floor lobby of the Student Activities Building.
If a check is sent to the student and is copayable to the student and U-M, endorse and submit it.
If a check is sent and made payable to a student, report this to us and apply funds to your student account.
Private scholarship providers may submit scholarship payments electronically. You might consider sharing the instructions with your provider.

Note: Always include your UMID on submitted payments.