Qualifying for Aid

The federal government is the primary source of financial aid for college students. Students must meet the following requirements to be eligible for federal aid:  

• Have financial need and demonstrate it through their financial aid application. (Some loans and scholarships are available to students without need.)
• Be accepted for enrollment or enrolled at least half time and working toward a degree or combined degree/certificate. Students enrolled in a certificate-only program are not eligible for federal aid, including loans. Students may apply for aid before being accepted or enrolled.
• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-U.S. citizen. Federal regulations and university policy limit financial assistance available to non-U.S. citizens. There is no federal financial aid and limited scholarship funding available to international students attending U-M.
• Make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward a degree program. Learn more about SAP.
• Use aid only for educational purposes.
• Not owe a refund on a federal grant or be in default on any federal educational loan.
• Enroll for coursework that is accepted for credit by your degree-granting program.
• Attend all classes for which you enroll. If you fail a class and did not attend or participate, your financial aid could be adjusted. (Note that instructors report non-participation if a student receives a failing grade.)

Second Bachelor's Degree

Students are eligible for federal aid if they are pursuing double majors or dual-degree programs as long as they meet Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements. If a student has earned an undergraduate degree and has re-entered college to pursue another bachelor's degree, financial aid is limited to loans. 

Non-candidate for Degree Students

Students admitted with a non-candidate-for-degree status may qualify for federal loan assistance if they are taking prerequisite courses for admittance into a U-M program. Contact the Office of Financial Aid to receive more detailed information regarding potential eligibility.

Enrollment at More Than One Institution

Students who are enrolled at more than one college or university at the same time may receive aid from only one institution.

Special note to UM-Ann Arbor students electing to complete coursework at UM-Dearborn or UM-Flint. Aid will be awarded by the UM-Ann Arbor Office of Financial Aid solely for coursework taken on the Ann Arbor campus. Courses taken at a different campus location will not be eligible for financial aid and do not count toward credit hour requirements for full-time enrollment at the Ann Arbor campus.

For more information, contact us.

Financial aid programs were created with the assumption that the primary responsibility for paying for college rests with the student and family. Need-based financial aid is available to families who need additional resources.

The formula we use to determine need-based eligibility subtracts the Student Aid Index (SAI) and other financial resources (private scholarships, etc.) from the cost of attendance.

Cost of attendance is the estimated cost to attend U-M for fall and winter terms, including estimated tuition and fees, books and supplies, and housing and meals, plus a modest allowance for personal/miscellaneous expenses. The budget allows the same housing and meals budget whether you live on or off campus, unless you live with your parents and then you will get less.

The Student Aid Index (SAI) is a formula applied uniformly to all aid applicants and considers information provided on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). For entering applicants, the CSS Profile is also used as an eligibility indicator. The FAFSA determines eligibility for federal aid, and the CSS Profile determines eligibility for U-M gift aid.

Your SAI and CSS Profile-calculated family needs are used when creating your aid offer. Generally, aid offers remain similar over your years at U-M if your family finances remain similar.

While your calculated eligibility for need-based aid represents the amount of aid you could receive based on costs and your resources, the amount of aid that you will receive depends on aid funds available in any given year. See How Aid Is Awarded for more information about how the university distributes financial aid resources.

A note about applying for financial aid: When you apply for financial aid at U-M using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), we verify the information you submitted to the federal processor. We will sometimes ask you for additional information and review other university records during the application process. Your FAFSA record may be corrected based upon this information.

Students may seek private scholarships and get help from U-M schools and colleges to meet their college costs. These are considered as financial resources when determining need-based aid eligibility and improve your overall aid package. In general, if you receive outside aid (including scholarships from U-M schools and colleges):

• It is first applied against costs not accounted for in your financial aid package (i.e. the gap between the cost of attendance and your SAI plus the aid offered). Outside aid will not reduce the amount a student and family are responsible for based on the SAI.
• Next, it reduces your loan or Work-Study, reducing funds you must borrow or earn by working.
• Your grant aid is only reduced if all loan and Work-Study funds are replaced by scholarships or other resources.

Some important exceptions to this rule:

• Some Office of Financial Aid scholarships are awarded based on student need. This may reduce your U-M Grant, but your total aid should remain the same or be higher.
• If you receive a Detroit Promise or a Wolverine Pathways scholarship, these will be applied against your need-based grants before reducing your loan or Work-Study.

Please note that some scholarships require full-time enrollment before they will disburse. You are responsible for reviewing and understanding the terms and conditions of all financial aid offered.