2024 Financial Aid Updates
Students in the Fall 2024 entering class are experiencing changing timelines due to the launch of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) this year. With the goal of being as helpful and transparent as possible, we have created this page to provide up-to-date information on the latest changes and items you need to know to help with your college search process.
Financial aid timeline
Now: File your 2024-2025 FAFSA! CMU's school code is 002243.
Mid-March: FAFSA data has begun to be sent to the student and colleges by the United States Department of Education. Students will receive an email when their FAFSA submission summary is ready to be viewed at studentaid.gov. If you have filed your FAFSA already, learn how to check on the status of your application by reading the below FAQ section.
Late-April: Financial aid notifications from CMU have begun to be sent out showing your personal financial aid offer.
May 2, 6:30-7:45 p.m. (ET) - Dive into the details and get your questions answered by attending the "Understanding Your Financial Aid Offer" webinar. Register
Updated as of 4/22/2024.
Enrollment and housing deposit deadline update
Paying your enrollment deposit lets us know that you’re coming to CMU so we can save your spot in the incoming class. This deposit is usually refundable until May 1, however CMU has decided to move that refund deadline to June 1 for this year because of the delays caused by the new FAFSA. The housing deposit deadline has also been moved back to June 1.
Financial aid steps
Here are five easy steps to securing your maximum offer.
Step 1: Create your studentaid.gov account.
Step 2: File your FAFSA to maximize your financial aid! CMU's school code is 002243.
Step 3: Students and schools will begin to receive processed FAFSAs in mid-March. Once received, we will begin to put together your financial aid offer!
Step 4: Offer notifications will be sent beginning in late-April. You will receive a packet in the mail outlining your offered aid, next steps and a breakdown of what each component of your offer means. In addition, we will send you an email to your CMICH account when it is ready to be viewed in your financial aid portal.
Step 5: Complete the next steps within your financial aid portal. The link to the portal will be provided in your financial aid award notification email in April.
CMU tuition advantage and other aid opportunities
On February 6, 2024, we announced the expansion of the CMU Tuition Advantage for qualifying newly admitted Michigan students, allowing more students than ever before to attend CMU tuition-free! Information about the CMU Tuition Advantage and more scholarship and grant opportunities are listed below.
CMU Tuition Advantage
Starting 2024-25 academic year, newly admitted Michigan students whose families have an adjusted gross income and family assets of $65,000 or less may be eligible to attend CMU tuition-free. We will cover the cost of 30 credit hours (15 credits in the fall and 15 credits in the spring) and the student services fee through a combination of federal, state and institutional aid.
Michigan Achievement Scholarship
The Michigan Achievement Scholarship program is free money from the State of Michigan to lower the cost of your college tuition by thousands of dollars per year. New 2023 MI high school graduates and beyond could receive up to $5,500 in free money!
Maroon & Gold Scholarship
Our Maroon and Gold Merit Scholarships provides scholarship opportunities to incoming freshmen based on high school academics. Incoming freshmen who have applied to CMU are automatically considered for these awards.
Transfer Scholarships
Merit-based scholarships are awarded to qualifying incoming transfer students based on materials submitted at application for admission. Students can earn up to $13,500 over three years by combining qualified scholarships designed specifically for transfer students.
Scholarship Universe
We offer a scholarship-matching tool for admitted CMU students through Scholarship Universe. After answering some initial questions, Scholarship Universe connects you to donor-based internal (CMU) scholarship opportunities for which you qualify for the Fall and Spring semesters of the 2024-2025 academic year.
Resources
We have you covered! From webinars and podcasts to blogs, we provide the most up-to-date information to keep you informed and help guide you through the financial aid process.
Webinars
The Search Bar Podcast
Admissions Director's Blog
Get ready for your offer
While you wait for your financial aid offer to come this April there are steps you can take right now!
- Activate your CMU account. This is a crucial step as we will communicate with you via your CMICH email address, so you want to make sure you have your account set up and ready to be used.
- File your FAFSA! We cannot move forward with your financial aid offer and look for your max aid possible without your FAFSA data. CMU's priority deadline for offered aid is June 1st.
Frequently asked questions
What is the status of my FAFSA application?
Students that have filed their FAFSA may check the status of their 2024-25 application on StudentAid.gov. To check the status, students should do the following:
1. Log in using your FSAID and password.
2. Navigate to your account Dashboard.
3. Select "2024-25 FAFSA Form" from the "My Activity" page. The application status will be one of the following:
Draft: Your section of the FAFSA form is incomplete.
In Progress: You provided your consent, approval, and signature to your section of the FAFSA form, but the FAFSA has not yet been submitted.
In Review: You have submitted your form and your application is still processing.
Processed: Your application was processed successfully.
Action Required: Your application requires further action from you or your contributor(s). In some cases, you may need to contact your college or career/trade school to resolve the issue.
When will CMU receive my FAFSA?
Once you receive an email that your FAFSA has been processed and if you have CMU on the FAFSA, we will receive your information at that time. Whenever you make a correction or an update to the FAFSA, we will receive the new FAFSA within 1-3 business days.
When can I make a correction or update to my FAFSA?
Corrections and updates are now available on the How to Correct or Update Your FAFSA. CMU will receive an updated version of your FAFSA 1-3 business days after you submit your corrections and updates.
How will I know my FAFSA processed?
You will receive an email from StudentAid.gov once your FAFSA has processed. You will be able to review your FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS) and check the status of your FAFSA by logging into StudentAid.gov.
My FAFSA processed. Now what?
This is great news! Leave the rest to us. In the weeks to follow, we will mail you your financial aid offer as well as email you at your CMICH email address with a link to your financial aid portal so you can review your offered aid.