Financial Aid FAQs

The Federal Government is taking steps to improve the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form. As a result, colleges were delayed in receiving FAFSA® data and official financial aid packages were delayed.

The FAFSA® is available for you to complete.

The Federal Government continues to work to improve the FAFSA® and colleges will continue to receive FAFSA® updates and data.

Use the Saint Michael’s FAFSA School Code, 003694, to have your FAFSA sent to the College.

Saint Michael’s will receive your FAFSA information and contact you should we have any questions or need additional information.  It may take longer than usual for Saint Michael’s to receive the data this year from the Federal Government. Please allow 1 to 2 weeks for us to receive and review the information.

Financial aid awards for returning students are generally issued in early June after spring term grades and academic progress have been verified.

Saint Michaels’ academic scholarships are generally renewable for a total of four years provided the student remains enrolled full-time in good academic standing. Need-based financial aid may be re-evaluated annually based on changes to the FAFSA and family finances. Eligibility for federal financial aid and Saint Michael’s aid requires that the student maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress.

Financial aid offers are available on the Admitted Student portal. Please take the following steps to view your offer.

• Go to your admission portal: smcvt.edu/admissionportal.
• If you have not already done so, open your admission decision letter.
• Your Financial Aid offer letter will be available on the page.
• If there are any changes to your financial aid offer, a new letter will generate in your admission portal. All letters will be available by scrolling to the bottom of the page.

Yes, you can print your offer letter from the Admitted Student portal. You will need to open the decision letter before you are able to print. Click the “Download PDF” option on the right-hand side of the page to download the PDF. You will be able to print from this page.

Admitted students can make the non-refundable deposit on their admissions portal (smcvt.edu/admissionportal). The $500 deposit will be applied to your first semester bill.

If you have any questions about your offer please contact Student Financial Services. You can reach us via email at finaid@smcvt.edu or by phone at 802-654-3243, Monday-Friday from 8:30am-4:00pm. Please note that the office will be closed for the holidays from December 23^rd through January 2^nd. We look forward to talking with you when we return on January 3^rd.

Financial aid offers are available on the KnightVision portal. Please follow the following steps to view your offer.

• Go to your admission portal: smcvt.edu/admissionportal.
• If you have not already done so, open your admission decision letter.
• Click on the plus sign on the purple bar to the left of “Access Financial Aid Information”.
• View your username and password for KnightVision.
• Click on the link and sign in to the KnightVision self-service portal.
• Click on “Financial Aid”.
• Scroll down to the bottom of the checklist and click on “Review your Financial Aid Offer”.
• You can now view and print your offer letter.

Follow the steps below to access your username and password.

• Go to your admission portal: smcvt.edu/admissionportal.
• If you have not already done so, open your admission decision letter.
• Click on the plus sign on the purple bar to the left of “Access Financial Aid Information”.
• View your username and password for KnightVision.

Yes, you can print your offer letter from the KnightVision portal. Scroll down to the bottom of the checklist and click on “Review your Financial Aid Offer”. You will be able to print from this page.

Yes. Keep a very close eye on your email for any alerts from our Office of Student Financial Services. Keep in mind that the status of your required documents could change over the next few weeks and months, so it’s important to remain vigilant and act on any request for additional information you may receive from our office.

You can upload your documents securely in KnightVision Self-Service. In the “Financial Aid” section there will be a message alerting you of any missing documents.  Clicking on the “Complete required documents” link will take you to a page listing all required documents. If a document Status is listed as “Not Received,” click on the “Manage” button to the right under “Attachments” to upload the missing document.

Yes! If you have made the decision to attend Saint Michael’s College, you can accept your financial aid offer on KnightVision Self-Service. Navigate to the checklist found on the “Financial Aid” tab and select “Review your Financial Aid Offer.”

After submitting your $500 non-refundable enrollment deposit on your Admission portal, you can accept your financial aid offer in your KnightVision Self-Service ‘Financial Aid’ portal.  If applicable, be sure to submit any missing documents (found under “Complete required documents” in the KnightVision portal).  After May 1^st, more detailed information for incoming students will be forthcoming.  Make a habit to check your SMC email regularly after May 1^st  for important notices and alerts from Student Financial Services.  This is the primary method of communication between the college and new students.

Admitted students can make the non-refundable deposit on their admissions portal (smcvt.edu/admissionportal). The $500 deposit will be applied to your first semester bill.

If you have any questions about your offer please contact Student Financial Services. You can reach us via email at finaid@smcvt.edu or by phone at 802-654-3243, Monday-Friday from 8:30am-4:00pm. Please note that the office will be closed for the holidays from December 23^rd through January 2^nd. We look forward to talking with you when we return on January 3^rd.

Your school determines your Federal Subsidized and Unsubsidized Direct loan eligibility; details of your eligibility will be included in the financial aid award package provided to you by your school. The same application is used for both loan types; you do not need to complete multiple applications.

To be eligible for the Federal Subsidized Direct Loan, you must have demonstrated financial need to borrow a Federal Subsidized Direct loan. The federal government pays the interest while you are enrolled in school (at least half-time) and during grace and deferment periods. The Federal Unsubsidized Direct Loan is not based on demonstrating financial need and the federal government does not pay the interest; you are responsible for all interest. Interest begins to accumulate immediately upon disbursement. Repayment of accrued interest will be deferred until repayment of principal is required.

Once a student loan has been accepted by a student there are still a few steps that need to be completed before the loan will credit to a student’s account. First-time borrowers of the Federal Direct Loan program will be required to sign a Master Promissory Note (MPN) and complete and online entrance counseling session. The Master Promissory Note is valid for 10 years and once signed will be used for any Federal Direct Loan through this 10-year period. Entrance counseling is a short orientation to the rights and responsibilities of being a student loan borrower. Both of these steps must only be completed once for each student while they are attending Saint Michael’s. The MPN and Entrance counseling can be completed online through studentaid.gov.

Loans are disbursed by term. Once you have resolved all eligibility issues (including verification and satisfactory academic progress) your financial aid for the upcoming term will in most cases be disbursed on the first day of classes. Final adjustments due to changes in your credit hours will occur approximately two weeks after the start of the term. Your financial aid will be credited to your Saint Michael’s tuition and fees, room and board and miscellaneous fees.

If the amount of financial aid and other credits on your bill exceed tuition, fees, and other charges, you may receive a refund. You may use your refund for books, indirect expenses, or any other education expenses for the term. You will receive a check in your Saint Michael’s mail box or you can arrange to have it held in the Cashier’s office. No funds will be released before the first day of classes.

If a parent of a dependent student would like to borrow the PLUS loan, they need to complete the FAFSA. To apply for the PLUS loan, the parent needs to complete the Master Promissory Note (MPN) and the PLUS Loan Application on the Federal website studentloans.gov. Please be aware that the Federal Direct PLUS Loan is contingent upon a credit approval and can only be certified for the amount remaining after consideration of the cost of attendance less all other financial aid awarded and accepted.

If you would like to adjust/reduce the Federal Stafford Loan you were awarded, please contact Student Financial Services by e-mailing finaid@smcvt.edu. Loan change requests must be submitted in writing.

Click here to view the Exit Counseling guide.