St. Mike’s Community Commitment
Our Commitment to You
Saint Michael’s College fortifies our mission of making a deeply engaging, student-centered education more affordable through a new financial aid initiative: the St. Mike’s Community Commitment.
To better help new and continuing students and families understand the aid they will receive, the St. Mike’s Community Commitment gives families whose income falls at or below $100,000* a total aid package that covers full tuition after federal grants.
| Total Income Range | Total Grants and Scholarships |
|---|---|
| $100,000* or below | Full Tuition |
| *Assuming typical assets (see FAQ) | |
FAQs
Total income includes a family’s adjusted gross income (AGI) for the federal tax year applicable to each academic year (e.g., 2023 for the 2025-2026 Academic Year). This data is provided to us through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) that you will be required to complete every year that you are enrolled at SMC.
Similar to your income, we will collect this data through the FAFSA. When the combination of your reported assets (cash, investments, business/farm assets) are at or below $150,000 you will be eligible for this scholarship program. The value of qualifying retirement accounts are excluded.
Total grants and scholarships include both merit-based scholarships and need-based grants from Saint Michael’s College. If you are eligible for Federal Pell Grant and Federal SEOG Grant assistance, these funds will be included in the calculation. The St. Mike’s Community Commitment will be the last award applied and will cover any remaining unmet tuition costs. Merit-based scholarships at SMC include academic, athletic, and/or endowed scholarships.
No. To be considered for the St. Mike’s Community Commitment, students need only complete the FAFSA by March 1st (i.e. by March 1, 2025 for the Fall 2025 enrollment cycle). Returning students must complete the FAFSA by May 1st.
Families who continue to meet the total income and asset criteria each year will remain eligible for the St. Mike’s Community Commitment. Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year. Students must also maintain an overall GPA of 3.2.
The St. Mike’s Community Commitment is our guarantee to you that at a minimum your tuition costs will be covered. It is possible that the combination of SMC assistance could exceed your tuition costs. Assistance received through state grants or outside scholarships will not be considered against the St. Mike’s Community Commitment eligibility and will be applied toward comprehensive fee and room and board costs. The total amount of assistance received from all SMC sources of grants and need-based aid cannot exceed tuition, fees, and housing costs.
While international students are not eligible for the St. Mike’s Community Commitment program, SMC continues to support our international student population through generous merit-based scholarship programs.
No. Graduate students are not eligible for the St. Mike’s Community Commitment.
In order to receive the full benefit of the St. Mike’s Community Commitment program you are required to live on campus. If you do decide to commute to campus, all sources of grants and scholarships will be considered in the calculation of your St. Mike’s Community Commitment eligibility. Contact our Student Financial Services team with any questions you have and they will work with you to understand your options.
Yes. Students currently enrolled at SMC for the Fall 2025 semester are eligible for the St. Mike’s Community Commitment program as long as they maintain an overall GPA of 3.2 or higher.
No. Students will still be required to cover any tuition costs if enrolled in winter intersession and summer semester courses. Also, the St. Mike’s Community Commitment program eligibility will not be included in any semester a student is not taking classes at SMC (i.e. consortium courses at another institution, semester studying abroad, etc.)