FAFSAs are typically processed by the Department of Education within 3-5 business days and are sent to institutions linked on the application.

Students can view on the Financial Aid page of their student profiles when their FAFSA is on file. If you do not see a green checkmark next to “Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)”, it’s possible we simply have not received your FAFSA from the Department of Education just yet. Another reason may be that Lake Michigan College was not added on your application; students must add institutions on their FAFSA for the application to be received from the Department of Education. FAFSAs generally process within 3-5 business days before they are received. For further assistance, the Financial Aid Office may be contacted at finaid@lakemichigancollege.edu.

Our school code is 002277.

Generally, no, unless Unusual Extenuating Circumstances qualify for a review of your dependency status. For financial aid, the federal government considers students to be Dependent until the age of 24 after which, they are considered Independent. For this reason, students under the age of 24 must provide parental information on their FAFSA applications regardless of individual living circumstance. Without parental information, dependent students would need to request a dependency override. (Read what to do if you are unable to provide parental information.) For additional resource, please see “I have an Unusual Circumstances Verification. How do I complete it?” and “What if my parent refuses to provide parental information on my FAFSA?”

See How to Correct or Update Your FAFSA Form on studentaid.gov.

Please contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC) at 1 (800) 433-3243.

Please contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC) at 1 (800) 433-3243.

Yes; however, while we cannot input any information on a student’s FAFSA application, we can walk students through the process of completing their FAFSAs. Regarding technical problems, we may be able to provide general troubleshooting tips for common issues experienced on your studentaid.gov account, but students should contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC) at 1 (800) 433-3243 for the best assistance, since studentaid.gov is a federally maintained website.

The Financial Aid award letter students receive shows a general rundown of a student's estimated cost of attendance and the maximum potential aid cap for the academic year. It is what the Financial Aid Office uses to calculate a student’s estimated financial aid need.

The charges you may be referring to are listed as non-billable items on the Award Offer tab of the student profile. The federal government requires all institutions to include such factors as housing, transportation, food, personal expenses, etc. when budgeting for financial aid regardless of individual circumstance. These charges are not a bill, nor do they contain any specific information about your bill.

It’s possible we are still in the process of packaging aid to eligible accounts. The start of the semester can be a busy time, which may affect how soon a student is able to see their financial aid award information on their profile. Your patience is appreciated as we work to ensure every eligible student has access to their appropriate funding. Students are encouraged to regularly check their profiles for potential updates. For additional resource, please refer to “I submitted my FAFSA. Why don’t I see anything confirming this on my LMC Student Profile?”

It’s possible we are still in the process of packaging aid to eligible accounts. Classes are contractually obligated to be paid by the student upon registering. Even if a student has aid, they may continue to receive these notices until the auto-drop date for non-payment of classes is reached, or until disbursement occurs if a student has registered for a last 7-week class. Additionally, there could be tracking requirements that prevent a student’s aid from packaging or authorizing; students should check the Financial Aid page on their profiles regularly to see if any additional information is required. To ensure financial aid can be authorized within the allotted timeframe, students should complete any outstanding requirements as soon as possible. For inquiries regarding billing and payments, please contact the Business Office at (269) 927-8610.

Aid packaging is the process of offering financial aid that students are eligible to receive towards their bill on their accounts.

The Auto-Drop for Non-Payment Due Date is the date by which students must have payment in place for registered courses to avoid classes dropping. Students must either have financial aid in place, have a payment plan set up with the Business Office within the specified deadlines, or have paid in full. The auto-drop Non-Payment due date can be found online by viewing the calendar.

Authorized means aid that has been awarded to an account is currently set to cover charges for billing but has not been paid out to a student’s account yet. Authorization is subject to change in accordance with a student’s aid status, enrollment, SAP status or Lifetime Eligibility Limit.

Disbursement is the process where authorized aid has been posted to a student’s account and paid towards the bill. The date of disbursement can be found online by viewing the calendar.

Student Refund is the aid left over after full payment of the bill that can be refunded to a student.

The federal government requires institutions to notify students of any impending financial aid disbursements. The letter students receive is a general letter; because of this, non-specific information is shown. Please note—the amount of disbursement is not the amount of a student refund. For further resource, please see “What is the difference between the Auto-Drop Payment Due Date, Aid Authorized, Aid Disbursement and Student Refund?”

Financial Aid is packaged according to information provided by the student on their FAFSA. The SAI—Student Aid Index, previously known as EFC or Expected Family Contribution—is the eligibility index number used to determine the amount of federal aid a student may receive. A negative SAI indicates the student has a higher financial need. A student with an SAI ranging from -1,500 to 0 is not eligible for an increase in federal aid because they would already be receiving the maximum amount of federal aid, if eligible.

The Federal Pell Grant is prorated based on enrollment intensity, which is the number of degree-applicable credit hours that a student is enrolled in at the time of federal aid reporting. For example, if 12 credit hours equals Full-Time and a Pell-eligible student is currently enrolled in 9 credits, they may receive 75% of their total Pell award for the semester. Courses must be within a student’s degree program to receive financial aid coverage.

State aid goes to the first institution listed on the FAFSA. If a student needs to change their preferred institution for State Aid, they do not need to submit a FAFSA correction; the preferred institution can be switched from the MiSSG Portal. Some state aid is last-dollar, which means that it may not show on an account if all tuition and fees are covered by prior scholarships and grants. Students should check the MiSSG portal to see if any additional information is required for State Aid eligibility and complete any outstanding requirements as soon as possible.

No. Courses must be within a student’s specified degree program to be eligible for financial aid coverage.

No. Students with a prior bachelor’s or professional degree are not eligible for a Pell Grant. Students with a prior skills certificate, associate, bachelor’s, or professional degree are also not eligible for Michigan Reconnect, Red Hawk Futures or the Community College Guarantee.

No, international students and noncitizens cannot qualify for Financial Aid. Only United States citizens, permanent U.S. residents, or eligible noncitizens may qualify.

No, federal and state financial aid is not available to students who have not graduated high school. However, apprenticeship programs or external scholarships may be available for students to source of their own accord.

No, financial aid is not available to guest students. However, students may consider sourcing external scholarships of their own accord.

Yes. An official high school transcript is required for federal and state financial aid. We cannot accept a partial or unofficial transcript, nor can we accept them from the student. Official transcripts must be sent either from your graduating high school or through Parchment and can be sent to admissions@lakemichigancollege.edu. Students can view when their official transcript is on file from the financial aid page of their student profiles. For inquiries regarding the status of your transcript, please contact the Admissions Department at admissions@lakemichigancollege.edu.

The Federal Direct Loan Request/Update Form can be found on the Financial Aid page at www.lakemichigancollege.edu under Financial Aid Documents. Students requesting a loan must submit the form applicable to the current academic year. All corresponding student information and loan request information must be filled out, and the form must be hand-signed and dated in ink before submitting to the Financial Aid Office for review. Student loans are a serious commitment. Please make sure to read the form carefully before requesting and/or accepting a loan. More information regarding loans can be found here on our website. Students must also be SAP eligible to receive a Federal Direct Loan.

Please visit this page on our website.

There are several reasons why a Federal Direct Loan may not pay out even if accepted. The most common causes are that Loan Entrance Counseling has not been completed, or a Direct Master Promissory Note has not been signed or is in the process of evaluation by the Department of Education. Links to complete these can be found on the Financial Aid page on the student profile. Another reason a loan may not pay out could be that a student is not actively enrolled in at least six degree-applicable credits. Students must be SAP eligible to receive a Federal Direct Loan. For further assistance, you may contact the Financial Aid Office at finaid@lakemichigancollege.edu.

Before we process any third-party loan requests, it is the policy of our financial aid department that a student utilize their full access to Federal Direct Loans. We do this to prevent students from taking on undue financial burden for their schooling. Federal Direct Loans have a lower interest rate, lower fees, and more favorable terms for discharge and negotiation.

Alternate loans must first be certified by the Financial Aid Office before funds may be made available, and only after a student has fully accessed and utilized any Federal Direct Loans they may be eligible for. For many alternate loans including Sallie Mae or College Ave, students must be SAP eligible.

Upon approval by the Department of Education and acceptance by a student, student loans are first authorized to cover outstanding charges that may exist on an account. Loan funds that remain after payment of outstanding charges are issued as part of student refunds.

Federal Direct Loans are issued in two disbursements. For Fall/Spring loans, 50% is issued for Fall, and 50% is issued for Spring. For Spring-only loans, 50% is issued on the day of disbursement. The remaining 50% is disbursed after roster confirmation for last 7-week courses is completed, regardless of whether a student is enrolled in any last 7-week courses.

Student refunds, if applicable, are processed within 14 days of the date of Financial Aid Disbursement. The date of disbursement can be found on the LMC calendar.

Student refunds, if applicable, are issued according to the preference set on the Student Refunds page of the student profile. If a student has not set up for a BankMobile debit card or BankMobile direct deposit, refunds would be issued via a check in the mail. The Business Office is the primary contact for inquiries regarding a student refund payout. They can be reached at (269) 927-8610.

For inquiries regarding student refund payouts, please contact the Business Office. For further resource, please see “When will student refunds be issued?” and “How are student refunds issued?”

Aid awarded to an account generally will first pay towards tuition and fees unless otherwise specified, depending on the type of aid present. There are several reasons a refund may be less than expected:

• Billing hours may be greater than credit hours, which means a greater balance must be paid before a student refund can be processed. Likewise, course fees may vary depending on the course.
• Purchases made at the bookstore using financial aid can impact the amount able to be refunded.
• Certain aid may be prorated based on enrollment or enrollment intensity, which affects the amount of aid able to be authorized and subsequently disbursed.

For inquiries regarding student refund payouts, please contact the Business Office. For inquiries regarding financial aid award, please contact the Financial Aid Office.

The 1098T form can be found under the Additional Links provided on the student profile.

Yes, if it is anticipated that a student will have excess financial aid. Certain financial aid such as the Pell Grant may be used at the bookstore, provided funds exist to cover such purchases after covering tuition and fees and housing (if applicable). Financial aid may cover certain purchases made at the bookstore related to educational expenses only. For inquiries regarding bookstore credit, students may contact either the Bookstore at (269) 927-6713 or the Business Office at (269) 927-8610.

Financial aid funds will only cover what they are allotted for, specified either by the federal government, state, or donors of grants/scholarships. The Federal Pell Grant first covers tuition and fees; it will only apply towards housing if funds remain after paying tuition and fees. State Aid is tuition specific only. For information on what your external scholarship may cover, please contact the donors of your scholarship.

Financial aid funds are only allotted for the specified semester they are awarded.

Financial Aid forms can be found on the Financial Aid page of our website. All financial aid forms must be complete with all necessary information and must be hand signed and dated in ink upon submittal.

All financial aid forms, including Federal Direct Loan Requests, SAP Appeals, Homeless Youth, Unusual/Special Circumstance Verifications, etc. should be submitted to faforms@lakemichigancollege.edu.

Tracking/Verification Requirements are those required by the government that a student must fulfill before aid eligibility can be determined. To view and complete these requirements, students can log into their student profiles, go to the Financial Aid page, and select the link “LMC Verification of My FAFSA Application.” They can then create an account to log in and complete any tracking requirements. Please note—when creating an account to complete outstanding verifications, student information must match the information on their FAFSAs exactly. If further assistance is needed, the Financial Aid Office or Educational Opportunity Center may be contacted.

The Identity and Statement of Educational Purpose form must be completed in person, either in front of a Financial Aid Administrator or a Certified Public Notary (with the Notary’s official stamp of approval), or we cannot accept it. In addition, we must have a front and back copy of your valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID when completing the form.

Students with a Homeless Verification must fill out the Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Verification Form and submit it to the Financial Aid Office for review before any federal aid eligibility can be determined. They must provide all required documentation pertaining to their applicable circumstance selected on the form, as well as provide a general letter explaining their situation along with supporting documentation to substantiate the claims made in the letter. If an error was made in filling out the FAFSA and the student is not Homeless or an Unaccompanied Youth, a correction will need to be submitted on studentaid.gov.

Students with an Unusual Circumstances Verification must fill out the Unusual Circumstances Form and submit it to the Financial Aid Office for review before any federal aid eligibility can be determined. They must provide all required documentation pertaining to their applicable circumstance selected on the form, as well as provide a general letter explaining their situation along with supporting documentation to substantiate the claims made in the letter. If an error was made in filling out the FAFSA and the student is able to provide parental information, a correction will need to be submitted on studentaid.gov, and the student must invite their parent/contributor to complete their portion of the FAFSA application.

Dependent students whose parents refuse to provide their tax information (i.e. the student is in contact with their parent/contributor(s), yet no extenuating circumstances exist that would prevent or otherwise pose a risk to the student in obtaining tax information) are not eligible for financial aid. This also remains true regardless of whether a student is living on their own or is otherwise not receiving financial assistance from their parent(s) despite maintaining contact; a dependent must provide parental tax information for federal aid eligibility except in cases of extenuating circumstances, for which they can request a dependency override.

Unusual Circumstances are those which prevent a student from contacting their parent/contributor(s) and/or otherwise may pose a risk to the student obtaining tax information for their FAFSA. If applicable, students can select this answer when filling out their FAFSA on studentaid.gov. They may be considered provisionally independent, but a flag is generated by the Department of Education and the student receives a tracking requirement that must be reviewed by the Financial Aid Office before any federal aid eligibility can be determined. For additional resource, please see “I have an Unusual Circumstances Verification. How do I complete it?”

Special Circumstances are those that may warrant reconsideration of financial aid eligibility. These special circumstances may be changes that have occurred in a student’s family and/or household since they filed the FAFSA for the current academic year. The Special Circumstances form can be found on our website. Students seeking a review of Special Circumstances must provide all required documentation pertaining to their applicable circumstance selected on the form, as well as provide a general letter explaining their situation and supporting documentation to substantiate the claims made in the letter. For additional resource, please see “My Aid Offer is less than expected; why is this? ”

Unusual Enrollment History (UEH) is a federal verification flag that occurs when a student has attended and/or applied for or received federal funding at multiple institutions. This verification flag must be reviewed by the Financial Aid Office and must be cleared before any aid may potentially be awarded. Students must provide all required documentation listed on the verification portal for review, including official institutional transcripts regardless of whether academic credit was earned.

Students may be awarded Reconnect if they are registered in degree-applicable courses and show as eligible on the State roster. There are no exceptions for State Aid eligibility criteria. A student can be approved for Michigan Reconnect; however, because Michigan Reconnect is last dollar, it will not show on an account if tuition and fees are covered in full by other scholarships and/or grants. Reconnect eligibility is not limited based on a specific SAI/EFC calculation as determined by the FAFSA application. Courses must be within a student’s degree program to receive coverage.

Students need only apply once for Reconnect. To maintain continued eligibility for Michigan Reconnect, students must be registered for courses in their degree program, and they must complete and pass a minimum of 12 credits in an academic year. They must continue to make Satisfactory Academic Progress towards a specified degree-program or certification.

Michigan Reconnect may only cover the domestic rate of tuition and fees. Michigan Reconnect does not cover books and course materials.

Michigan Reconnect follows the federal rule for financial aid coverage of course repeats. For further information, please see “Will Financial Aid pay for a repeat course?”

Please see the State site for eligibility criteria for the Community College Guarantee. There are no exceptions for State Aid eligibility criteria. Because the Community College Guarantee is last dollar, it will not show on an account if tuition and fees are covered in full by other scholarships and/or grants. The Community College Guarantee may only cover the domestic rate of tuition and fees; books and course materials are not included.

While the Red Hawk Futures Scholarship has been replaced due to the passage of the Community College Guarantee, students that previously received Red Hawk Futures may continue to receive it if they do not qualify for the Community College Guarantee. If a student is eligible for both, they may only receive one or the other; they cannot receive both. The Red Hawk Futures Scholarship is only available to students that graduated from an In-District high school in 2023 and 2024. Only the domestic rate of tuition and fees may be covered; books and course materials are not included.

Please see the State site for TIP eligibility criteria. Students must be SAP eligible to receive TIP, and they must be enrolled in at least six degree-applicable credits.

No; TIP does not cover housing. The Tuition Incentive Program only covers tuition up to enrolled credit hours. Eligible students must be enrolled in at least six degree-applicable credits to receive TIP.

External scholarships are sent to the Business Office, not Financial Aid, for processing. External scholarships can be addressed to the Business Office – A222, Lake Michigan College; 2755 E Napier Ave., Benton Harbor MI, 49022. For inquiries regarding external scholarships, please contact the Business Office.

Academic or Merit-Based Scholarships are awarded to students of outstanding academic achievement. The institution must have an official high school transcript on file. Students that are eligible to receive Merit-Based Scholarships are officially notified by the Office of Admissions. Scholarships are awarded to eligible accounts when financial aid is packaged.

When a student applies for scholarships using the application portal, applicant information is matched to any scholarships they may be eligible for. Scholarships are processed regularly and students will receive a notification on their profiles if they are awarded.

For inquiries regarding VA Benefits, please reach out to the Office of Veteran Services, located at our Napier campus.

Financial aid cannot be used to pay for more than one repeat of a course previously passed (D or higher) unless the course is eligible for additional credit.

Aid is packaged according to a student’s enrollment. Lake Michigan College will refund 100% of a student’s tuition and fees if:

• The college cancels a course, or
• The student drops the course before the published drop deadline. The drop deadline is published in the academic calendar on our website.

Withdrawals will not affect GPA; however, it does affect a student’s Cumulative Course Completion Rate, which will affect future eligibility for financial aid in accordance with SAP Policy.

No refunds can be issued for classes that a student withdraws from. Federal aid is recalculated upon withdrawing and the unearned portion is returned to the government; because of this, a balance may still be owed that must be paid. Students that complete at least 60% of their degree-applicable course before withdrawing are considered to have earned their full amount of federal aid for the semester and may not owe a balance for the withdrawn course. Students considering a withdrawal must first contact the Financial Aid Office if utilizing financial aid, and are strongly encouraged to meet with their academic advisor before withdrawing.

SAP stands for Satisfactory Academic Progress, and is the standard policy used by all institutions for determining a student’s financial aid standing. Student SAP status is reviewed for aid eligibility at the end of each semester. The SAP Policy can be viewed on our website.

A SAP Appeal is the form that students may submit to potentially regain financial aid eligibility. Students must demonstrate extenuating circumstances that prevented them from making Satisfactory Academic Progress in their program of study. They must meet with their academic advisor to complete the form properly and fully. All required documentation pertaining to the circumstance checked on the form must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office, along with a general letter explaining their situation and supporting documentation to substantiate claims made in the letter. Appeals are not guaranteed for approval and are subject to review by the SAP Appeal Committee. Students will be notified via their student profile once a decision is made. Qualifications for extenuating circumstances are listed on the form. The SAP Policy can be viewed on our website.

A maximum hour termination is when a student has exceeded the maximum program length, or number of aid-eligible credits while pursuing their degree. An appeal can still be submitted for this type of termination. Maximum Hour Appeals are different from a regular appeal, as prior credits must be evaluated alongside current enrollment to make an accurate determination in accordance with federal regulations. Students at Max Hours are still required to meet with an academic advisor to complete the form.

When a student previously in good financial aid standing fails to meet the standard for Satisfactory Academic Progress, the student is placed on Financial Aid Warning, where they will be eligible for aid for one additional semester. If a student does not meet these Standards at the end of the additional semester, they will lose financial aid eligibility and have the option to submit a SAP Appeal.

A State Aid Appeal is a request form which may be submitted when a student loses State Aid eligibility. The State Funded Continued Eligibility Appeal form can be found on our website. All required documentation pertaining to the circumstance checked on the form must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office, along with a general letter explaining their situation and supporting documentation to substantiate claims made in the letter. Requests are not guaranteed for approval and are subject to administrative review. Only extenuating circumstances are considered for State Aid Appeals.

Students may be able to receive aid for a subsequent degree, but they may reach Maximum Hours, resulting in aid termination. Though the verbiage might appear confusing regarding the subsequent degree policy, a Maximum Timeframe Appeal is the official process for notifying the Financial Aid Office of a subsequent degree. For additional insight, please refer to “What is a SAP Appeal and what is the process for submitting it?” and “What is Program Length/Maximum Hours?”

An Accounts Receivable Hold is placed on a student’s account when they owe an outstanding balance. This must be satisfied before the student can register for additional classes. For inquiries regarding an Accounts Receivable Hold, please contact the Business Office at (269) 927-8610.

A Registration Hold prevents students from registering in additional classes and can be placed for different reasons. Students should contact their academic advisor for assistance.

When a student fails to pay an outstanding balance owed to Lake Michigan College within a specified timeframe, the balance is sent to a Collections Agency. For inquiries regarding Collections Fees, please contact the Business Office at (269) 927-8610.

Students may be refunded if an out-of-pocket payment is made where aid is able to cover, but charges that are paid for out-of-pocket yet not covered by financial aid will not be refunded.

No, class withdrawals are not eligible for refunds.

To maintain the highest level of confidentiality and security, it is the policy of the Lake Michigan College Financial Aid Department that we do not discuss account details with any external sources, including personal emails. For inquiries regarding your student account, please reach out to the Financial Aid Office using your LMC student email, as it is the most secure method of contact.

Due to federal law, we are prohibited from discussing any details regarding a student's account to any external source or to anyone that is not the direct student without an official FERPA release on file authorized by that student for approved person(s) to discuss. Students may submit a FERPA Release Authorization Form for individuals they wish to allow to correspond with Lake Michigan College on their behalf.

Students can access their accounts by clicking the Student Portal link found on our website and logging in. Once they have logged in, students can access the Financial Aid page and LMC email on their student profile. First time users may contact the Admissions Department for assistance logging into their accounts. If technical issues are encountered, the IT HelpDesk may be contacted at (269) 927-8189.

We strive to maintain a quick and accurate response time to every student inquiry. Emails and phone calls are returned within 24-48 business hours. We are dedicated to assisting every student as needed and able. As such, busy periods at the beginning of the semester or holidays may significantly impact response times; we apologize! During exceedingly busy times, students can leave a voicemail at (269) 927-8112, or we can be reached at finaid@lakemichigancollege.edu and we will return correspondence as soon as possible. If preferred, students can visit the One Stop at our Benton Harbor campus for assistance. To maintain security of information, we require valid photo identification for assistance regarding your student account.