Back to Main Menu

Frequently Asked Questions & Special Circumstances

As a veteran or active member of the military, you've earned several financial aid opportunities. We're here to help you sort out all your options.

We've helped thousands of students with military backgrounds successfully earn their degrees. Here are some of the questions we hear most often, as well as information on how to request an appeal if your financial situation has changed.

If you still have questions after reviewing our FAQs, please contact the Veterans’ Resource Center at 989-774-7991 or veterans@cmich.edu.

FAQs

Eligibility

    You’re eligible for our military tuition rates if you’re an active-duty reservist, guard member, or member of the United States military (Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard). Your spouse and qualified dependents (per IRS​ guidelines) are also eligibile with a current military benefits ID card. For details, see Tuition & Fees.

    Tuition & Fees

    Yes! We encourage all our students to explore all types of financial aid, including grants, loans and merit-based scholarships. See Types of Aid for details on the options, and How to Apply for step-by-step application instructions.

    VA benefits

      Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to apply for federal aid such as loans and Pell Grants.

      FAFSA

      All of our degree programs are approved for VA education benefits, and so are some of our certification programs. For more information, contact the Veterans’ Resource Center at veterans@cmich.edu or 989-774-7991.

      Unfortunately, only current active-duty military, reservist, guard members, their spouses, and qualified dependents are eligible for military tuition rates. For more information, contact the Veterans Resource Center.

      To use VA education benefits or military tuition assistance, you’ll need to submit all of your transcripts from previous institutions, including military transcripts.

      If your benefit entitlement is less than 100 percent, you’ll need to pay your portion of tuition and fees before the due date listed on your bill. If you have 80 percent entitlement, for example, you would calculate the amount of your 20 percent responsibility and pay that amount prior to the due date.

      Visit the Department of Veterans Affairs VA website to apply for educational benefits. If you’re not sure which VA education benefits you are eligible for, call the VA at 1-888-442-4551. Our Veterans’ Resource Center can also help you with information on using your VA education benefits.

      VA Website

      CMU does not have access to eligibility information because of privacy laws. You can find out more about your eligibility by contacting the VA.

      The VA will only pay you when you are enrolled. For example, if you have a two-week break between classes, you will not be paid during the break.

      Special circumstances

      We recognize that the FAFSA doesn’t always capture the full picture of a student’s financial situation. If you or your family has experienced financial hardship you may file an appeal for a review.

      Here are examples of situations that may qualify as special circumstances:

      • Job loss or significant reduction in income (of at least 10 weeks).
      • Loss of child support.
      • Separation or divorce of parents.
      • Death of a parent.
      • Withdrawal of retirement funds for emergency purposes.

      We cannot consider circumstances such as high credit card debt, home mortgage expenses, car payments, gambling losses, or financial aid offers from other institutions.

      For questions about special circumstances, email the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid financialaid@cmich.edu or call us at 989-774-3674.

      Other financial aid

        MyCAA is a workforce development program that provides up to $4,000 of financial assistance to eligible military spouses who are pursuing a license, certification or associate degree in a portable career field and occupation.

        MyCAA

        MINGSTAP provides tuition assistance to members of the Michigan National Guard who are attending any public or private college, university, vocational school, technical school or trade school located in Michigan.

        MINGSTAP

        Honorably discharged veterans from the U.S. military services who have been admitted through regular admission as an undergraduate or graduate student in one of CMU's on-campus, off-campus or standard online degree programs are eligible to apply for the CMU Veteran Award.