Scholarship Appeal Process
CMU Scholarship Appeals can be submitted to the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid for the following scholarships:
- Maroon and Gold
- Transfer Honors
- Transfer Recognition
- Transfer Success
- Phi Theta Kappa
The following scholarships may be appealed to the corresponding department:
Centralis Scholar, Centralis Gold, and Centralis Transfer
Multicultural Award of Distinction, Advancement and Lloyd M. Cofer
Leader Advancement Scholarship
When should I submit a scholarship appeal?
If you did not meet the minimum cumulative GPA or completed credit hour requirements at the end of the academic year and can provide documentation of extenuating circumstances, an appeal should be submitted before the following Fall semester.
Also, if you are graduating during the next academic year, and will be enrolled less than full-time during Fall or Spring semester.
How can I submit an appeal?
Students with a mitigating circumstance may submit a scholarship appeal. You may submit this form by visiting your financial aid portal. From there you can select "documents" from the menu on the left. You can then choose the "Scholarship Appeal" form from the "Select a Document" drop down menu.
Along with the appeal form, please submit a detailed explanation of the extenuation circumstance and third-party documentation. The written statement should include the scholarship you're appealing for, an explanation of why the minimum requirements were not met and what your plan of action is to meet the minimum requirements moving forward.
What if my appeal is about the on-campus living requirement?
If your appeal is about the on-campus living requirement for freshman and sophomores, please contact Residence Life at (989) 774-3111 or by visiting their website at www.reslife.cmich.edu. Residence Life must review and approve this type of appeal.
What are extenuating circumstances?
Extenuating circumstances may include serious illness of the student or immediate family member, death of an immediate family member.
Supporting documentation must accompany your written appeal and may consist of a statement from a professional doctor, counselor or advisor who assisted you, physician’s statements with dates of treatment, court records, obituaries, academic assistance sought at the tutoring center, email correspondence with the course instructor, etc. Please note, a copy of your academic history is not considered third party documentation.
What are the renewal criteria for my particular scholarship?
Renewal criteria for each scholarship can differ. Individual scholarship requirements can be found in the letter you received when accepting the scholarship.
For specific information on Maroon & Gold Scholarship, visit our Scholarship Policies page.
For specific information on transfer scholarships, please visit our Scholarships for Transfer Students page.
Is a financial aid appeal the same as an academic appeal? Can I appeal once for both issues?
No, the academic appeal process is different. If the university has notified you that you are on academic suspension because your GPA is too low, you will need to appeal through the Academic Assistance Program to resolve the academic suspension. An academic appeal, if approved, will allow you to enroll in classes for the affected semester; a scholarship or SAP appeal, if approved, will allow you to receive your related aid for the affected semester.
The financial aid appeals process deals specifically with whether you met all the terms and conditions required for the form of financial aid you received. Please note: if you are on both academic suspension and your scholarship has been suspended, you will need to submit both types of appeals if you wish to enroll and to receive your scholarship.
Is a scholarship appeal the same as a Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) appeal?
No, a Satisfactory Academic Progress appeal is for students who are not meeting SAP standards. SAP appeals are for students to appeal their loss of federal aid. If you are on SAP Suspension, you will need to submit this appeal, which you can also find in your financial aid portal. Students can appeal their merit scholarship(s) within the SAP appeal process.
Will I be notified regarding my appeal status?
Appeals can take up to 10-15 business days to review. After all documentation is received concerning your appeal, you will be notified by email if your appeal has been approved or denied. Appeals that are approved are usually on a probationary status and the probationary requirements will be explained at the time of approval.