How to Receive Your Financial Aid Award

You can view your award notice on Wolverine Access under Student Business > Financial Aid Information > Financial Aid Award Notices (select the 2025 aid year and go to view/print).

Once there, you will have the option to reduce or decline your Direct Unsubsidized loan under the “accept/decline” tab.

The following steps must be completed before your financial aid can disburse:

  • Complete entrance counseling for federal loans on the StudentAid.gov website if you are a first-time federal loan borrower at Michigan Law.
  • Complete the Master Promissory Note for federal loans on the StudentAid.gov website if you are a first-time federal loan borrower at Michigan Law. There are separate promissory notes for Direct Unsubsidized and Grad PLUS loans. If you are borrowing both, you will need to complete a promissory note for each one.
  • Review the Statement of Understanding.
  • If you are expecting a financial aid refund check for living expenses, we strongly encourage you to sign up for direct deposit on Wolverine Access under Student Business > Payroll & Compensation > Direct Deposit. Direct deposit is much faster than waiting for a check through the mail, especially if you have not updated your address on Wolverine Access. If you do not sign up for direct deposit, your refund check will be mailed to the current address that is listed on Wolverine Access.
  • If you need to borrow a Grad PLUS or private loan, a separate application is required. To apply for a Grad PLUS loan, please complete Michigan Law’s Grad PLUS loan application, and not the one on the StudentAid.gov website. Since credit approvals expire, you should apply for Grad PLUS loans no earlier than June 1, and we will begin processing applications around July 1.

All of the required steps above should be completed at least two weeks prior to the beginning of the school year.

Financial aid disburses at the beginning of each semester and then on a weekly basis throughout the semester for any late disbursing aid. Financial aid funds are applied to tuition first and, if applicable, on-campus housing charges.

If you are expecting a refund for living expenses, the earliest you should expect to receive those funds is by the first day of classes.