Admitted Students FAQs

How do I pay my deposit?

You can submit your payment with a credit card (Visa/MC) via your Applicant Gateway, by personal check sent to the Business Office, or by calling the Admission Office at (240) 895-5000 – we will take your credit card information and submit the payment for you!

How do I pay my deposit in my Applicant Gateway?

While in the SMCM Applicant Gateway, you must first “Reply to Offer of Admission”. Once you have accepted your offer of admission, a “Pay Your Deposit” button will appear in the SMCM Applicant Gateway. If you need assistance, please reach out to the Office of Admission at (240) 895-5000 or admissions@smcm.edu.

Is my enrollment deposit refundable?

Your enrollment deposit is non-refundable, but it is not an extra charge. It will be applied to your first semester’s tuition bill. If you choose not to enroll at St. Mary’s College, it will not be refunded.

What if I am unable to pay my enrollment deposit at this time?

Please contact the Office of Admission at admissions@smcm.edu, (240) 895-5000 (phone), or text (240)219-8995.

How do I get my decision letters?

You can access your Admission and Financial Aid letters via your Applicant Gateway. An Admission Packet including the Admission and Financial Aid Letters will also be mailed to your mailing address on file.

Help, I did not receive a Financial Aid Letter!

There is approximately a two week window from the release of your decision and when you will receive your Financial Aid letter if your FAFSA was submitted on time. Delays may be caused if OSFA does not have your social security number to match to your FAFSA. Beyond the above stated two week window please contact the Office of Student Financial Assistance at (240) 895-3000 or osfa@smcm.edu.

I have questions regarding my Financial Aid Letter – what should I do?

Please contact the Office of Student Financial Assistance through the chat feature on their webpage, or call them at (240) 895-3000 or email them at osfa@smcm.edu. They will be able to answer your questions.

I don’t know how to get into the SMCM Applicant Gateway!

Upon submission of your application, we sent you an email with instructions on how to set up the SMCM Applicant Gateway. If you cannot find the instructions or cannot remember your password, we can easily resend the email containing the instructions or send you a password reset. Please contact the Office of Admission at admissions@smcm.edu, (240) 895-5000 (phone), or text (240) 219-8995.

Are the SMCM Applicant Gateway and SMCM Student Portal the same thing?

No. You will use both the SMCM Applicant Gateway and SMCM Student Portal until you arrive on campus as a student. Please make sure that you can access both. Once enrolled and on campus, you will only use your SMCM Student Portal.

Will I use the same login information for my SMCM Student Portal and Applicant Gateway?

No, the SMCM Applicant Gateway uses your personal email, while the SMCM Student Portal uses your SMCM email.

How do I log in to my SMCM Student Portal?

24-72 hours after you pay your enrollment deposit, you will receive a sequence of two emails to your personal email on file. The first email will have a subject line of “IMPORTANT: Activate your SMCM Email Account”. This email will have instructions on how to enroll in the password manager and how to reset your password. The second email will have a temporary pin for you to use to log in for the first time. Then complete the steps in the instructional email using the temporary pin when needed. Doing this as soon as possible ensures you have uninterrupted access to your SMCM Student Portal.

Why is it important to set up my SMCM Student Portal?

You will use your SMCM Student Portal to access the housing application, choose your meal plan, register for classes, take placement tests, finalize financial aid, and pay your semester bill. Once your SMCM email is activated, communication from all campus departments will be sent to your SMCM email.

Will I still be receiving emails to my personal email?

Yes, until you arrive on campus and start attending classes, you will be receiving emails to both your SMCM email address and personal email address. Please check them both frequently.

Will anyone be contacting me after I’m accepted?

Yes! As your admission counselor comes back to life post application reading season, they will follow up with you (through emails or texts) to make sure you know how to submit your deposit, and to help you move forward after depositing (thus committing) to SMCM. You will also be contacted by other members of our campus community as we head into the next steps of the enrollment process. You will be contacted concerning housing applications, advising, registration, etc.

Why does SMCM need a copy of my official final high school transcripts?

We are required to receive official final high school transcripts (which have the date of graduation noted on them) for each enrolled student. Contact your high school/counselor and have them email them to admissions@smcm.edu. These need to come directly from the school, they can not be forwarded by you.

Why must I provide official ACT/SAT test scores if SMCM is test optional?

St. Mary’s College is test-optional for admission purposes, but as with the official high school transcript, we are required to have official test scores for each student. Contact your high school/counselor and have them email the scores to admissions@smcm.edu. If you did not take an ACT or SAT standardized test, then the requirement does not apply to you.

What is SOAR? When is it?

SOAR (Student Orientation, Advising, and Registration), is a mandatory one day event for incoming first years (and their family members) to meet your Orientation Leader and group, work with an advisor to create a schedule & register for classes, become more familiar with campus, connect with your fellow incoming classmates and to get any questions regarding next steps, orientation and more. You may register for SOAR tentatively on either June 20, 21, or 22 here using your Applicant Gateway credentials. If you are unable to attend on one of these dates, please contact the office of admission at admissions@smcm.edu or call at 240-895-5000 to arrange an alternative option.

When is Orientation? What will I be doing during Orientation?

August 25 – 28 is Orientation and “WOW”, our Week of Welcome. You will meet with your academic adviser, get to know other Seahawks and the many campus resources and activities designed to help you maximize your St. Mary’s College experience. At Orientation you will attend sessions designed to assist your transition to St. Mary’s College.

When do I sign up for housing?

After you commit and set up your SMCM accounts, you will receive an email to your personal email account indicating that your housing application is available. Access will also be available in your SMCM Applicant Gateway enrollment checklist. You should log into our Residence system using your SMCM credentials and complete the housing contract. Applications/contracts for Fall 2023 are open from March 20 on and are due June 1

How do I choose a roommate?

The roommate matching portal on the Residence system will open on June 1 if you have completed your housing contract. You will be notified mid-July of your housing placement and assigned roommate.

When will I select my classes?

If you are a first year student, you will select classes after SOAR (Seahawk, Orientation Advising, & Registration). We will send you information regarding SOAR to your email during the first week of May. Stay tuned!

When will I meet with my advisor?

If you are a first year student, you will meet with your temporary summer advisor during eSOAR. By the end of July, you will receive your fall course schedule. In August, you’ll be assigned your faculty advisor. All students work with faculty advisors to plan their coursework and discuss how to reach their academic, social, and professional goals. Once you begin your SMCM coursework you may request a specific faculty advisor.

When is Advising and Registration for incoming Transfer Students?

After your enrollment deposit is paid, information regarding advising/registration will be emailed to the email account that you used for your application. You will then call the Office of Student Support Services at 240-895-4388 to schedule your advising appointment. For the Fall 2022 Semester, this process will begin May 3 and continue until Aug. 27.

When is Move In Day for Incoming First Year Students?

New students move into residence halls on Thursday, August 25, starting at 8:00 a.m., Week of Welcome (WOW) begins at 2:30 p.m. Commuter students check in on Thursday, August 25 at 1:45 p.m. and will join WOW at 2:30 p.m. Orientation is composed of four days of events to help you from Thursday, August 25 through Sunday, August 28. Sessions are provided to help you find your way around campus, learn about academic and social activities, make new friends, and prepare for your first days at St. Mary’s College.

When is Move In Day for Incoming Transfer Students?

Incoming Transfer Students will move into the residence halls on Friday, August 26. Orientation will be held August 26 through August 28. Orientation is composed of three days of events provided to assist you in finding your way around campus, learn about academic and social activities, make new friends, and prepare for your first days at St. Mary’s College.

I have paid my deposit – What steps will be next?

Diversity Online Training
Fall Bill Payment (Due: July 23)
Final High School Transcript (Due: August 1)

Must be sent electronically or mailed physically sealed from your school and include your graduation date.

Housing Application (Opens: March 21, Due: ASAP)

Students living on campus will want to visit the Office of Residential Life’s website and keep an eye on due dates for housing forms. Click here for more information.

Foreign Language Placement Exam (Due: ASAP)

The Foreign Language Placement Exam is required for all new first-year students. The placement exam determines your level of competency in order to place you in the language course level appropriate to your exam results.
As an honors college, St. Mary’s requires that you take one course in a language at the level where you are placed, and that you complete at least the second-semester level. In other words, if you place into 101, you will take 101 + 102 to achieve this competency. If you place above 101, you will complete the requirement with the course you place into.
It is very important that you give your full attention to the exam. Do as best you can, but without relying on additional resources while taking it. We want to get the best idea of your level without ending up in a class that is too advanced (frustrating!!) or too basic (also frustrating!!—and you might end up taking the language an additional semester you didn’t need).

My Academic Path (MAP) Survey (Opens: May 2, Due: ASAP)
Review and Finalize Your Financial Aid (Due: ASAP)

Students can find current account information via the My Student Account tab on the SMCM Student Portal. In order for their account to reflect their financial aid, students must take action on their loans and federal work-study via the My Financial Aid tab on the SMCM Student Portal and provide information through studentaid.gov as applicable to receive funds from the loans.

Fall Bill Payment (Due: July 22)

Your bill will include all of the charges for the Fall 2022 semester including tuition, fees, room and board (if applicable). For your convenience, there are several ways to pay your bill, and payment plans available. You can find more information here.

Please refer to the New Student Information page about required forms to complete and submit before starting classes.
For more information, contact: Wellness Center at (240) 895-4289

Student Strengths Inventory (Opens: April 1, Due: ASAP)

St. Mary’s College of Maryland is committed to student success and helping you persist to graduation. Completing the Student Strengths Inventory (SSI) will provide additional insight on how we can best support you as a student here at St. Mary’s College. The link to complete this is sent to your email and is also available in the checklist section of this gateway.
This survey should take approximately 20-30 minutes. Your answers will not affect your enrollment at SMCM, your status as an athlete, or your relationship with the College in any way. Participation is voluntary, but we strongly encourage you to fill out the SSI as honestly and completely as possible. Please enter your SMCM username and password to access the survey. Your answers are confidential and will only be shared with your adviser and the student support services staff.
For more information, contact Student Success Services, at (240) 895-4388.

SMCM Online Training ‘Voices for Change’ (Opens: June 1, Due: August 1)

The “Voices for Change” training includes units on Identities & Inclusion, Alcohol & Other Drugs, Hazing & Bullying, and Consent & Sexual Violence. This training is required for all students at St. Mary’s College of Maryland and should take approximately 1.5 hours to complete. You do not need to complete the training in one session, but can stop and start as you like. The system will keep track of your progress through each segment.
Voices for Change replaces the individual training modules for Diversity, Title IX, and Alcohol EDU on the Enrollment Checklist. You will receive an email from ‘Get-Inclusive@smcm.edu’ with a link to the training to your SMCM email. Please complete the training by August 1, 2022.

Cybersecurity Online Training (Opens: July 15, Due: August 15)

You will receive an email with the instructions for logging in to your @smcm.edu email address. If you have questions or need assistance, you should contact IT Support by calling (240) 895-4357, Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, emailing itsupport@smcm.edu, or submitting a ticket via the form at https://servicedesk.smcm.edu/.

Title IX Online Training
One Card Photo Upload (SMCM ID Card)