Scholarships and Financial Aid

Getting Scholarships and Financial Aid at K College

• K offers need-based financial aid. Merit-based scholarships are given to you upon admission to K.
  • Need-based is based upon the student’s EFC (estimated family contribution)
  • The need-based aid is an inclusion of loans
    • Loans are factored into your EFC
• The standard costs for students on campus is largely based on how much distance a student has to travel to K.

Alternative Loans

Alternative loans may be used if your Federal Financial Aid is not enough to cover all of your costs.

• There are 2 additional methods of obtaining loans through K. The federal unsubsidized loan or the federal subsidized loan.
• There is a process of requesting extra money for financial assistance.
  • This is easier when the request is less than $100.
  • The money is charged to the student’s account and must be paid back by the end of the year.
• Visit K College’s Grants, Scholarships, and Fellowships website to view many external scholarships.

Additional Financial Assistance

Emergency Loan

• An emergency loan is available through the Office of Student Development
  • This is more circumstantial but is a lot quicker
  • The money is charged to the student’s account and must be paid back by the end of the year.
  • Student Development is the primary contact for emergency loans
    • Contact Louise Tennant-Filkins at 269-337-7209 to schedule a meeting with Dean Smith.
    • Office located in the Student Development Suite in the Hicks Center
• The office of Intercultural Student Life can connect students to various resources on campus. The office of Intercultural Student Life serves students who identify as Students of Color, International Students, Low-Income Students, First-Generation Students and LGBTQI, and provides identity-conscious, need-based support.
  • Contact info: Justine Shelton
  • (269)-337-7212
  • justine.shelton@kzoo.edu

Textbook Resources

Campus Library Resources

• Kalamazoo College Library
• Robin Rank and Kelly Frost, the K College Reference Librarians, can assist with research resources and finding what is available.
  • Robin Rank – Email: Robin.Rank@kzoo.edu
  • Kelly Frost – Email: Kelly.Frost@kzoo.edu
  • Phone: 269.337.7152

Renting and Ordering Books through the K College Library

• To check out books from the library, all that is required is a student ID. Books can also be requested online.
• Students may request materials through the service of MelCat.
• To access course materials, check out the Library’s Guide to Textbooks.

Visit the Kalamazoo College Library website for more information on renting and ordering materials.

Public Library Resources

• The Kalamazoo Public Library (KPL) – Central location is located at 315 Rose Street, Kalamazoo, MI 49007
• To get a KPL card students must complete an application at the library with a student I.D. and a piece of mail stamped to your on-campus address.
• For more information visit the Kalamazoo Public Library website.

Cheap Textbook Resources

• K College Open Textbooks LibGuide resources
• Library Genesis
• ZLibrary
• Chegg
• Openstax
• alibris
• Textbook Nova
• Many Books

Other Library Resources

• The Intercultural Center now has a full library catalog that may house the book you need.
  • Contact the Office of Intercultural Student Life to check out a book.
• Kalamazoo College students may also utilize Western Michigan University Libraries resources.

Employment

On Campus Employment

Finding Employment

• Employment can be found in the cafeteria, FacMan(faculty management), The Book Club, The Richardson Room (Stacks), library reference desk, CCPD, Arcus Center, Wellness and Athletic center.
• The Center for Civic Engagement also has employment opportunities available through their service learning opportunities.
• To apply for work study on your FAFSA contact the Financial Aid Office at 269.337.7192
• Job posting can be found through Handshake
  • Handshake accounts are ready and can be activated by visiting the website.
  • Click on the link that reads “Click to enter KNET ID and password”
  • Use your KNET username and current password to sign in.
  • Follow the prompts to activate your account.
  • Once activated, use the “Jobs” tab to find and apply for on-campus employment.

Resume and Cover Letter Help

The Center for Career and Professional Development is a great resource to use for getting help with writing your resume and cover letters for prospective jobs.

Health Insurance

• Visit the Student Health Center’s Health Insurance Information page to understand the health insurance requirements at K College.
• For information on applying to Medicaid visit the Healthcare Coverage website for the state of MI.

Michigan Residency

Applying for a Michigan ID card

If you have a valid driver’s license or ID from another state or Canada and have moved to Michigan, visit a Secretary of State office and:

• Present documentation of a valid Social security number or letter of ineligibility, US citizenship or legal presence if not a US citizen, identity, and Michigan residency.
• For a driver’s license, you will need to take a vision test and pass the physical standards.
• Have your photograph taken.
• Pay a $25 fee and obtain a Temporary Operator’s Permit. The TOP will allow you to drive until your Michigan driver’s license arrives in the mail.

Registering to Vote

To register to vote, you must be all of the following:

• A U.S. citizen
• At least 18 years old by Election Day
• A resident of Michigan
• A resident of the city or township where you are applying to register to vote.

If you want to check to see if you are registered, visit the Michigan Voter Information Center. There you will find information about registering to vote and voting, voting equipment, polling place locations, state and local ballots, the candidates, campaign finance and more. Your local clerk can help with questions about your voter registration, polling place location and working at the polls.

Food Stamp Qualification Tips

• Have your financial aid package ready with proof of work-study, in case your specialist asks for documents.
• Applicants must not be on the school meal plan
  • For example, students living in Living Learning Houses can qualify since they are not required to be on the school meal plan or students who live off campus.
• Don’t fill out work income unless it is your CURRENT income at the time of the application. Like the jobs during school, don’t bother filling it out.
• Your specialist may call you with questions about your application, so it is acceptable if you make a mistake on the online application. You may be able to clarify with your case specialist later.
• Call your case specialist with any questions. The process may get confusing.
• For more information visit the Applying for Assistance page of the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services website.

Important Contacts and Resources