Navigating the SMU Student Portal: A Comprehensive Guide
The my.SMU portal is a crucial resource for students at SMU, providing access to academic essentials and various university services. This guide offers a comprehensive overview of the portal's features and resources, designed to help students effectively manage their academic journey.
Accessing and Setting Up Your Account
First-Time User?
For first-time users, accessing my.SMU is the first step. The portal is designed to be accessible from any web browser or mobile device, ensuring that students can manage their information from anywhere.
Password Management
Once set, your password will expire in one year. You may reset your password at any time. Changing passwords regularly will help ensure your personal information is secure.Struggling to connect to wifi? Need help resetting your password?
Key Features of my.SMU
Student Dashboard
Your Student Dashboard places all of your academic essentials within easy reach. The initial home page of the Student Dashboard. my.SMU is your portal to all of your academic essentials within easy reach-allowing you to manage your enrollments, bill payments, transcript information, and more from anywhere-even on mobile devices. You can even monitor your academic progress with degree progress reports and unofficial transcripts, tasks, to-dos, and other information front and center for easy viewing at a glance.
Academic Resources
my.SMU is your portal to all of your academic essentials within easy reach-allowing you to manage your enrollments, bill payments, transcript information, and more from anywhere-even on mobile devices. You can even monitor your academic progress with degree progress reports and unofficial transcripts, tasks, to-dos, and other information front and center for easy viewing at a glance.
Read also: Navigating the HELB Portal
Financial Management
What you'll find here: answers to common questions about your account, billing, payments and fees.
Bill Payments
my.SMU allows students to manage their bill payments conveniently.
Payment Plans
You or an authorized user can enroll in one payment plan per term (fall and/or spring). Add an authorized user by logging into my.SMU and following these instructions.
Financial Holds
If you have a past due balance, you’re subject to a past due fee of 1.5% per month on the unpaid balance. Paying your financial hold is the only way to clear it. You can do so through my.SMU to automatically clear your hold.
Refunds
Refunds can be processed 10 days before classes start if your funds are already in your account. We suggest signing up for direct deposit so you can receive your refund as quickly as possible.
Read also: Accessing the KyU Students Portal
Release of Education Records
Log into my.SMU and find the “Release of Education Records” link.
Important Information and Policies
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
As of February 25, 2026, SMU has transitioned from Duo to Microsoft Authenticator for multi-factor authentication (MFA). Most users will no longer need Duo, except in a few cases, such those needing to access SMU's High-Performance Computing (HPC) resources.
Deferment Policy
Deferment Policy: Admitted students are limited to one deferment request per program. You cannot defer beyond 12 months after your original offer of admission. If you hope to defer past 12 months, you will need to reapply. Deferment is considered pending receipt of your tuition deposit, letter of intent, availability and other factors. Deferment forms are due 30 days prior to the start of the program to which you have been accepted. You will be notified of the status of your request within 10 business days.
Official Name Changes
Official last name or preferred first name changes may be submitted to the Office of the Registrar at any time. Once processed, your display name will automatically be updated in our systems.
Additional Resources and Services
SMU Bookstore
The SMU Bookstore is your one-stop shop for all things Samuel Merritt University. Our physical store on the Oakland campus and online store both offer a wide selection of textbooks, school supplies, and SMU-branded apparel and merchandise. Shop now and gear up for a great semester!
Read also: Resources on the HEF Portal
All-Gender Restrooms
Samuel Merritt University offers single-occupancy restrooms designated as All-Gender Restrooms. These accessible facilities are designed to provide a secure and inclusive environment for everyone on campus. All-Gender Restrooms are marked to indicate that individuals of any gender are welcome to use them.
Student Orientation
We are delighted that you will be joining our community in your quest to be an exceptional healthcare provider! You are joining an academic institution with a rich history and a strong future. Alumni recommend SMU for its reputation, superior faculty, clinical experience options, small classes, simulation training, and accelerated programs. As well as the top provider of PTs, OTs, PAs, and podiatrists in the Bay Area.
New Student Checklist
The New Student Checklist is a comprehensive list of everything you as a new student will need to complete to be ready for your first week of classes!
2DS Account
During the Program Overview, your Student Support team will cover program and technical expectations, including the academic calendar, course sequence and registration, and provide a brief technical overview of the live classroom. This is the same account used to pay your deposit for the program, so you should already have it set up. Your 2DS account is your main account for live sessions, course materials and academic resources throughout the program. It offers step-by-step instructions on joining your live class sessions, as well as important dates and policies. You are required to complete this course before you begin your regular coursework.
Bridge Courses
Bridge to Statistics Course
This self-paced bridge course with statistics resources prepares you for the statistics courses in the program. While this is not a required course, it is highly recommended by other students as a key part of their success. Prior to starting the Bridge to Statistics course, be sure to create your SAS OnDemand profile and login credentials. Please see below for more information on accessing SAS OnDemand.
Programming Bridge Course
While not required for students to complete, this self-paced bridge course is highly recommended, as it provides additional programming resources for RStudio, Python and SAS.
SAS OnDemand
SAS: You will create a SAS OnDemand account where you will be able to access SAS throughout the program. Once enrolled in classes, your instructor will provide access to the direct link to access all relevant course materials in SAS.
Lynda.com
As a student with SMU you have free access to Lynda.com. This site offers thousands of video courses and tutorials on various different topics that you may find helpful during your time in the Data Science program.
Student Support Services
Whether you're looking to pay a bill with the Student Accounts, sign up for writing and research help, volunteer as a tutor, or join one of the many professional or cultural organizations on campus, we've got you covered. We’ve made it easy by collecting links to services, important dates, and opportunities to get involved in one place.You’re here to learn to care for others, but don’t forget to take care of yourself.
SMU Confidential
SMU Confidential serves as a method of reporting a concern. You can utilize SMU Confidential to report your concern anonymously, learn more about this service.
Career Services
Get personal assistance with your job or internship search and explore our online resources to help you prepare for life after SMU.
Office of Public Safety
Saint Martin's University provides full-service protection to the campus community through the Office of Public Safety which operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We want our students to feel safe.
Office of Student Affairs
Promoting the Catholic Benedictine understanding of faith, reason, service, and community, the Office of Student Affairs educates students through experiential co-curricular programming. We teach continual listening and reflection in order to foster an awareness of difference that encourages students to work towards a just society.
Alumni Resources
Our alumni are well trained and in high demand. Our graduates are successful health care practitioners and educators, working in a variety of positions and settings that impact their communities.Some resources for alumni, such as library research databases, are restricted.
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