Book Voucher Program

EOPS Book Voucher Eligibility and Requirements

The EOPS Book Voucher program helps eligible students cover the cost of textbooks each fall and spring term. Book vouchers are issued through the Santa Monica College Bookstore using the Slingshot platform, an online system that gives you quick and easy access to your EOPS book funds.

Once your voucher is available, you will receive instructions through your SMC email on how to log into Slingshot and view your available balance. From there, you can browse your required course materials and use your voucher at checkout.

Through Slingshot, you can:

• Purchase new or used textbooks
• Rent textbooks at a lower cost for the semester
• Select digital materials when available

Your EOPS voucher will be automatically applied to eligible items during checkout, so there is no need to pay upfront for approved materials. If your total exceeds the voucher amount, you will be responsible for covering the remaining balance.

Who is Eligible?

To receive an EOPS Book Voucher, you must be an active EOPS student at Santa Monica College during the term in which the voucher is issued. Being “active” in EOPS means that you have been officially accepted into the program and are consistently meeting all EOPS program requirements.

Book vouchers are intended to support students who are actively participating in the program. Students who do not complete required steps or fall out of EOPS eligibility may not receive a voucher or may experience delays.

If you are newly applying to EOPS, you must first complete the application process and be approved before becoming eligible for book voucher support.

For more information regarding how to apply for EOPS, please visit our online application webpage.

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What Do You Need to Do to Qualify?

Each fall and spring term, you must complete all of the following to receive a book voucher:

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Complete 3 Counseling Appointments

You are required to meet with your EOPS counselor at least three times during the term. These appointments help you stay on track with your educational goals and ensure you are meeting program requirements.

Complete at least 6 units in the previous semester

By the end of the term, you must successfully complete at least six units. This demonstrates satisfactory academic progress.

Enroll Early for the Upcoming Semester

You must enroll in classes for the next semester at least one month before the semester starts. Early enrollment helps the program plan and allocate resources fairly.

Apply for Financial Aid Annually

Each academic year, you must submit either the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Act Application. This is required to assess your financial need. Make sure to have SMC listed as the recipient school on the application.

Be eligible for the California College Promise Grant (CCPG)

You must apply for the CCPG, which provides a tuition fee waiver, and be eligible under Method A, B, or C with a Student Aid Index (SAI) of 0 or less. The SAI is determined by the SMC Financial Aid Office based on your financial aid application.

Have Unmet Financial Need in Your SMC Financial Aid Package

The book voucher is intended for students who demonstrate financial need that is not fully covered by other financial aid. Your financial aid package at SMC must show that you have unmet need to qualify.

How Slingshot Works

SMC has partnered with Slingshot to make getting your course materials simple. All of your books, none of the hassle.®

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What is Slingshot?

SMC has partnered with Slingshot as the official textbook and course materials provider. There are two ways you can get your required materials.

1. Pay your Smart Study Balance to receive all of your materials for a flat rate of $32 per course unit. Any applicable book vouchers will be applied automatically. There is no charge for zero cost materials. Does not include Cosmetology kits, which can be purchased next door at the SMC store.
2. You can also choose to purchase individual items under the Buy Books tab. 

Have you logged into the Slingshot Portal? Pay your Smart Study balance or purchase a la carte?

If you have a voucher that covers your Per Unit Fees for books, Slingshot will automatically fulfill your order and you will receive a notification when any physical items are ready to be picked up from the SMC Bookstore.

If you do not have available voucher funds or they only cover part of your Per Unit Fee for books, log in to your Slingshot account at smc.slingshotedu.com where you can pay the balance owed. Once you have paid your balance, your order will be released and fulfilled.

Want to purchase individual items? There’s no obligation to pay your balance. Instead, you can pay with a credit card on the Buy Books tab at smc.slingshotedu.com.

Have you received the Logistics pickup email?

If you have physical items that are ready for pickup at the SMC Bookstore, we will send an email to your SMC email with the subject “You have an item to Pickup.” The email is from donotreply@slingshotedu.com and looks like this.