Financial Matters
600.1 – Refund Policy
Any student who officially withdraws from the School according to the procedures outlined under the section entitled "Withdrawal", is dismissed from the school, or who goes on a leave of absence will have their fees and aid, including all institutional and federal student aid, prorated using the same methodology prescribed by the Department of Education for federal student aid as follows:
The official date of withdrawal or leave will be used to determine what percent of the billing payment period the student has attended using a daily proration schedule. If the student leaves within the first 60 percent in the billing cycle, fees and aid will be prorated accordingly and any unused federal funds will be returned to the Department of Education. If, after the necessary prorations are completed there is a credit balance from a direct payment made by the student, those funds will be returned to the student. If the withdrawal or leave occurs after the 60 percent point in the billing cycle, all charges and aid will be considered to have been used and no proration will occur or aid returned.
600.2 – Financial Assistance
Financial assistance is available to students in the master's program. Awards are based on financial need, with an additional commitment to those who have experience with multiculturalism and racial justice. Because resources are limited, students are expected to use personal, family and loan resources to the fullest extent possible. The school is not able to meet full expenses for a student's graduate program. Every effort is made to assist students in obtaining educational bank loan funds.
To maintain maximum objectivity and standardized criteria in analyzing each student's financial circumstances, the school utilizes the FAFSA Form. Application packets are available online at www.smith.edu/ssw/admission_finaid.php.
Financial aid awards are made for a 12-month period and students must submit a second application for assistance for their second year of graduate study. Although every effort will be made to continue financial assistance, the school can make no guarantee that this will be possible.
Because of limited financial aid resources, students generally are expected to finance their final summer session through educational loans or other personal resources.
If a student departs from the school, any financial aid award will be adjusted to be consistent with the Refund Policy in section 600.1.
Financial aid payments will be discontinued for any student who departs from the school.
600.3 – Fees and Expenses
Returning from a leave of absence or repeating a portion of the program:
Students who will return to the program from a leave of absence or who will repeat a portion of the program should check with Student Financial Services regarding tuition charges. An administrative fee of $300 will also be charged to the student's account for administrative work involved with establishing another placement session.
Students will not be permitted to register, continue in field placements or enroll in post-residency advising if bills are not paid. All college bills must be paid before a student will be granted a diploma or an official transcript.
Should the school submit a student bill to a collection agency, the student will be subject to collection charges in addition to the outstanding balance (approximately one-third of the balance).
600.4 – Library Fees
Each student is responsible for all materials signed out from the library in their name and will be charged a replacement fee in addition to the cost of any material that is not returned. All materials must be returned to the library and fees paid before a student may receive a diploma or an official transcript.
600.5 – Miscellaneous Fees
Other miscellaneous fees will be charged to a student's account, if applicable. All miscellaneous fees must be paid before a student may receive a diploma or an official transcript.
600.6 – Late Fees
A late fee of 1.25 percent per month (15 percent per annum) will be assessed for balances that remain unpaid past the due date.
Students will not be permitted to register, continue in field placement or enroll in post-residency advising if they have not been cleared by Student Financial Services. All school bills must be paid before a student will be granted a diploma or receive an official transcript.
600.7 – Late Check-In Fee
A fee of $125 will be charged to any student who does not attend the mandatory Central Check-in day at the start of the summer academic session.
600.8 – Post-Residency Fees
A fee of $500 will be charged for each term a student receives post-residency advising (see 400.2 for post-residency advising policies).
600.9 – Pro-Rated Fees
Pro-rated fees will be charged to students who are enrolled in less-than-half-time status and who continue to work in the field, on the thesis, or on the community practice project. These fees will vary by circumstance.
600.10 – Health Insurance
Health insurance is mandatory in Massachusetts (G.L. c.15A, § 18) for all full-time students. Students are advised to consider enrolling in the school's health insurance plan. Students who elect not to enroll in the school's plan must have coverage under another plan that meets the requirements of the Qualifying Student Health Insurance Plan (QSHIP) of Massachusetts. Students who have their own coverage must provide the school with the following information: name and address of their insurance company and policy number. This information is required when the student enters in June, again for September of that year and then the following September.
Updated 3/14/13
