Traditional Students

This section is for current students applying for aid. If you are a prospective student, please go to the Tuition & Financial Aid section for application deadlines and policies. You must apply for financial aid prior to admission.

Current Students Applying for Financial Aid

Changing Aid Consideration

If you are a current student who received only federal aid in the prior year, or did not apply for aid in the prior year but would like to be considered for institutional aid in the upcoming year,  you must notify the Student Financial Services in writing so that your requirements can be updated.

Applying for Return to Smith

If you apply for Return to Smith you must complete your financial aid application by August 15 for fall or January 4 for spring. If you are applying for financial aid but do not complete the application by the deadline, your Return to Smith application may be denied or any prior approval revoked. Review information available on the registrar's website for details on the Return to Smith process.

Requirements & Deadlines

Document Due
FAFSA
Smith College Code: 002209		 April 15
(Residents of MA, VT: You must file FAFSA by state aid deadlines*)
CSS PROFILE
Smith College Code: 3762		 April 1
CSS PROFILE for Non-custodial Parent, if applicable May 15

2023 signed parent federal tax returns, including all schedules and W-2s (custodial and noncustodial) for the 2025–26 aid year.

If parents are not required to, and did not file taxes, please complete the Parent Non-filer Form

 May 15
2023 business (custodial and noncustodial) tax returns, if appropriate for the 2025–26 aid year. May 15

(if applicable)

 May 15

*All students are required to apply for state aid if eligible. Failure to complete all of the state requirements will result in a loss of state grant eligibility. Smith College will not replace this lost assistance due to failure to complete the necessary state requirements. For more information on state aid, see Grant Aid.

Where to Send Forms

Please send forms to through the Net Partner portal or College Board's document imaging service Institutional Documentation Service (IDOC). Any documentation that is sent to the SFS Office through Net Partner should be sent in PDF format.  Other formats may be incompatible with our system.

College Board will send IDOC instructions via email to those who have completed the CSS PROFILE. For more information, please visit the IDOC website. 

Document Due
FAFSA
Smith College Code: 002209		 April 15

Document Due
FAFSA
Smith College Code: 002209		 April 15
(Residents of MA, VT: You must file FAFSA by state aid deadlines*)
Please provide a brief signed statement that the circumstances leading to your independent status have not changed. If your circumstances have changed, please contact the office directly. May 15
Trust Information Request

(if applicable)

 May 15

*All students are required to apply for state aid if eligible. Failure to complete all of the state requirements will result in a loss of state grant eligibility. Smith College will not replace this lost assistance due to failure to complete the necessary state requirements. For more information on state aid, see Grant Aid.

Where to Send Forms

Forms should be sent directly to the Student Financial Services office or through the Net Partner portal.

College Hall 106
10 Elm Street
Smith College
Northampton, MA 01063

Housing & Aid

Residential Life Student Staff

Students working as part of the Residential Life Student Staff will receive a stipend for the work performed.  This stipend will be paid in equal amounts throughout the semester(s).  The actual stipend will be determined by Residential Life and will be based upon longevity within that department. 

Financial Aid Impact – For those students who currently have work study in their financial aid award, a revision will be made to replace the work study allocation with the Res Life Stipend.  The award revision will only show a dollar for dollar replacement of work study amount with a Res Life Stipend in order to reduce any confusion related to the award revision.  The full amount of the stipend will be paid through the Payroll Office.

Non-traditional Housing for Traditional Students

When a traditional student lives off campus, in a co-op, or in an on-campus apartment, their cost of attendance changes. This change may result in a need-based grant reduction. IMPORTANT: All non-traditional housing assignments require approval from the Office of Residential Life.

Academic Year 2024–25. If you move off campus, you will not be charged by the college for Housing and food.

Reduction Amount
Reduction in billed fees $22,570
Smith Grant reduction $11,766
Net savings in billed fees* $10,804

*This figure is designed to provide a "break even" point to help make the decision whether it is affordable for you to live in off-campus housing. If your costs for living off campus, housing, food, utilities, etc., are more than this figure, then it will be more expensive to live off campus than it would be to live in traditional Smith housing.

Direct Billed Costs Cost (U.S. dollars)
Tuition $64,870
Student Activities Fee $308
Health Insurance
(domestic students may waive)		 $3,356
Indirect Costs Not Billed Cost (U.S. dollars)
Food and Housing Allowance $10,804
Books, course materials, supplies, and equipment $800
Transportation (domestic average) $640  
(international average) $1,000
Personal expenses $1,800

*Actual costs incurred will vary and are the student's responsibility.

Academic year 2024-25. Living in a co-op (Tenney/ Hopkins) or in the Friedman Apartments without a meal plan.

Charge Amount
Charge for housing $11,300
Smith Grant reduction $4,602
Net savings in billed fees* $6,698

Please note: You will be charged by Smith only for the housing; the cost of food is your responsibility.

*This figure is designed to provide a "break even" point to help make the decision whether it is affordable for you to live in co-op housing.  If your estimated costs for food are in excess of the amount provided here, then it is important to understand that this housing option may be more expensive for you than living in traditional Smith housing.

Direct Billed Costs Cost (U.S. dollars)
Tuition $64,870
On-campus Housing $11,300
Student Activities Fee $308
Health Insurance
(domestic students may waive)		 $3,356
Indirect Costs Not Billed Cost (U.S. dollars)
Food Allowance $6,668
Books, course materials, supplies, and equipment $800
Transportation (domestic average) $640   
(international average) $1,000
Personal expenses $1,800

*Actual costs incurred will vary and are the student's responsibility.

Types of Aid

Grants are need-based and do not need to be repaid. Students may receive grants from a variety of sources, including Smith College and federal and state sources.

The grant amount is based on a family's financial need as determined by Smith College through the financial aid application process. Most Smith grants come from funds given for this purpose by alumnae and friends of the college and by foundations and corporations. If you are a recipient of one of these named scholarships, you will be contacted by the Office of Donor Relations. You will be asked to complete an online questionnaire about your Smith experience. Your timely response is important. If you have any questions, contact DonorRelations@smith.edu.

In order to qualify for a Pell Grant, students must be enrolled at least half-time without a prior bachelor's degree. The award is based on need as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Pell Grants replace Smith Grant eligibility dollar for dollar.

This grant is for Pell-eligible students and priority is given to students who also receive Smith College grants. The amount awarded varies depending on current funding levels from federal sources.

State grants are available to undergraduate students from Massachusetts and Vermont. State grants replace Smith Grants dollar for dollar.

The award is based on need as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and state criteria. Students from these states who apply for Smith College aid are also required to apply for state grants. Deadlines and required forms differ by state. Contact your state office of financial aid for specific details. Smith cannot replace any state grants lost because of a failure to meet deadlines or comply with federal or state requirements.

State Resources

Undergraduate students with extremely high need who do not have outside health insurance coverage may be eligible for a health grant to cover the cost of health insurance through Smith College. If you need assistance with the health insurance charge and feel you may qualify, please contact us at sfs@smith.edu. 

The trustees of Smith College offer tuition assistance to the daughters of current residents of Northampton or Hatfield, Massachusetts. To be eligible they must have lived in these towns for at least five years and remain residents. The Trustee Grant is set at one-half of the annual tuition (limited to one-half of the tuition amount charged per semester). This is available to students of traditional age who are enrolled full-time at Smith.

The Trustee Grant does not follow a student for off-campus study. If you receive funding from this grant you are responsible for this amount during the time you are studying away from the college.

Smith College offers a limited number of awards based on merit rather than need. All applicants for admission are automatically considered; there are no special application forms. Students are selected by the Office of Admission and must maintain satisfactory academic progress in order to have their scholarships renewed annually. Merit aid is only offered at the time of admission.

Merit scholarships are considered a resource when determining eligibility for need-based financial aid.  For example, if a student has $15,000 of calculated need and receives the Stride Scholarship for $22,500, this student would not receive need-based aid since the scholarship exceeds the need.  Students who have need-based aid eligibility above and beyond the amount of merit scholarships will receive need-based aid to cover the difference.  

The Zollman Scholarship is the college's highest academic scholarship. This scholarship is half of the tuition cost for four years and is awarded to fewer than ten first-year students based on their exceptional promise for Smith. Zollman Scholars are also invited to participate in the STRIDE paid research program. This scholarship is available to U.S. citizens.

The STRIDE Program offers students with outstanding academic and personal qualifications a close working relationship with a faculty or non-faculty member at Smith College. This scholarship of $22,500 per year (limited to $11,250 per semester of enrollment) for four years is awarded to approximately 50 students each year. In addition to the scholarship, students are also given an opportunity to be a research assistant with an annual stipend of $3,000 each year (effective Fall 2023) for two years at Smith College.

Each year a select number of applicants are identified as outstanding candidates and are awarded the Smith Presidential Scholarship. Entering first-year Presidential Scholars receive a merit-based award of $12,000 annually ($6,000/semester) for four years. Continuation of the Presidential Scholarship each year is contingent upon maintaining good academic standing.

This partnership provides up to four full-tuition scholarships for students from public schools in Springfield and Holyoke, Massachusetts. All students who apply to Smith from these schools will be automatically considered. This scholarship is available to U.S. citizens.

Smith College is pleased to award four full-tuition scholarships per year to Ada Comstock Scholars and/or transfer students from Greenfield Community College and Holyoke Community College (maximum of two each year from each community college) who display a strong academic record and clear leadership potential.

Scholarships of $5,000 (maximum of three per year, and limited to $2,500 per semester of enrollment) are awarded to eligible students based on recommendations from the Office of Admission. There is no special application form. This scholarship is available to U.S. citizens applying as transfer students or to the Ada Comstock program.

The student employment component of a financial aid award represents the opportunity to have a job on campus or through one of our off-campus employment partners. You are responsible for finding a position that aligns with your preferences and schedule, and are encouraged to apply early for the best selection of jobs.

First-year students on work-study may work all over campus and off campus in a wide variety of jobs, including but not limited to jobs in Dining Services, academic offices, groundskeeping, the library systems, and America Reads tutoring program.  Incoming first year students may find it convenient to obtain their desired hours in the many shifts Dining Services has available as the largest employer on campus. They will offer incoming students the opportunity to sign up for shifts upon arrival on campus which will free first years up to concentrate on the many aspects of settling in on campus and beginning their academic schedule.

You may work to earn money for books and supplies, to put towards your tuition accounts, or for personal spending money. There is no obligation to work all or any of the hours awarded, though income not earned is not replaced with other aid.

For information about work-study at Smith College, see Student Employment.

Earnings

Refer to your financial aid award on to verify the type and amount of work-study you are eligible for, which in turn determines where you can work and how much you can earn. Your other aid will not be increased if you choose not to work. Your earnings are paid directly to you.

Holding a position with the residence life office will impact your financial aid award. The aid adjustment will depend on the position. Please contact us to determine how your award would be affected by a residence life position.

Students working as part of the Residential Life Student Staff will receive a stipend for the work performed.  This stipend will be paid in equal amounts throughout the semester(s).  The actual stipend will be determined by Residential Life and will be based upon longevity within that department. 

Financial Aid Impact – For those students who currently have work study in their financial aid award, a revision will be made to replace the work study allocation with the Res Life Stipend.  The award revision will only show a dollar for dollar replacement of work study amount with a Res Life Stipend in order to reduce any confusion related to the award revision.  The full amount of the stipend will be paid through the Payroll Office.  In other words, a work study award of $3,460 will be replaced with a Res Life Stipend of $3,460 when in reality, the full amount of the Res Life Stipend paid will be no less than $4,140 (with the actual amount depending on the hiring contract). 

If you receive any assistance from an organization outside of the college, this aid must be taken into consideration in calculating your financial aid award. You are required to report all outside aid to the Student Financial Services office.

Once you notify us of any aid which is expected to be sent directly to the college, we will add the anticipated amount to the student account as a pending credit, reducing the amount due.  If the aid is expected to be late, please notify us so we can extend the pending credit.  Any amounts expected but not received are the responsibility of the student.

Outside aid, based on either student merit or parent employment (e.g.: employee tuition benefits), will first reduce or replace the student employment portion of your award. If outside aid is in excess of the student employment award, we will allow it to go toward the cost of the Smith health insurance plan or a one-time computer purchase.  Any amount of outside aid in excess of self-help and these costs will reduce Smith Grant dollar for dollar.

Please send all outside aid checks to:

Smith College 
Student Financial Services 
College Hall 
Northampton, MA 01063

Be sure to note your name and ID on all checks.

The resources listed below are here for your convenience. Smith does not endorse a particular aid source. Also, please visit the Smith Social Network to view more scholarship opportunities (you will be required to be logged into the Smith portal for access).

Searches

U.S. Department of Education
The Federal Student Aid Office website provides a free scholarship search

FastWeb
A nationwide scholarship search engine

Scholarships and Grants.US
Scholarship and financial aid resources to students preparing for all types of careers

Scholarships.com
Free scholarship search

Scholarships

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship
A program that provides awards for U.S. undergraduates receiving Pell grant funding in a two- or four-year college or university to participate in study-abroad programs worldwide.

Gates Millennium Scholars
A highly competitive program for students of high academic achievement and leadership potential who have significant financial need

Big Y Scholarships
Scholarships are available to high school seniors, undergraduates, graduates, community college and nontraditional students. Open to Big Y customers and their dependents and Big Y employees and their dependents.

AES Scholarship
AES Engineering offers scholarships to motivated students

Scholarship America
Scholarship America works directly with students, parents, colleges, businesses and communities to help students fulfill their college dreams.

Educational Benefits

Smith College will consider any veteran's educational benefit as a resource for financial aid. This means that financial assistance offered through Smith may be reduced when the amount of Veteran's Administration (VA) benefits are factored into the award. This will apply to any institutional financial aid awarded. Our normal treatment for outside aid is to reduce or eliminate your self-help aid (loans or work-study). If your outside aid goes beyond these adjustments, Smith grant assistance will be reduced dollar for dollar. However, most VA educational benefits are exempt from being considered as a resource for determining federal financial aid funding levels. This means you may be allowed to keep a subsidized federal loan and federal work study, but could have a reduction in any grant assistance offered by Smith. Smith College merit awards are excluded from this treatment. Students requesting certification must fill out a Veterans Certification Request form and submit it to the Office of the Registrar along with their VA Certificate of Eligibility.

Veterans Certification Request Form (PDF)

Yellow Ribbon Benefits

Smith College is proud to be a sponsor of the Yellow Ribbon Program for our nation's veterans. This program was created as part of the post 9/11 Veterans Educational Act of 2008. Smith has made a commitment to both undergraduate and graduate students. Students seeking either a bachelor's or master's degree can apply for assistance through this program. Students must complete a Yellow Ribbon Benefits Request form to be considered. Funding is limited and will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis. Awarding will be determined by the date and time this form is returned to the appropriate office. Any student applying for this benefit is encouraged to fax or email the completed form. This program is only open to those veterans who have met the necessary qualifications for enrollment in this program. Eligibility criteria can be viewed on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website.

Yellow Ribbon Benefits Request Form (PDF)

Any student awarded funding through the Yellow Ribbon Program will continue to receive this benefit as long as they remain in good academic standing and Smith continues to participate in the program. Students must also have a remaining entitlement through the VA. Yearly funding levels will depend on the amount Smith commits to this program.

Program Enrollment Maximum Contribution
Undergraduates Four students maximum each year $10,000

Funding levels above will be matched by a direct contribution from the VA. Eligible students meeting the application criteria will be awarded the benefit regardless of whether they qualify for need-based assistance. This benefit will replace need-based grant assistance on a dollar-for-dollar basis, per our outside aid policy. Students accepted into Smith's Yellow Ribbon Program will be required to present their VA Certificate of Eligibility to a school certifying official.

How We Determine Need

Each financial aid application file is personally reviewed by experienced staff in the Office of Student Financial Services. In addition to submitting the required documentation, you are welcome to include any information that you feel will help us understand your family's financial status.

Three steps are used in documenting your level of financial need:

1. Calculating the family contribution

The Office of Student Financial Services evaluates each student's application using federal and institutional methodologies to assess a family's financial resources. During the review, attention is given to individual family circumstances. Standard factors involved in the review include income, assets, family size, the number of family members in college, unreimbursed medical expenses, taxes paid and tuition for siblings in elementary or secondary school. Staff will determine what each family is expected to contribute toward the student's annual educational expenses following the appropriate federal and college policies.

2. Determining the cost of attendance

An educational expense budget is calculated for each student. Tuition, fees, room and board, and standard allowances for books, supplies, personal expenses and travel are included.

3. Financial need

The difference between the cost of attendance and the calculated family contribution is the student's documented financial need.

Smith College recognizes the diversity of the modern family and requires the submission of information regarding both parents, as well as spouses and domestic partners of each parent. Exceptions to this policy are made on a case-by-case basis.

Merit scholarships are considered a resource when determining eligibility for need-based financial aid.  For example, if a student has $22,000 of calculated need and receives the Zollman Scholarship for $25,000, this student would not receive need-based aid since the scholarship exceeds the need. Students who have need-based aid eligibility above and beyond the amount of merit scholarships will receive need-based aid to cover the difference. Merit aid is not awarded on top of need-based aid, but is also considered to meet a family's financial need.

Allowance for Others in College

The fees of undergraduate institutions attended by siblings of traditional students or children of Ada Comstock Scholars are considered in our aid calculations. The enrollment status of each person is verified in the fall. A change in institution or enrollment status may affect your grant aid. For future planning, contact us for the allowance amount used this year.

Review Requests

Each student has the right to request a review of their financial aid award any time there has been a significant change in family circumstances, or if the information on the original application was inaccurate. Examples of special circumstances include changes to family income, assets, etc., recent unemployment, and changes to family living situation. Please use the Request for Review form below.

Request for Review of Financial Aid Award (PDF)

Reviews are conducted by the Student Financial Services Review Committee. In most cases, the decision of the committee is final.

When an issue under review requires an exception to a policy, such as the 64 credit rule, a student may request that it be reviewed by the Financial Aid Appeals Committee.

The Financial Aid Appeals Committee is chaired by the vice president of enrollment and includes one member of the faculty, the dean of students and the controller. The director of student financial services is a nonvoting member of the committee.

Students must present appeals in writing. The committee will consider the appeal as soon as possible. It generally takes one to two weeks for the committee to convene and review the appeal. A decision will be given to the student in writing within 48 hours after the appeal is heard. The decision of the appeals committee is final in all cases.

Federal regulations assume that the family has primary responsibility for meeting the educational costs of students. If you are considered a dependent student according to the financial aid definition, your aid eligibility is determined by using parent income and asset information in addition to your own. To be considered for financial aid, dependent students are required by law to provide parental information and signatures. If dramatic circumstances exist between you and your parent(s) that have disrupted the parent/child relationship and have forced you to become financially independent of your parent(s), you may be granted an exception by Student Financial Services. You must be able to document these circumstances. A statement from parents indicating their unwillingness to assist with your college costs is NOT considered an adequate reason for granting an exception. Examples may include parental abandonment or incarceration; unable to contact parents or contact with parents poses a risk to student.

If you are petitioning for Smith College to make an exception to be considered an independent student please email Student Financial Services to request the Dependency Status Appeal Form. Once a completed appeal request has been received, a determination will be made by the Student Financial Services Review Committee and the outcome conveyed to the student.