Outside Aid

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 self-help portion of your award (federal work-study). If outside aid is in excess of self-help, 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.

Smith College recognizes your achievement in being awarded merit-based aid. Outside aid based on student merit will first reduce or replace the self-help portion of your award. If the outside aid exceeds the total self-help portion of your award, we will allow the aid to go toward a one-time computer purchase. If you do not purchase or have already purchased a computer, or if your merit aid exceeds this cost, merit aid will replace Smith grant on a dollar-for-dollar basis.

Starting the 2022-2023 academic year, tuition subsidies based on parent employment (Tuition Benefits) will be allowed to reduce or replace the work study portion of your award. We will allow the aid to go toward a one-time computer purchase or toward the cost of the Smith health insurance plan before we reduce Smith Grant. State or federal grant assistance reduces Smith Grant dollar for dollar. Educational benefits from state and federal agencies will reduce the work component of the award. Need-based loans from state or outside agencies can be used to replace dollar for dollar the work study award.