Merit Aid

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 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.  

Merit aid is only offered at the time of admission.

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 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.