Financial Aid

Applicants & Prospective Students

Important Information

The Student Financial Services Call Center will be open to take your calls Monday–Friday, 10 a.m.–noon and 1:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m. (Eastern).

Investing In Your Dreams Is Our Top Priority

Smith College welcomes and supports qualified students from all economic backgrounds. As part of the college’s commitment to access, affordability and equity, Smith has eliminated loans from its undergraduate financial aid packages for those students receiving institutional need-based aid, replacing those funds with institutional grants. The college will meet the full documented need, as determined by college policy, of all admitted students who apply for aid by the published deadlines.

Smith is also proud to partner with QuestBridge, a platform that connects students from low-income backgrounds with leading institutions of higher education.

Smith College awards need-based aid to non-U.S. citizens, both first-year and September transfer applicants. The pool of international students is highly competitive and the level of support provided from the college ranges widely, depending on particular family circumstances. Aid is determined based on the information provided by the family on the Financial Aid Application, along with tax or income statements.

 A non-U.S. citizen will have their expected family contribution remain the same each year they attend Smith. The Smith Grant will be adjusted so that the total family contribution remains stable. Cost increases not covered by aid increases are the responsibility of the student and their family.

Apply for financial aid by the deadlines to qualify; do not wait to be admitted to the college before applying for aid.

Ada Comstock Scholars

If you are an international student applying for the Ada Comstock Scholar program, please see the forms and deadlines in our Ada Comstock Scholar financial aid section.

International students who do not apply for aid prior to admission are not eligible to receive institutional aid at Smith at any time.

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. Remember to complete your admission application, since only accepted students can receive a financial aid decision.

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.