The Next 150 Pledge

Introducing The Next 150 Pledge—students with family incomes of up to $150,000 pay no tuition.

For more than 150 years, Smith College has worked to break down barriers to exceptional education. By covering the full cost of tuition for families earning up to $150,000, Smith builds on this proud legacy—strengthening its commitment to access, opportunity, and academic excellence for the next generation of scholars, scientists, artists, and leaders.

Now, Smith is the first women’s college in the nation to offer a comprehensive no-loan financial aid program that includes free tuition for domestic and international undergraduate students from eligible families beginning in fall 2026.

Read President Willie-LeBreton’s Announcement Explore Our Financial Aid Apply to Smith

Investing in You

Through our comprehensive approach to financial aid:

  • There is no fee to apply for admission.
  • 100% of every student’s demonstrated need is met.
  • Financial aid packages contain no loans.
  • Every Smith student is eligible for at least one summer of internship or research funding.
  • Incoming high-need students may be eligible for startup grants to help with the transition to Smith.
  • There is no income cutoff for financial aid and families at many income levels can qualify for aid.

The Next 150 Pledge is made possible through the college’s endowment and the generous philanthropy of Smith alums and donors, whose gifts carry forward founder Sophia Smith’s vision of education as a public good.

61%

of students received a need-based grant from Smith in 2024–25

$110M+

in financial aid awarded by Smith during the 2024–25 academic year

$63K+

the average amount of a Smith College grant awarded this academic year

Questions?

If your household income is up to $150,000 per year, and your household assets are less than $200,000, your financial aid grant will cover at least the cost of the tuition at Smith.

Depending on your circumstances, additional grant assistance may also be provided to cover part or all of housing and food, and other typical college expenses.

Complete your financial aid application following Smith’s requirements and deadlines. There is no separate application for the free tuition program. Eligibility is reviewed annually.

Financial aid grant includes all grants and scholarships, including both need- and merit-based aid from Smith, as well as federal, state, and private sources.

As of the 2026–27 academic year, all undergraduate students at Smith will be eligible for this program, regardless of when they first enrolled at Smith. This includes entering, returning, transfer, Ada Comstock, domestic, and international students. Graduate students are not eligible for this program.

Eligibility is reviewed annually, and as long as family income stays at or below $150,000, and total assets remain at or below $200,000, your grant aid will equal or exceed the cost of tuition.

Total income includes a family’s total positive tax return income for the tax year applicable to each academic year (e.g., 2024 for the 2026–27 academic year), plus all sources of untaxed income. In addition to the student, a “family” may include both biological/adoptive parents and, in limited cases, stepparents.

Yes! All undergraduate students who qualify financially are eligible for free tuition under this program.

Family assets include parent and student cash, savings, investments, home equity (fair market value minus debt), business net worth, and other real estate. Formal retirement accounts are not included in the total asset value. The Financial Aid Office reserves the right to make the final determination of the expected family contribution, in consideration of all factors affecting a family’s overall financial situation and ability to pay.

Yes. Students must complete all parts of the financial aid application process each year in order to be eligible for this program.

No, this program is for undergraduate students only.

Yes! There is no income cut off for grant consideration at Smith. This program does not reduce or eliminate other need-based aid packages. Smith meets 100% of demonstrated need for all admitted students who apply by the deadlines. You may want to try our Net Price Calculator or MyIntuition calculator for an early estimate of your aid eligibility at Smith.