Ada Comstock Scholars

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

Applying for Aid

Eligibility

Part-time Ada Comstock Scholars enrolled in fewer than 8 credits per semester are not eligible for institutional aid.

International Students

International Ada Comstock Scholars who do not apply for aid prior to admission are not eligible to receive institutional aid at any time.

Where to Send Forms

Forms should be sent directly to the Student Financial Services office or through the Net Partner portal. 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 Hall 106
10 Elm Street
Smith College
Northampton, MA 01063

Document Deadline
FAFSA
Smith College Code: 002209		 April 15
(Residents of MA, VT: You must file FAFSA by state aid deadlines*)
Smith Aid Application for Ada Comstock Scholars (2025–26) 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.

Housing & Aid

Housing Arrangements for Ada Comstock Scholars

Housing choices do affect the financial aid eligibility for Ada Comstock Scholars. Please contact us for details on your specific potential award adjustment if you are thinking about changing your housing.

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.

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

All Ada Comstock Scholars who receive need-based financial aid from the college will receive a health grant to cover the cost of health insurance through the college.  Non-aided Ada Comstock Scholars or Ada Comstock Scholars who successfully waive the health insurance are not eligible for this grant.

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.

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.

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.

Ada Comstock Scholars with dependent children under the age of 18 will have the work component of their award replaced with the Balbach Grant. If you do not have a work study component to your award, you can still apply for jobs on campus after October 1 in the fall, and as of two weeks after classes begin in the spring.

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.

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.

Outside Awards Based on Merit

Outside aid based on student merit 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 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.

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

Financial aid for Ada Comstock Scholars is need-based and is based on the premise that students pay for the cost of education to the extent that they are able, as calculated by a national formula and institutional policy, and that financial aid serves to supplement this effort

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 her financial aid award any time there has been a significant change in family circumstances, or if the information on the original application was inaccurate.  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, a student may request that it be reviewed by the Financial Aid Appeals Committee. Exceptions to policy include appeals of the 32 credit rule and all international review requests.

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.