800 Financial Matters
800.1 Refund Policy
Any student who officially withdraws from the School according to the procedures outlined under the section entitled “Withdrawal,” is dismissed from the School, or who goes on a leave of absence will have their fees and aid, including all institutional and federal student aid, prorated using the same methodology prescribed by the Department of Education for federal student aid as follows:
The official date of withdrawal or leave will be used to determine what percent of the billing payment period the student has attended using a daily proration schedule. If the student leaves within the first 60 percent in the billing cycle, fees and aid will be prorated accordingly and any unused federal funds will be returned to the Department of Education. If, after the necessary proration is completed there is a credit balance from a direct payment made by the student, those funds will be returned to the student. If the withdrawal or leave occurs after the 60 percent point in the billing cycle, all charges and aid will be considered to have been used and no proration will occur or aid returned.
800.2 Financial Assistance
800.2.1 Master's Program
Financial assistance is available to students in the master’s program. Awards are based on financial need, with an additional commitment to those who have demonstrated a commitment to the primary mission of the social work profession according to the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics.
Because resources are limited, students are expected to use personal, family and loan resources to the fullest extent possible. The School is not able to meet full expenses for a student’s graduate program. Every effort is made to assist students in obtaining educational bank loan funds.
To maintain maximum objectivity and standardized criteria in analyzing each student’s financial circumstances, the School utilizes the FAFSA Form; for more information go to: Tuition and Financial Aid.
Financial aid awards are made for a 12-month period and students must submit a second application for assistance for their second year of graduate study and a third application for their final summer. Although every effort will be made to continue financial assistance, the School can make no guarantee that this will be possible.
Because of limited financial aid resources, and because the third ‘year’ is just 10 weeks, the final summer grant is awarded on a sliding scale; merit awards do not carry over to the final summer, only need-based aid is available.
If a student departs from the School, any financial aid award will be adjusted to be consistent with the Refund Policy.
Financial aid payments will be discontinued for any student who departs from the School.
800.2.2 Doctoral Program
Very limited financial assistance is available to students in the Ph.D. Program. Students are expected to use personal, family, and loan resources to the fullest extent possible. Every effort is made to assist students in obtaining educational bank loan funds. To maintain maximum objectivity and standardized criteria in analyzing each student's financial circumstances, the School utilizes the FAFSA form; for more information go to: Tuition and Financial Aid.
800.3 Fees and Expenses
Returning from a leave of absence or repeating a portion of the program:
Students who will return to the program from a leave of absence or who will repeat a portion of the program should check with Student Financial Services regarding tuition charges.
Students will not be permitted to register or continue in practicum internships if bills are not paid. All college bills must be paid before a student will be granted a diploma.
Should the School submit a student bill to a collection agency, the student will be subject to collection charges in addition to the outstanding balance (approximately one-third of the balance).
800.4 Post-Residency Enrollment Fees
Ph.D. students who have completed their course work and are still working to complete their dissertations will be enrolled automatically each year as continuing students for the winter session (Term 1 covers September through December; Term 2 covers January through April). There are no credits during the Post-Residency period; credits are awarded at the completion of the dissertation. Students enrolled for dissertation study will be billed a continuing enrollment fee of $500 per winter term; failure to pay Continuing Enrollment Fees will result in dismissal from the program.
Payment of the continuing enrollment fee entitles the student to dissertation advising services from the research supervisor or dissertation chair. Post-residency Ph.D. students maintain their eligibility to work towards the degree by paying the Continuing Enrollment Fee. This fee may be waived only during an official Leave of Absence.
800.4.1 Waiver of Post-Residency Enrollment Fees during Leave of Absence
On occasion, circumstances may arise that preclude a post-residency student from active work on the dissertation for one or more winter terms. Under such circumstances, the student may request a Leave of Absence. (Refer to the section in this Handbook covering Leave of Absence.) Continuing enrollment fees may be waived only if the student's written request is received by the Associate Dean by the qualifying date. To qualify for a waiver of Term 1 fees, the written request must be received before August 15th. To qualify for a waiver of Term 2 fees, the written request must be received before December 1st. If the written request for LOA is not received by these dates, applicable continuing enrollment fees will be charged.
800.5 Library Fees
Each student is responsible for all materials signed out from the library in their name and will be charged a replacement fee in addition to the cost of any material that is not returned. All materials must be returned to the library and fees paid before a student may receive a diploma.
800.6 Miscellaneous Fees
Other miscellaneous fees will be charged to a student’s account, if applicable. All miscellaneous fees must be paid before a student may receive a diploma.
800.7 Late Fees
A late fee of 1.25 percent per month (15 percent per annum) will be assessed for balances that remain unpaid past the due date.
Students will not be permitted to register, continue in practicum internships or enroll in post-residency advising if they have not been cleared by Student Financial Services. All school bills must be paid before a student will be granted a diploma.
800.8 Pro-Rated Fees
Pro-rated fees will be charged to students who are enrolled in less-than-half-time status and who continue to work in the practicum, or community based anti-racism experience. These fees will vary by circumstance.
800.9 Health Insurance
Health insurance is mandatory for all full-time students. Students will be automatically enrolled in the School’s health insurance plan, but may waive out of this plan if they have an alternative qualifying plan. Students must be enrolled at least 3/4 time in order to qualify for Smith’s health insurance plan; if a student’s status drops to less than 3/4 time their coverage may be discontinued.
For details on health insurance, costs and deadlines, go to Health Insurance on the website.
800.10 Campus Housing
The School for Social Work has on-campus mixed-gender housing available during the 10-week summer academic session in certain undergraduate dormitories for students who choose to live on campus. The Housing and Meal fee includes the assigned unit and twenty-one meals per week for the duration of the 10-week summer academic session. Each student is responsible for the full housing and meal fee, which will be charged to the student’s account prior to the start of the academic session.
Any student who officially withdraws from the School according to the procedures outlined under the section entitled “Withdrawal,” is dismissed from the School, or who goes on a leave of absence will have their housing and meal costs prorated using the same methodology as detailed in the section entitled “Refund Policy.” Any student who indicates they will be living on campus and subsequently informs the Housing Coordinator that they will not be utilizing on-campus housing will have their housing and meal costs prorated using the following schedule: 100% refunded before May 1st, 90% refunded from May 1st to the first day of classes, 80% refunded by the first Friday of the summer academic session, no refunds of housing and meal costs will be made after the first week of classes. Exceptions to the refund schedule may be considered for extraordinary circumstances.
Any student who is assigned on campus housing must agree to and abide by the terms of the Housing Contract or risk losing campus housing.