Smith College will pay or reimburse non-refundable program deposits required to confirm a student’s enrollment in a study abroad program. Program deposits are paid only after the the students has completed the post-acceptance section of their study abroad approval application in SITES. In order to complete this section students must upload the following:

• Participation Agreement (signed by the student (and the student’s parent/guardian if required)

• A copy of the program acceptance letter

• Program Deposit Form and proof of payment

Information on how to access these forms is included with study abroad approval emails sent directly to the student. 

In instances when you have not yet submitted these forms and timing is critical to hold your place on a program, we recommend you pay the program deposits, and then submit documentation of payment to the Office for International Study for reimbursement.

The following programs directly bill Smith College for program deposits. Do not pay program deposits for the following study abroad programs: 

AIT Budapest, American Councils, Bard College, Budapest Semesters in Math, CET, CIEE, College Year in Athens, DIS, Hamilton College, Hebrew University, IES, IFSA, Middlebury, School for Field Studies, and SIT Study Abroad.

Smith College will pay, or reimburse, non-refundable housing deposits that are an advance payment of housing fees. Housing deposits that convert to damage or security deposits once the student arrives to take up residence are the responsibility of the student (see Damage Deposits under Student Expenses).  At LSE, these are combined into one £250 payment, £110 is reimbursed by Smith and £140 will be refunded to you by LSE housing.

The time required for Smith College to issue a check is often longer than the time available for students to accept their housing offers. In these instances, we recommend that students pay their own housing deposits and then submit documentation of payment to the Office for International Study for reimbursement. When timing is not critical, forward a copy of your housing deposit bill to the Office for International Study for payment.

Smith College pays all tuition costs required for a full course load of credits (equivalent to one semester or one year of study at Smith College) for study abroad programs. Most study abroad applications request the billing address for payment. If a signature is required for the billing section, visit the Office for International Study. The address to enter in the billing section is as follows:

Smith College Office for International Study

5 Chapin Drive, Wright Hall 125

Northampton, MA 01063

In most cases, study abroad programs will send tuition bills directly to the Office for International Study. However, programs may send tuition bills directly to students from time to time for a variety of reasons. Invoices for program fees that are the responsibility of the student (e.g. refundable deposits, group airfare) may also itemize tuition on the bill. Some institutions will send a copy of the tuition bill to students regardless of who is responsible for paying the bill. If you receive a tuition bill, please forward via email, mail, or hand deliver a copy to the Office for International Study and be sure you understand the portion for which you are responsible.

Email: studyabroad@smith.edu

Fax: 413-585-4982

Most study abroad programs and host universities provide an on-site orientation. In rare instances when there is an additional fee for a required orientation, Smith College will pay the cost. Check with the Office for International Study before assuming that the additional expense will be covered.

Students are expected to take a full course load of credits while studying abroad. When pre-sessions are required to complete a full course load for a semester, or when they are a required component of the study abroad program, Smith College will pay the pre-session cost. In all other instances, students who elect to attend pre-sessions do so at their own expense.

Stipends are issued to students to cover the cost of food, housing and transportation when these items are not otherwise provided by the study abroad program or meet other financial support agreements. 

Stipends are generally issued by direct deposit twice per year, at the beginning of each Smith College semester. Students who are studying abroad for a full year will receive stipends at the beginning of each semester. Students must set up direct deposit to a U.S. bank account with the Controller's Office before leaving campus. While stipends are issued as promptly as possible, they may not be received by students until after their study abroad programs begin. Students are expected to be able cover their living expenses for the first two weeks of their study abroad program, and must plan accordingly. 

Stipends are issued in dollars using the currency exchange rate at the time of issue. Food and transit stipends are not adjusted for any currency fluctuations during the semester. Housing stipends may be adjusted for currency fluctuations. In instances when the value of the U.S. dollar is declining against foreign currencies, we recommend that students convert their stipends into local currency as soon as possible.

Food stipends are issued for students in “self-catered” housing who cook for themselves, or for students with partial meal plans, based on program recommendations. When fewer than three meals per day are provided by the study abroad program, students are issued a food stipend for the remaining meals. Food stipends are intended to cover reasonable food costs for purchasing groceries and preparing meals; they are not intended for the purchase of meals in restaurants other than local student cafeteria or lunch options. Food stipends are based on program recommendations and research about the actual cost of purchasing groceries in the study abroad location. Food stipends are intended to cover food expenses only during the time when classes are in session; they do not cover food costs during vacation periods or semester breaks. Just as when students are in Northampton, meeting food expenses during school breaks abroad is the responsibility of the student. Students must budget their food stipend to last the entire semester.

Invoices for housing fees are normally sent directly to the Office for International Study, and Smith College will pay the study abroad program/host university directly. In instances where housing invoices are sent to the student, the invoice should promptly be forwarded to the Office for International Study to process the payment. 

Students who pay for housing fees themselves and need to be reimbursed must submit documentation that the payment has been made (e.g., a copy of the credit card statement, or confirmation of payment received by program/host institution) to the Office for International Study for reimbursement.

In instances when students are given a choice of housing options, Smith College will cover only the cost of a standard room in the standard residence options, not upgraded options. Students may elect higher cost options (e.g., an en-suite or single room when that represents an upgrade, or housing closer to campus that is available at a higher charge than the university residence halls), but they will be fully responsible for paying any additional cost. When students study through a provider, any supplemental housing charges assessed by the provider for optional upgrades will be billed to the student. 

Housing stipends are based on the currency exchange rate at the time of issuance. If the actual cost of paying the housing bill is greater than the amount of the stipend, then the student should submit documentation of the payment and actual cost to the Office for International Study. Smith College will then issue a housing stipend adjustment for the difference.

Students who receive housing stipends are expected to pay their housing bill as soon as it is presented to them. When the option is available, students are expected to make one payment for the total housing bill for the semester abroad, and not to pay in installments. 

As a reminder, students are required to use only program-sponsored housing. Smith will not approve independent housing where program-provided housing is available.

Students who are housed beyond walking distance from campus may request a transit stipend for commuting by public transportation to and from classes. 

Transit stipend requests must be received within a month after the study abroad term begins, and must document the actual cost of public transportation to and from classes, the number of trips made per week, and the number of weeks that classes are in session. Students may submit a Transit Stipend Request form.

Students are responsible for costs associated with obtaining their passports, any necessary visas, immunizations, and program application fees.

Students are responsible for the cost of travel to and from the study abroad program site. Students receiving financial aid may include travel costs in their financial aid application. Exceptions to this include the following programs: PRESHCO in Spain and AKP (Associated Kyoto Program) in Japan where international airfare is included as part of the overall program fee at no additional cost to the student. The Office for International Study awards partial funding for airfare expenses to students with high financial need. Students need not apply; all students who are eligible will receive an airfare stipend.  Stipends are awarded on a sliding scale from limited funds; in general, the stipend will be awarded at about the same ratio as students' financial aid package.

Students are responsible for paying all damage deposits, security deposits, and other refundable deposits.

Students are responsible for the costs of books and personal expenses associated with study abroad, which can include damage deposits, cookware and linens, camping supplies, and gym fees.

Students are responsible for covering the costs of additional expenses incurred by enrolling in a particular course (i.e. art and photography supplies, musical instruments, optional field trips, etc.)

Smith College will not issue stipends for incidental items or amenities, including but not limited to phone connections, computer facilities, gym facilities and household items such as pots and pans, cleaning supplies, and toilet paper. 

Any fees for accommodation upgrades from standard housing abroad will be charged to students. 

As at Smith, room and food expenses during vacations and breaks abroad are the responsibility of the student. Breaks abroad may be longer than at Smith, and travel back home will cost more as well, so students must plan ahead for the cost of vacation housing or travel. Students studying in the Southern Hemisphere for a U.S. academic year (Semester II followed by Semester I) will need to support themselves for up to three months between terms.

All students are required to carry U.S.-based primary health insurance, and will be automatically enrolled in the Smith College student health insurance plan through Gallagher Student Health & Special Risk (https://www.gallagherstudent.com/students/student-home.php?idField=1040) at the beginning of the term abroad. This insurance plan may be waived online at https://www.gallagherstudent.com/ if the student has another primary health insurance policy that provides comparable coverage, except in the case of international students, who must purchase the Smith College student health insurance plan through Gallagher. International students who plan to visit their home country during break may need additional insurance coverage in their home country during this period. 

Students are also covered by additional international medical insurance policies, either directly with their host institution through national health insurance or through supplemental plans provided by their program or Smith.  Students participating in an approved program where they are covered under national health insurance should thoroughly research what type of care is covered and how to register for the healthcare needs they may have throughout their term(s) abroad.

The plan that Smith uses is called GeoBlue for students attending Smith Programs Abroad, directly enrolling at partner institutions who do not enroll students in national health insurance, and select other programs on our approved list which do not provide supplemental health insurance. All students and their families should review the coverage information about this plan here.

Smith College cannot guarantee that students studying abroad will have access to services or amenities equivalent to those provided at the Northampton campus. Different universities and programs provide differing levels of service and convenience, and offer unique benefits not available to students in Northampton. These differences are what make an experience in another country distinctive.

Few countries allow visiting students to work, so carefully research visa regulations to find out whether you can work a part-time job while abroad. While local employment may provide a unique perspective on the local culture while providing some additional spending money, it is not worth the risk if this activity violates local labor laws. Additionally, students should be mindful of how this obligation will tax their time. 

All stipends will be issued by direct deposit to your U.S. bank account. Direct deposit can easily be set up by visiting the Controller’s Office and completing the corresponding paper work.