Finances: How can I afford to live in Paris?
The comprehensive fee paid to Smith College includes:
Academic life:
all tuition and fees related to instruction and enrollment at the Parisian universities;
academic advising and assistance with university enrollment;
Personal life:
housing in a French home;
meals in your homestay, which include breakfast seven days per week, dinner five days per week;
a meal stipend for seven lunches and two dinners per week when classes are in session;
a €10 stipend to cover the cost of a French SIM card;
Carte Imagine-R (year-long public transportation pass)
Cultural experiences:
initial linguistic and cultural orientation;
all expenses during scheduled program excursions and visits;
Carte Louvre (giving privileged access to the world’s greatest museum)
Carte Pompidou or Musée d’Orsay
Health and safety:
personal liability insurance (responsabilité civile);
study abroad medical insurance;
medical evacuation and repatriation coverage;
Students are responsible for all personal expenses including international airfare, books and supplies, phone calls, medical expenses, and personal travel.
You are entirely responsible for managing your personal finances while you are in France. The amounts you spend on clothing, telephone calls, and travel will depend entirely on your own choices. We urge you to keep an eye on your spending and your bank account, particularly in the early weeks of the academic year. Fortunately, Paris (and France) are mindful of the economic realities of being young and a university student: many discounted fees, special deals and free entries are provided for students with a university ID. Save as much money as you can for special occasions and holiday travel.
Students in the Paris program benefit from several funds made available to the Director through the generosity of alumnae and friends of the College and the Smith in Paris program. These funds can be used to underwrite cultural activities (plays, concerts, museums) and travel associated with your studies, both during the year and after the close of the program.
Fellowships
Smith students in the Paris program considering spending the summer after their year in Paris doing an internship in France are eligible to apply for the Anita Volz Wien ’62 Global Scholars Fund. This is a merit-based award through the Lewis Global Studies Center designed to encourage Smith students to study abroad for a full year in non-English speaking countries in combination with an internship or similar experience of at least 8 weeks that is outside of the academic calendar. All eligible Smith students are encouraged to apply regardless of financial aid status.
The award includes:
Scholarship: $10,000 for the academic year ($5,000 for a single semester - science and engineering majors only)*
*The Scholarship will either be listed as a tuition credit or as a financial aid offset if you are currently receiving need-based financial aid. Financial aid recipients will have 50% of the award replace their existing Smith Grant and 50% will be used to reduce their self-help expectation (loan and/or work).
Internship stipend: $3,500
Travel: reimbursement of travel expenses up to $1,500
Find more information on application materials, deadline, and eligibility here.
Financial Aid
Smith students pay the same tuition (including merit- and need-based financial aid) for junior year abroad that they would otherwise pay to live on campus at Smith.