Financial Aid

Announcements

Spring 2012 Purchasing textbooks and the book grant

For the spring 2012 semester, the swipe card system at Water Street Books will be in place from Wednesday, January 26 through Wednesday, February 15. Course textbooks are located in the rear of Water Street Books. Books from the front of the store, even if they are the same as course textbooks, are coded differently and will not work in the process.

Here’s how it works:

  • First: Select from the back of the store the books REQUIRED for the courses you’re enrolled in. Make sure that you select only 1 copy of each book and that you select the correct book for your course and section.
  • Second: Give the Cashier your Williams ID. If you misplace your Williams ID, you will be able to use the system the day after you get a replacement from Campus Safety. Be sure to save your original itemized receipts.
  • Third: Your book charges will be applied to your student account and a book grant, in the exact amount of the charge for your REQUIRED textbooks, will be applied to your student account the week of February 20th. Recommended books or books purchased for a course you plan to audit will not be covered by the book grant.

If you change a course after you have purchased your books, you should, as soon as possible, return the books from the dropped course and acquire the books for the added course. You will need your Williams ID and your original receipt to receive credit for them. All such transactions for the spring 2012 semester must be completed by February 15. Books returned after that can’t be credited to your student account and will not qualify for the book grant. Please note that the Water Street Books return policy remains in place – deadlines for full refunds are February 15 or 48 hours after purchase thereafter. Please read the refund information policy slip given with each purchase.

If you are not sure that you will remain in the course, do not write in your books. If you return a book that was new when purchased but you have written in it, you will be credited for a used book; the cost difference will not be covered by the book grant.

If you are enrolled in an independent study / thesis or MCLA/Bennington College course, complete and submit the appropriate form.

Financial Literacy Workshops during Winter Study

During Winter Study, the Office of Student Life will host a series of financial literacy workshops. All sessions will be located in Hopkins Hall B1964 Classroom (with a back-up location of Griffin 6) and are scheduled to run one hour, starting at 5:00PM. These events will be officially advertised before Winter Break; so, keep your eyes peeled! Contact Benjamin.J.Lamb@williams.edu for details.

Thursday, January 5
Credit Cards and Personal Debt
Presenter:  Bob Kraus and Jed Scala

Tuesday, January 10
Living Off Campus
Presenter:  James Cart, Ben Lamb, and current seniors

Thursday, January 12
Managing Personal Finances
Presenter:  Declan Sheehy (AIER)

Tuesday, January 17
Negotiating Salaries and Insurance
Presenter:  James Cart

Thursday, January 19
Investing in the Stock Market
Presenter:  Declan Sheehy (AIER)

Tuesday, January 24
Filing Taxes
Presenter:  Paula Consolini and Adrian Castro

Winter Study Grant Update

Winter Study grants are issued to students in November through the first week of February – when exactly, and how, depends on their type of project. Please be reminded that your annual Book Grant does not cover your Winter Study books and supplies, and you cannot use your Williams ID card at Water Street Books to pay for them.

Students enrolled in travel projects, your project charge and grant will both appear on your spring semester term bill, which you are scheduled to receive before Monday, December 19, 2011. Both your billed and out-of-pocket charges were considered in the calculation of your grant. If you submitted receipts documenting some of your out-of-pocket expenses, we will email you the amount of your revised award shortly before the Bursar adjusts your student account.

Students enrolled in 99 projects, thesis projects, and regular projects that do not have a standard cost, your grant will be issued to you on Wednesday, December 14, 2011, if you completed the Winter Study Financial Aid Form by November 15. If you did not complete your form by November 15 but have since submitted it, then you will receive your grant on Wednesday, December 21. You may submit a Winter Study Financial Aid Form to our office through Friday, February 3, 2012. All grants for these projects are issued by the Controller’s office in the form of a check or direct deposit. If you are not set up for direct deposit and you did not receive your grant on December 14, then your grant will be mailed to your home address.

Students enrolled in regular projects, you will receive your grant by the second week of January and it will be credited to your student account. You may request a refund of your grant from the Bursar if you need this money to purchase your Winter Study books, supplies, etc. or to reimburse you if you need to purchase these items before your grant is issued. Our office will email you the amount of your grant shortly before it’s credited to your student account.

Please visit our Winter Study page to review general policy and procedure.