Additional FAQ for prospective students can be found on the Office of Admission’s financial aid page.
How is my expected family contribution determined?
Am I allowed to buy my books elsewhere if Water Street Books can’t get them for me or not in a timely manner?
If I change my meal plan, will it affect my financial aid?
Is there financial aid to help with summer storage? I don’t live nearby and I can’t take my stuff home with me.
Does Williams provide financial aid for the GRE and grad school application fees?
Do I qualify for a Senior Week waiver or discount?
Is there financial aid to help pay for my family’s hotel accommodations during Commencement? They’re coming to see me graduate but can’t afford a hotel.
How is my expected family contribution determined?
The expected parent contribution is based on parent’s income and assets (including home equity), family size, number of siblings enrolled in college, as well as other factors such as extended unemployment or unusual medical expenses.
The student contribution is derived from expected summer earnings, savings, and other assets. The parent contribution and the student contribution equal the family contribution. You can estimate your family contribution using the Williams Net Price Calculator.
When parents are divorced or separated, the financial ability of the noncustodial parent to contribute is taken into consideration.
If your family contribution is less than the total cost, you are considered to have financial need. A financial aid award normally includes gift aid (scholarships and grants which do not have to be repaid), and a campus job offer. Beginning with the Class of 2015, a student loan may be packaged in the award. All upperclassmen will be grandfathered under the former no-loan policy. A student is not required to accept the job and/or loan offer to receive awarded grants.
Am I allowed to buy my books elsewhere if Water Street Books can’t get them for me or not in a timely manner?
Yes. If you are enrolled in an independent study or thesis course, or a course offered by MCLA or Bennington College, please complete the applicable book grant request form located on our Forms and Helpful Resources page. If you are enrolled in any other course, please email Betsy.Hobson@williams.edu for further guidance.
If I change my meal plan, will it affect my financial aid?
No, it will not affect your financial aid. Your financial aid package is directly impacted by your academic year budget, which always includes the cost of the 21-meal plan – even if you switch to a cheaper plan. We assume you are spending the difference between plans on necessary food somewhere other than in the dining halls. If you need assistance calculating the impact on your student account (i.e., term bill), contact the Bursar’s office or schedule an appointment with your financial aid officer. Instructions on how to change your meal plan can be found on this Dining Services webpage.
Is there financial aid to help with summer storage? I don’t live nearby and I can’t take my stuff home with me.
No, there is no financial aid available; however, there is a limited amount of campus storage space available for international students and some financial aid students. If your parent contribution equals $1,000 or less and you live in a faraway state (such as California, Alaska, Florida, etc.), contact Bobbi Senecal in Facilities to see if you are eligible for space. A list of eligible financial aid students is available in October.
Does Williams provide financial aid for the GRE® and grad school application fees?
No. The college may only provide financial aid for educational expenses associated with your undergraduate degree at Williams. However, we may be able to help in other ways.
ETS (the company that administers the GRE®) offers a limited number of GRE® Fee Reduction Certificates on a first-come, first-served basis that are available for college seniors and non-enrolled college graduates who meet eligibility requirements. In August, we determine which financial aid seniors are eligible for the reduction and notify them via email with instructions on how to apply.
Contact the grad schools to which you are applying and see if they have an application fee reduction or waiver. Often, schools do and require a letter from our office attesting that you are receiving financial aid at Williams. Please give us as much advance notice as possible if you intend to request such a letter.
Do I qualify for a Senior Week waiver or discount?
The Office of Student Life coordinates Senior Week and offers discounted tickets and waivers to eligible financial aid students. Contact Student Life for further details.
Is there financial aid to help pay for my family’s hotel accommodations during Commencement? They’re coming to see me graduate but can’t afford a hotel.
No, there is no financial aid available; however, your family can stay in a campus dormitory for a nominal fee if you are a financial aid recipient. See this page on the Commencement site for further details.
