Smith College announced Monday that it will eliminate undergraduate tuition entirely for families earning up to $150,000 a year, beginning in fall 2026. The policy—dubbed the “Next 150 Pledge” as the college celebrates its 150th anniversary—applies to both new and returning students and is part of a broader, loan-free aid model designed to expand access to one of New England’s most selective women’s colleges.
“Smith is committed to keeping higher education within reach,” President Sarah Willie-LeBreton said in unveiling the initiative. The college will meet 100% of demonstrated need without loans and will waive tuition entirely for eligible families; officials estimate the change could make free tuition available to more than three-quarters of U.S. families by income.
What the pledge covers—and how it works
Under the Next 150 Pledge, undergraduates from families with annual income up to $150,000 and “typical assets” qualify for free tuition beginning with the 2026–27 academic year. Smith clarifies that, as a guideline, families with assets under $200,000 will see grant aid cover at least tuition, and many students will receive additional grant support that can offset housing, meals, and other billed costs. Aid is reviewed annually, and there’s no separate application—students simply file the standard financial-aid forms on time.
The pledge is notable for its breadth: it applies to both domestic and international undergraduates, and it’s layered on top of Smith’s existing policy to meet full demonstrated need with grants rather than loans, plus $1,000 startup grants for high-need incoming students. Current students will be eligible when the program starts in fall 2026.
Why it matters in Massachusetts right now
Tuition prices at some peer institutions are topping $100,000 when you include room and board, prompting a wave of “tuition-free for many” pledges across the region. In just the past month, Tufts University rolled out the Tufts Tuition Pact (free tuition for U.S. families under $150,000), and Mount Holyoke launched the MH Commitment at the same $150,000 threshold. The College of the Holy Cross covers full tuition for families earning $100,000 or less. Smith’s move places a prominent Western Massachusetts campus squarely in that growing cohort—and, by including international students and keeping packages loan-free, raises the bar on scope.
Public options are shifting, too. The Commonwealth has expanded free-tuition pathways at community colleges and state campuses (for example, UMass Dartmouth’s program for families under $75,000), giving newcomers to Massachusetts more cost-controlled routes to a degree.
For families considering a move to the Pioneer Valley
Northampton consistently ranks as one of Massachusetts’ most livable small cities, with Smith at its center and the Five College area (Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and UMass Amherst) minutes away. For relocating families, the Next 150 Pledge can materially change the college-affordability math: a qualifying student’s tuition bill drops to zero, and—depending on demonstrated need—grants can further reduce room, board, books, and fees. For households above the threshold, Smith notes there’s still no income cutoff for aid and packages remain loan-free.
Key details at a glance
- Who qualifies: Undergraduate students (new and returning, domestic and international) whose families earn up to $150,000 with typical assets. Eligibility is reassessed each year.
- What’s covered: Full tuition. Additional grants may cover part or all of housing, food, and other costs based on need.
- No loans: Smith meets 100% of demonstrated need without loans, and high-need first-year students may receive a $1,000 startup grant.
- When it starts: Fall 2026 (2026–27 academic year). Applies to current students at that time as well.
- How to apply: Submit the regular financial-aid forms by Smith’s deadlines; no separate pledge application is required.)
The bigger picture
With middle-income families increasingly priced out of private higher education, institutions are racing to reset expectations. The Boston Globe reports Smith will be the first women’s college to pair free tuition at this scale with a no-loan aid policy—an approach likely to pressure peers while offering real relief to families planning college finances alongside a relocation to Massachusetts.