If a student is invited to attend HCSSiM, we will not let money issues prevent them from accepting an invitation. We are seriously committed to and believe strongly in this. Applying to the program is and will remain free, and financial concerns should not discourage applications.
The base cost of the Summer Studies is $5780 per student. This fee covers tuition, room, and 3 meals a day for six weeks, transportation to/from local bus, train, and airplane services, and recreational activities. This does not include personal expenses or travel costs to and from the program. You will notice, after doing a little comparison shopping, that our fee is generally modest compared to other programs — and few of them are six weeks long.
We offer substantial financial aid, with all decisions based on need. The program will be free for all domestic students whose family household income is under $68,000. In addition, we offer travel grants for families who cannot afford transportation to/from Amherst. For families with household income above $68,000 and international students, the size of award will be decided on a case-by-case basis, and may also include travel support. We will ensure that all invited students may attend regardless of their financial circumstances.
Historically, we have been able to offer families as much aid as they have requested, but all our decisions are based on demonstrated financial need. This table is our best estimate on expected family contributions for 2023, given recent summers:
| Annual Household Income | Your Probable Minimum… | …and Maximum Payment is… |
| $0 to $68,000 | $0 + travel grant | $0 |
| $68,001 to $102,000 | $0 + travel grant | $1700 |
| $102,001 to $136,000 | $170* | $3400 |
| $136,001 to $170,000 | $510* | $5780 |
| $170,000+ | May qualify for aid based on circumstances. | |
*If you are eligible for the Jane Street aid described below you may be asked to pay less in these brackets.
Financial decisions are confidential and will not influence the selection of participants. No information about financial circumstances will be shared with any member of the admissions committee until after an admissions decision has been made. If you would like to be considered financial aid, check the “Yes, Please” box on the application form; if you are invited, we’ll send you a(n) FA form immediately.
Additionally, thanks to Jane Street we are pleased to offer two full scholarships with full travel grants to students from groups historically under-represented in mathematics. You will automatically be considered for these with your regular financial aid form.
The actual cost of operating the program per-student is substantially higher than our base tuition rate. We depend on support from friends and alumni to keep HCSSiM affordable for every student, and occasional grants help in that task. We encourage individual students to apply for third-party grants and scholarships to help out their family. Some of these include:
- Mu Alpha Theta Summer Grants
- Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholars Program
- Grants from state or local STEM initiatives
