Choosing an independent school is a significant investment in your child鈥檚 future. We are dedicated to making the enrollment and financial aid process as smooth and supportive as possible for your entire family.
More than 50% of 51社区 families receive financial assistance from 51社区 in the form of need-based financial aid. 听To manage financial aid requests, we rely on听 to collect financial information from families and make a recommendation for an affordable tuition payment. The application can be completed at any time, but should be submitted by February 1 for priority consideration. 听Families of newly accepted students typically receive 听financial aid award decisions from 51社区 by听March 10. 听After this date, financial aid awards will be made on a funds-available basis.听
听If you plan to apply for Financial Aid, please听download a detailed Financial Aid Application checklist听which makes this complex process a bit easier to follow. 听
Adhering to the guidelines and deadlines will ensure that your financial aid application is submitted properly. Families wishing to apply for financial aid should make sure they review this information carefully. Financial aid that is awarded as a grant or merit award does not have to be repaid.
We know that divorce or separation can add complexity to financial matters. Unfortunately, the financial aid process cannot be bound by any assertion that one parent has disclaimed responsibility for educational expenses. 51社区, like virtually all schools, considers the assets and income of both parents, if living, before making any financial aid awards, and if either parent has remarried, 51社区 also considers the financial circumstances of the stepparent, bearing in mind the obligation of that stepparent to his/her natural children. Both parents and any current spouses must complete the Family Application and submit to all of the documents as outlined in the above checklist.听
To smooth the process and respect legal obligations, custodial parents should ask non-custodial parents to complete the required forms, separately. Information provided separately by divorced parents is held in strict confidence by the School. Naturally, each family is unique, so please don’t hesitate to call and discuss your situation.