List of 13 items.

• Who can apply for Tuition Assistance?

  Any student currently enrolled and new applicants may apply for Tuition Assistance. Tuition Assistance grants will be awarded to newly accepted students and current students enrolled for the following school year and whose tuition account is current. Families are encouraged to apply for Tuition Assistance after they have used as much of their own resources as possible. Approximately 20% of Clairbourn students receive Tuition Assistance, based on demonstrated need.

• How do I apply for Tuition Assistance?

  Clairbourn School Tuition Assistance is designed to make a Clairbourn School education possible for all families based on demonstrated financial need and the availability of funds. Clairbourn School is proud to use Clarity to determine a family’s level of financial need based on the information families share in the application, including assets, income, expenses, and debts.
  
  

  To get started, please go to Clarity and create an account. The application typically takes less than 30 minutes to complete. Clarity is also mobile-friendly so you can complete it from anywhere. You are also able to save your progress and return at any time. At the end of the application, there is a $60 fee to submit, and you can share your application with additional schools that accept the Clarity application at no extra charge. Simply use the dropdown menu in the application to select additional schools.
  
  

  Please remember to return to your dashboard after you complete and submit your Clarity application for any additional information that may be required.
  
  

  The deadline for completing the financial aid application including relevant supplemental documents is Jan 14, 2025 for returning families and Feb 10, 2025 for new families.
  
  

  If you need support during the process of completing your application, there is in-app support available through the “Help” button in the bottom left of the screen, as well as email and phone support at support@clarityapp.com or 206-210-3752, in both English and Spanish. The application itself is also fully translated into Spanish.

• Will I qualify for assistance?

  Every family situation is reviewed carefully and confidentially, and an individual decision is made based on all available information. Therefore, it is very difficult to offer general guidelines by which you can determine your own eligibility.

• What factors are considered?

  Clairbourn’s Tuition Assistance awards are strictly need-based with information provided by the Clarity application submitted by each family. Tuition Assistance awards are not given for academic merit or special talents. Qualified middle school students in grades 6-8 may apply for a separate Middle School Merit Scholarship which can be combined with Tuition Assistance. 
  
  Although family income level is an important consideration, many other factors enter into the decision-making process: number of children in the family, number of children attending schools for which tuition is paid, other family dependents, assets (including housing) and liabilities, unusual expenses, etc. The school will learn of these
  special considerations from the information you provide on the application.

• To what extent will I be expected to use my own resources?

  We begin the review of each family’s financial circumstances with the assumption that family resources will be used to the maximum extent possible. We anticipate that this will involve some degree of sacrifice. We ask that you give careful thought to the maximum amount of tuition that you can reasonably pay, and ask only for that which cannot realistically be paid from your own resources or those of your extended family.

• What is the size of a typical award? Is there a dollar limit?

  Because each application is reviewed individually, each Tuition Assistance Award is individual. Clairbourn is committed to helping as many qualifying families as possible to make a Clairbourn education possible.

• Will I be expected to repay the tuition assistance?

  No. Tuition Assistance is a grant, not a loan. If at some future date your family’s financial situation improves, we hope you will consider making a donation to the school to help enable other deserving students to attend Clairbourn. We also anticipate that each family
  who receives Tuition Assistance will make a yearly donation to the Annual Fund.

• What if I am separated/divorced/remarried?

  The non-custodial parent is expected to complete an online application. While recognizing that divorce can create challenging situations, it is expected that all available family resources will be committed to the Clairbourn education, from both the custodial and the non-custodial parent. It is also the school’s policy to consider the resources of a stepparent in making an award determination. However, unique or unusual circumstances will be considered.

• Must I reapply each year for assistance?

  Yes. Financial circumstances often change from year to year, and in order to allocate our limited resources wisely, it will be necessary for you to re-apply each year for Tuition Assistance. Many families keep a copy of their completed application to use as reference for the following year.

• Does tuition assistance affect my child’s chances for admission?

  No. Clairbourn maintains a need-blind admissions policy; that is, students are admitted on the basis of individual merit, not on the basis of ability to pay. The committee, which selects students, operates separately from the committee which allocates Tuition
  Assistance. Tuition Assistance requests are reviewed by the Finance Committee of the Board of Trustees only after the admissions decisions have been made.

• Will my records be confidential?

  Yes. The Director of Business and Finance maintains strict confidentiality over Tuition Assistance files. Faculty, staff and students are not informed of Tuition Assistance decisions. Conversely, we ask that families keep their Tuition Assistance
  awards private.

• What if I do not qualify for sufficient Tuition Assistance?

  Several organizations offer various options specifically designed to meet tuition financing needs. Clairbourn does not endorse any organization or plan.

• Is there a payment plan option?

  The standard payment plan calls for payment of 60% of tuition on July 1 and 40% on January 1. You may wish to explore a monthly payment plan through the school, or a loan or payment plan through an outside organization.
   
  With the monthly payment plan, your tuition obligation is spread over 10 months with payments due on the first of each month beginning in June and ending the following March. 
  
  Families who make arrangements to pay monthly, are also required to participate in the Tuition Refund Plan (TRP Insurance). Families who have been approved for the monthly payment plan must also sign up for the school’s Automatic Payment Agreement where the payment will electronically be deducted from your designated bank account. 
  
  Please contact the Business Office for additional information. No other payment plan or loan options are offered by the school.