Tuition and Financial Assistance

A request for financial assistance will not adversely affect an application for admission. Admission decisions are based on a student’s academic merit and personal qualities. Because Brearley has significant resources, it has historically been able to meet the demonstrated need of all admitted students requiring financial assistance. Occasionally an accepted student will be placed on a waiting list for financial aid to enable the school to manage the distribution of funds. With very few exceptions, grants have been made to all students who were initially on the waiting list.

There is no additional cost to any family for lunch, books, supplies (including sports equipment and team uniforms) and class trips (including those away from New York). Families receiving financial assistance may also receive assistance with other school expenses such as fees for after-school programs and other cocurricular activities. Brearley is committed to making participation in all aspects of school life possible for all of its students.

Many factors are taken into account, including, but not limited to, the number of children in a family and how many of them attend tuition-paying schools; additional dependents; all sources of income, assets and liabilities; expenses such as mortgage or rent, automobiles, camps and lessons; and unreimbursed medical expenses. Since each family’s situation is evaluated individually, there is no specific income cutoff.

A portion of the school’s budget is allocated for this purpose. To provide financial assistance, Brearley draws on income from the endowed funds donated over many years by members of the Brearley community as well as proceeds from the Annual Fund, made up of contributions from current and past parents, alumnae and friends of the School. Since the real cost of educating each Brearley student exceeds her tuition fees by a significant amount, in effect every student at the School receives some degree of financial assistance. As an independent school, Brearley receives no federal, state or local funding.

Brearley bases its policy on guidelines provided by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), which state that it is the responsibility of parents to pay for the educational expenses of their children to the extent they are able. In assessing need, the School will take account of the assets and obligations of both parents and will not be bound by separation or divorce agreements or by the assertion that one parent is unwilling to pay. Therefore both parents must fill out separate Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS) forms. It is the responsibility of the custodial parent to ask the noncustodial parent to fill out this form. Both parents must also submit tax forms.

Since the school expects families to look to all of their own resources before requesting financial assistance, income will be imputed to a spouse who is not working for pay. Certain circumstances, such as the need to care for a disabled or elderly parent or a preschool child, would exempt a family from this policy. Each application and set of circumstances is evaluated individually.

Families must reapply for aid each year by submitting a PFS form and tax returns. Financial assistance will be renewed each year according to demonstrated need; if a family’s financial situation remains similar from one year to the next, the School will continue to grant similar assistance.

A request for financial assistance must be made when the application for admission is submitted. (Please note that the application fee is waived for those applying for aid.) A PFS and a procedure sheet will be sent to all who request them. Deadlines must be strictly met in order for the School to consider a request.

A family may always submit the required forms to request financial assistance during the review period. However, barring an unforeseen financial crisis, a student who has been enrolled fewer than two years will not be eligible for financial assistance.

No. They are grants and do not have to be repaid.