Tuition Assistance Guidelines

List of 4 items.

• Applying for Tuition Assistance (Read More)

  You may begin applying for tuition assistance now following the process described below. To be considered for tuition assistance, your online application and all required supporting documents are due on the following dates:

   

  Returning families applying for Tuition Assistance
  Application Deadline: December 1, 2024

   

  New families applying for Tuition Assistance
  Application Deadline: December 1, 2024

  If applying after December 1, tuition assistance application is due at the same time as admissions application.

   

  We begin to process new families’ tuition assistance requests in December, as soon as all required forms have been received, therefore it is in your best interest to complete and submit the necessary documents as soon as possible.
  
  Late requests for aid will be considered only if funds are still available. If you have any questions related to the tuition assistance process, please contact Nan Bussey, nbussey@shipleyschool.org, 610-525-4300 ext. 4183 or Laura Brower lbrower@shipleyschool.org 610-525-4300 ext. 4118.

   

  Please note that admission applications are read without regard for a family’s ability to pay. Only in the final phase is the selection process need aware as the Admission Committee weighs its decision against available funds.

   

  To begin your application for the coming school year, please follow the steps below:

   

  1. Complete the online application using Clarity Tuition.
     The application typically takes less than 20 minutes to complete and is mobile friendly so you can complete it from anywhere. You are also able to save your progress and return at any time.
  2. Once you have completed the application there is a $60 fee to submit. You can share your application with additional schools that accept the Clarity application for no additional charge. Use the dropdown menu in the application to select additional schools.

  Download the Clarity Application Guide.

• Tuition Assistance Guidelines (Read More)

  • Only families who demonstrate financial need are considered for tuition assistance.
  • In the interest of equity, if one parent elects to stay at home and not seek employment, the Committee will assume the income of that parent to be the tuition amount of the applicant (An exception is made if the parent is at home caring for a non-school age child or an elderly parent.)
  • If the parents are separated or divorced, all paperwork, including tax documentation, is requested from both parents and stepparents.
  • If multiple children attend tuition-charging schools or colleges, it is expected that the family will be applying for tuition assistance at all schools. Shipley should not be expected to implicitly subsidize tuition at other schools or colleges.
  • If a parent elects to return to school or to change jobs, or a sibling elects to enroll in a 5th-year advanced degree program resulting in a decrease in family financial resources, Shipley cannot underwrite this family choice with greater tuition assistance.
  • If one parent is temporarily unemployed and not disabled, the Committee will review past years of employment history. If a tuition assistance award is made, the unemployed parent must participate in quarterly tuition assistance reviews to report on and demonstrate a continued job search.
  • Tuition assistance grants are annual; a family must re-apply each year they seek tuition assistance. When there are dramatic changes in a family’s financial situation due to a significant financial setback, we will do all we can to make it possible for the child to receive the tuition assistance needed to continue at Shipley. At the same time, we expect a family in this situation to make other adjustments to their family expenditures, in addition to seeking tuition assistance, to help cover the costs of private education. Likewise, when a family’s financial situation improves greatly, the annual grant will be adjusted to reflect the positive gain.
  • Shipley maintains confidential tuition assistance records for all applicants. These records are reviewed by the tuition assistance committee, and occasionally by the head of school. All tuition assistance awards are confidential agreements between the recipient family and the school. The tuition assistance committee considers tuition assistance awards strictly confidential. Shipley does not share information with any other party. Because of this, families may not discuss tuition assistance information with anyone other than a member of the tuition assistance committee. Awards can be withdrawn for breach of this expectation.
  • All appeals regarding tuition assistance awards must be submitted in writing directly to the tuition assistance committee.

• Get Help with Your Tuition Assistance Application

  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.

• Sign Up for a Family Information Webinar

  Each year, Clarity hosts several Application Info Webinars for families. All families who may be applying to any Clarity school are welcome to attend any of these webinars. During the live session, presenters will go over some key aspects of the application, things to look out for, materials to gather, how to get help, how the tax verification process works, and a robust Q&A.
  
  Typically these will run for about 60 minutes but we will remain live longer if there are lots of questions from parents. We will make the recordings available to you after each webinar.
  
  Registration links for each date:
  Sept 24 - 6:30 pm Eastern Time
  Sept 25 - 7:00 pm Pacific Time
  Oct 28 -  6:30 pm Eastern Time
  Oct 29 - 7:00 pm Pacific Time
  Dec 10 - 5:30 pm Pacific Time