Financial Aid FAQs

List of 6 frequently asked questions.

• How is a family’s financial contribution determined?

  Financial Aid at Thacher is determined by using the Clarity methodology in conjunction with our school policies to determine what a family might reasonably be expected to contribute toward educational expenses. This formula considers income, assets, and expenses of both the students and the parents. The total amount available from a family for education costs is divided among all children attending tuition-charging schools. This includes day care costs, other independent school tuitions, as well as college and university tuitions. It excludes graduate school tuition for dependents.

• Will applying for financial aid affect my child’s chances for admission?

  While we are not need blind, the aim of The Thacher School is to accept students on their own qualifications without regard to their family’s financial resources. Accordingly, financial considerations shouldn’t deter anyone from applying for admission to the School, and are in fact an important step when considering how to make boarding school work for your family.

• What if I’m separated, divorced, or never married?

  The Financial Aid Committee considers the financial resources of both parents and any stepparents. Both the custodial and non-custodial parents are required to complete financial aid applications. If the non-custodial parent has no involvement in the child’s life, Thacher's Non-custodial Parent Waiver Petition form is required.
  
  Solo parent families (for example, single parents by choice, widowed partners) should indicate that information in the notes section of the Parents' Financial Statement.

• Can international students apply for financial aid?

  To apply for financial aid, a family's entire household income must be reflected on a U.S. tax return. Citizenship alone is not a qualifying factor. 

• What if we don't need aid this year, but think we might in the future?

  Families who enroll at Thacher paying full tuition are expected to continue doing so throughout their child’s time at the School, barring a significant change in financial circumstances. If such a change occurs, please contact Kim Bastian to discuss the process of making an initial application. 

• Will my child's financial aid award change from year to year?

  Financial aid awards are made on an annual basis, and as such families are required to reapply each year. However, unless there is a significant change in financial circumstance, a family can except that tuition contribution will remain relatively constant, with modest increases to account for tuition increases (though Thacher absorbs majority of that cost).