How to Apply for Financial Aid
The process of applying for financial aid at Thacher runs concurrently to the admission process, with slightly different deadlines.
Between September and January
Indicate your interest in learning about the aid process by contacting our office and/or checking the box on the Candidate Profile section of the Gateway to Prep Schools application.February 15, 2026 Submission Deadline
Thacher uses the Clarity Application to determine a family’s level of financial need based on the information shared in the application, including assets, income, expenses, and debts.
To get started, please go to the Clarity Application and create an account. The application typically takes less than 30 minutes to complete. The Clarity Application 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 for no additional charge. Simply use the dropdown menu in the application to select those schools.
For families requiring a fee waiver, Clarity’s formula automatically applies a waiver if your family qualifies. Qualifying families will simply bypass the payment screen when their application is complete. If you do not qualify for an automatic waiver but feel the fee presents a burden, please reach out to our office.
Please remember to return to your dashboard after you complete and submit your Clarity Application, as Thacher requires you to upload additional tax documentation including your 2025 Federal Income taxes.
The deadline for completing the financial aid application as a new applicant to the School, including relevant supplemental documents, is February 15, 2026. For returning families the deadline is April 1. Currently enrolled families who do not receive financial aid from the school but wish to apply for the first time should reach out to Kim Bastian, the Director of Financial Aid.
This link provides helpful information on the Clarity application process: https://clarityschools.com/library/family-application-guide/
If you need additional 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.
Click to Apply
Financial Aid at Thacher
A college preparatory boarding school for grades 9-12
Notice of nondiscriminatory policy as to students: The Thacher School admits students of any race, color, national, and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national, and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other School-administered programs.