Tuition Assistance Guidelines

TUITION ASSISTANCE 

A Shipley education should be within reach for families who want it. Our Tuition Assistance program awards aid based on demonstrated financial need, helping make the cost of attending Shipley manageable for many families.

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How to Apply

You can apply for tuition assistance online through Clarity at the time you submit your admissions application. Applying for tuition assistance will not affect your child's admission decision. Applications are read without regard to a family's ability to pay; only in the final phase does the Admissions Committee weigh its decision against available funds.

Start Your Clarity Application

Completing the Clarity application takes less than 20 minutes, works on any device, and lets you save your progress and return anytime. There is a $60 application fee. You can share it with other Clarity-participating schools at no additional charge using the dropdown menu.

Key Dates

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
Deadline: December 1
New families applying for Tuition Assistance
Deadline: December 1
  • If applying after December 1, your tuition assistance application is due at the same time as your 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. 
Get Help with Your Tuition Assistance Application

 

Support is available in both English and Spanish, and the Clarity application itself is fully translated into Spanish.

  • In-app help through the "Help" button at the bottom left of the screen
  • Email support@clarityapp.com or call 206-210-3752
  • Sign up for a Family Information Webinar to walk through the process live
 
 
Sign Up for a Tuition Assistance 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.

Links to register will be added here once dates are announced.

Questions about Tuition Assistance at Shipley?
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.

 

 

 

 

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How Tuition Assistance Works

Tuition Assistance is awarded based on demonstrated financial need, and awards are reviewed each year — your family's contribution may increase, decrease, or stay the same as your circumstances change.

Shipley uses Clarity to collect basic financial information, including income, assets, family size, and the number of children in tuition-charging schools. Clarity prepares a needs analysis that suggests what your family can reasonably contribute toward educational costs, and the Tuition Assistance Office uses that as the starting point for its review. Once your contribution is determined, the office offers an aid package to help meet the remaining cost of tuition.

In cases of divorce or separation, Shipley requires financial information from both natural parents and any stepparents. Each parent completes a separate Clarity application, and the family's ability to contribute reflects all of these households.

 

Tuition Assistance Guidelines

Who Is Considered for Tuition Assistance?
Only families who demonstrate financial need are considered for tuition assistance.
How We Assess Two-Parent Households
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.)
How We Assess Divorced Households
If the parents are separated or divorced, all paperwork, including tax documentation, is requested from both parents and stepparents.
Families With Children at Other Tuition-Charging Schools
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.
When Your Circumstances Change

 

  • Family financial choices: 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.
  • Temporary unemployment: 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.
  • Significant changes: 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.
  • Tuition assistance grants are annual; a family must re-apply each year they seek tuition assistance. 
Confidentiality
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.
Appeals
All appeals regarding tuition assistance awards must be submitted in writing directly to the tuition assistance committee.
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COURAGE FOR THE DEED; GRACE FOR THE DOING

You’re More Than A Student. We’re More Than A School.