Tuition & Affordability

Applying for Financial Aid does not affect one’s chances for admission. Applicants are accepted for admission on a need-blind basis. Once accepted, a family’s financial need is determined. Awards are granted on the basis of need; there are no merit-based scholarships. We strive to keep the financial aid process confidential.

While steadfast in our commitment to helping families with demonstrated need afford the cost of a Country Day education, the school cannot be the sole source for funding tuition costs. We expect that parents will partner with us in this endeavor. Applicants should be aware that:

• GCDS expects parents to utilize all other sources of tuition support, including available loans or gifts from family members and outside sources.
• Parents must eliminate other non-essential expenses such as private clubs, expensive vacations, and or vacation homes.
• Families must be U.S. citizens or legal residents of the United States.
• Each family’s unique situation will be assessed carefully.
• In cases of divorced, separated, or never-married parents, both custodial and non-custodial parents are expected to contribute to educational costs and are required to submit a financial aid application. Lack of information from either parent may jeopardize the chances of receiving financial aid.
• Both parents/guardians are expected to be employed full-time if home and health situations permit.
• Awards are reviewed annually.
• The Financial Aid Committee cannot guarantee that we will be able to meet the financial needs of all families.

Greenwich Country Day School has chosen Clarity as our new financial aid application system. Our goal is to make the financial aid application process as easy as possible for families. The Clarity Financial Aid Application typically takes less than 30 minutes to complete and is accessible on most devices including mobile phones. You may find the Family Application Guide helpful. Family Application Guide (Spanish Language)

Complete applications for both prospective and current GCDS families are due by December 15.

Step 1: Starting September 1, please go to the Clarity Financial Aid Application and create an account. 

• Complete the biographical information. Add applying students and use the drop-down menu to indicate to which schools you are applying.
• Sign and submit Form 4506c to give Clarity permission to securely transfer your 2023 W2 and 1040 forms directly from the IRS. 
• Complete your financial information.

Step 2: Submit the $60 Clarity application fee. You  can share your application with additional schools that accept the Clarity Application for no additional charge. Clarity uses the information in the application to determine if a family qualifies for an automatic fee waiver. 

Step 3: Check the “Document Requests” panel on your portal to see if any additional documents are required and should be uploaded.

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 [email protected] or 206-210-3752, in both English and Spanish. The application itself is also fully translated into Spanish.

GCDS uses a standardized, fair, and equitable “need analysis” to determine a family’s expected contribution. The Financial Aid Committee takes into consideration several financial factors including:

• Total family income
• IRS forms and schedules
• Family size
• Number of children attending tuition-charging schools
• Investments and indebtedness
• Assets, such as home equity
• Discretionary expenditures, such as camps, lessons, and vacations
• Unusual expenses
• Information provided by the applicant directly to GCDS

Keep in mind that the recommendation from Clarity, based on information from the financial aid application, serves only as a guideline. The final decision on aid awards is made by Greenwich Country Day School’s Financial Aid Committee.

GCDS allows families to select a payment option that best suits their financial need in order to comfortably meet tuition obligations. The balance of tuition may be paid in one, two, or ten equal installments on a schedule determined by the School.

The Financial Aid Committee will perform a full analysis each year to determine eligibility for continued assistance. Parents must complete the financial aid application each year and submit the required documentation as requested. If a family’s financial picture remains relatively the same from year to year, a family can expect a similar financial aid grant award relative to the annual tuition increase.

Yes. In many cases, additional funds are available to offset the cost of expenses such as transportation, instrumental music lessons, books, laptops for Middle and Upper School students, sports equipment, and community-wide special events.

We want to help recipients and their families participate fully in school life and feel comfortable in our community.

GCDS does not offer loans; however LendingClub Corporation offers a K-12 Family Education Loan which may help you meet required school expenses. This Education Loan is available to parents or other creditworthy family members of children attending independent K-12 schools. The loan can be used to cover the cost of a child's tuition and expenses such as books, lab fees and computers. Information is available on the Your Tuition Solution website, or by calling (800) 920-9777.

It is the School’s expectation that families paying full tuition will continue to do so unless their financial circumstances unexpectedly change significantly. Consideration will be given on a case-by-case basis.