Financial Aid FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Brearley uses a financial assistance platform called School and Student Services (SSS). Families must create an account in SSS and complete the Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS). In addition, Brearley requires families to submit various financial documents to get a comprehensive sense of income and assets. You can begin your financial assistance application here. SSS requires a fee to submit your application, however, Brearley’s Office of Financial Assistance can provide you with a fee waiver if the fee will serve as a financial hardship; please contact us at financialaid@brearley.org to request one.
For the 2023-2024 school year, 75% percent of Brearley’s financial assistance recipients had total household incomes over $100,000. The percentage of financial assistance given to these families ranged from 99% to 40% of tuition depending on several factors such as income, assets, family size and number of children attending a tuition charging school (ex. an independent school, parochial school, or college/university).
No, admissions decisions are made before financial assistance is awarded. In other words, applying for financial assistance does not impact our determination of your child’s admissibility to Brearley.
Yes, you are required to apply for financial assistance each year because we know a family’s financial standing can fluctuate. This can mean that a family might demonstrate the need for more or less aid from year to year. Unless there is a drastic shift in circumstances, families can anticipate receiving the same percentage of aid each year.
In rare cases, there may be a significant change in financial circumstance during the course of the school year. The School reserves emergency assistance to aid a family during these difficult times should the family demonstrate the need for financial support.
Yes, you should complete the financial assistance application process even if you are unsure you will qualify.
During the fall, the Director of Financial Assistance will host virtual webinars to explain how to apply for financial assistance at Brearley.
The webinars are scheduled for October 2, October 30 and November 19 from 6:00-7:00 pm. Please register here.
For immediate questions about Brearley’s financial aid program, you can email the Office of Financial Assistance at financialaid@brearley.org.