Tuition & Financial Aid

Anyone is welcome to apply for aid--boarding and day candidates alike. Families interested in applying for financial aid should be sure to indicate they are applying for financial aid on their admission application and complete the Clarity application by the February 1 deadline.

Families should go to the Clarity website to sign up for an account and create an application to begin the process.

Yes, we provide financial aid to international students. We currently have a number of international students who receive various levels of financial support. As with any other student applying for financial aid, if accepted, we will commit to providing a need-based financial aid grant that meets the family’s needs. 

February 1. The Clarity application should be completed by this date to allow adequate time for processing. We do not reserve funds beyond the initial round of awards for late applicants.

No, Blair does not offer any merit-based scholarships. All financial aid is distributed on the basis of financial need.

The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) has established guidelines to help schools manage their financial aid programs in a manner that will be generally consistent from one school to the next. The information you provide will be used by Clarity to calculate an estimate of how much you can afford to contribute to your child’s education. The Blair Academy Financial Aid Committee then uses this estimate, along with the other information you provide, to determine a recommended family contribution and subsequent financial aid award.

Blair Academy expects that any parent with custody of the child will contribute financially to their education. Blair Academy is not bound by any claims, assertions or letters regarding parental agreements on funding for educational expenses.  The financial aid committee may require a non-custodial parent form if one parent is not fiscally responsible for the child.

Clarity allows divorced families to create two separate households as part of the application. Each household’s finances are evaluated independently of each other to determine a need-based award. If a parent is remarried, we will also consider the income and assets of the stepparent. 

Tuition expenses for all children in tuition-charging schools (excluding graduate school) will be taken into consideration. Blair requires that families apply for financial aid at each of the institutions their children attend. Blair cannot subsidize tuition for other tuition-charging schools.

If you own a business or farm, please make sure to indicate this on your Clarity application. You may be asked to provide additional documentation to gain a deeper financial understanding of your situation.

If enrolled, you must reapply for financial aid every year. While you can anticipate a similar grant each year, your award can be adjusted based on changes in your family’s financial situation, as well as against the strength of the entire financial aid applicant pool, and at the discretion of Blair Academy.

We budget carefully to support our students on financial aid every year, in addition to setting aside funds to support the new incoming class. For that reason, please note that returning students who did not apply for or receive financial aid upon initial enrollment at Blair are highly unlikely to receive financial aid in their subsequent years. However, we understand family circumstances can change, and encourage you to be in touch directly with Caroline Wilson (wilsoca@blair.edu) if you have any concerns or questions about receiving financial support for returning years.

Blair Academy uses prior year tax information to assess financial need. By signing the 4506C in your Clarity application, Blair will gain access to the necessary 1040s and W2s. If we need further information or have trouble accessing documents, we will be sure to reach out directly via email.

All information contained in the application materials is strictly confidential–it is used solely for the determination of demonstrated need by the Director of Financial Aid and the Financial Aid Committee.

Please send a detailed letter if there are circumstances that Blair should consider when determining your financial need. Be as specific as possible with dates and figures. Parents who return to school or change jobs as a personal choice must realize that a resulting decrease in their family income cannot be underwritten by financial aid from Blair.

While Blair may offer a financial aid package in the form of grants, the School does not provide a loan program.

If you have any questions about financial aid at Blair Academy, please contact Caroline Wilson, Director of Financial Aid, at wilsoca@blair.edu.