Dedham Country Day School Tuition and Financial Assistance

Affording a DCD Education

We recognize that pursuing an independent school education for your child is a very big decision and requires a family to make many sacrifices. It is our goal to help families understand the tuition, payment plan, and financial aid policies which help make a DCD education accessible to our entire school community.

DCD’s tuition is all-inclusive in that it covers all classroom supplies, books, field trips, overnight trips, lunch and snack, and any technology used in the curriculum. Middle school students are given their own personal laptop in 6^th grade, which they may keep upon graduation.

Enrollment in our Extended Day Program and Enrichment Activities, including private music lessons, will incur an added fee. Please follow the links to these programs to understand the associated costs.

Announcing the Hawk Scholarship!

New for the 2019-20 academic year, DCD’s Hawk Scholarship has been created for highly motivated middle school students who embody the values of DCD’s mission. This very selective, merit-based opportunity recognizes students who demonstrate outstanding academic, athletic, or artistic promise and a desire to make a meaningful contribution to their community at DCD.

Payment Plan Options

DCD partners with a company called Smart Tuition to facilitate the tuition payment process and to offer online payment. We offer different payment plans to fit families' needs. Access to the system is available through the DCD parent portal once a child is enrolled.

For information about this program, please contact Smart Tuition directly at 888-868-8828. You may also register for online access at enrollwithsmart.com. DCD’s school code is 11440.

Need-based Financial Assistance

We recognize that pursuing an independent school education is a very big decision with tuition levels promising to strain the resources of many families seeking the benefits for this type of education for their children. Our hope is to help make a DCD education accessible to as many families as possible. To that end, a substantial number of need-based grants at varying levels are awarded each year to eligible applicants. For example, for the 2019-20 school year, 29% of our students received close to $1.8 million in assistance.

While families must complete the financial aid application through SSS to determine eligibility, this is just the starting point. Our financial aid committee reviews each financial aid application individually and understands that different families experience different financial pressures and therefore takes into account particular family circumstances and situations.

We hope that you will reach out to us with any questions about bringing a DCD education within your child and family’s reach. Please feel free to contact Bob Santry, our Chief Financial Officer.

Learn more about affording an Independent School Education

School & Student Services by the National Association of Independent Schools offers very useful resources for understanding how to afford an independent school education. Visit their website for access to tips and articles for parents as you enter this process.

SSS by NAIS information and Resources

The Financial Aid Process

List of 3 items.

Applying for Financial Aid

DCD uses School and Student Services (SSS) to process financial aid applications. SSS is a service of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). Based on the financial information you provide, SSS gives us an estimated amount your family can contribute to educational expenses. This helps us make fair and objective financial aid decisions.

To be eligible for consideration for financial aid at Dedham Country Day School new families must complete an application and upload prior year tax forms (the ones you filled out last spring) by January 15th for a March 10th decision.

Follow the steps listed below under "Applying for Aid Online" to complete an application for financial aid for the 2019–20 school year.
Applying for Aid Online
- Starting in early October, go to https://www.solutionsbysss.com/parents and click on the prompt to begin your Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS). Only one PFS is required even if you have several children applying to our school. You will be given a password that will allow you to return to your PFS at a later date before submitting it. Please follow the deadlines below:
- Returning Families: PFS is due on October 30 and tax forms 1040 (from last spring) need to be uploaded by November 15
- New Families: PFS is due on January 15 and tax forms 1040 (from last spring) need to be uploaded by January 31
- All Families: W-2's need to be uploaded by February 1.
Financial Aid Policies
Financial aid awards are based on family need, not on a child's academic, athletic, or artistic performance.
- All financial information and awards are kept strictly confidential. An application for financial aid has no bearing on the Admissions Committee’s decision of whether or not to accept a child.
- Awards are made for one year only. Families who desire to continue receiving aid must apply annually.
- A family that has not settled its obligation for the current year will not be eligible to receive an award for the following year.
- To receive an award, a family must complete an online submission and upload a copy of the prior year’s 1040 tax forms (from last spring) with all schedules. Current forms W-2 are also required to be uploaded. This submission will be examined to verify that the family is using all available resources to pay for the cost of education. Awards are not meant to subsidize discretionary expenses such as those related to a business venture, or a lifestyle, or a parental choice not to work if there are no dependents at home during the school day.
- The first priority in making awards is to support enrolled students already receiving aid.
- In those cases when parents are not living together, the resources of both the non-custodial and custodial parent will be considered in establishing the family's level of need.
For further information, please contact DCD's Chief Financial Officer, Bob Santry at ext. 2550 or bsantry@dcds.net

Financial Aid Frequently Asked Questions

List of 6 frequently asked questions.

How many students receive financial aid?

71 students are receiving aid for the current school year. This number may change from year to year.
Who receives financial aid

There is no "typical" financial aid family. A family may receive a 22% award, a 47% award, or a 95% award depending on their financial circumstances.

A family earning $75,000 with modest savings and two children in tuition-charging schools may receive aid, or one earning $160,000 with student loans and a sizeable mortgage could as well.

Without a full financial profile, it is not possible to quantify a grant amount, so it is very important to be prompt in filling out information and uploading documents.
How much financial aid does DCD give out?

DCD awarded $1.6 million for 2017-18 school year
How does DCD decide how much each family receives?

DCD partners with School & Student Services by NAIS (www.solutionsbysss.com) to help decide how much annual tuition each family can pay. Families must upload tax documents and W-2's to the site along with detailed financial information related to income, assets, liabilities, home ownership, etc.

This broad range of financial information is considered when SSS calculates the estimated family contribution available to pay tuition. The DCD Financial Aid Committee evaluates this estimate in granting aid to returning and new families within the constraints of its annual budget.
If we did not apply for financial aid this year, will we be considered for aid in subsequent years?

The school offers financial aid annually, committing grants to its returning students first. Financials are reviewed each year, and grant amounts adjust according to each family’s ability to pay. DCD recognizes that family circumstances can change, and the annual process ensures that aid is awarded in the context of each family’s current reality.
When will we be notified of our family's financial aid award?

For new students, financial aid decisions will accompany the child's March 10 admissions decision.

For current students, financial aid awards will be communicated by March 1.

Tuition Related Plans

List of 2 items.

Student Accident Plan

DCD offers a Student Accident Plan. Click here for a more detailed description. You are automatically enrolled in the plan. If you wish to decline the Student Accident Plan, you must notify the school by June 1st.
Tuition Refund Plan

DCD offers a Tuition Refund Plan. Click here for a more detailed description. You are automatically enrolled in the plan. If you wish to decline the Tuition Refund Plan, you must notify the school by June 1.

Click here for the order form

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