Tuition & 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 assistance policies that 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 laptops in 6th 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.
2023-24 School Year Tuition
- Pre-Kindergarten – $29,150
- Kindergarten – $32,950
- Grade 1 – $38,100
- Grade 2 – $38,500
- Grade 3 – $39,600
- Grades 4-5 – $43,450
- Grades 6-8 – $48,800
Payment Plan Options
DCD partners with a company called Ravenna to facilitate the tuition payment process, and we offer different payment plans to fit families’ needs.
Tuition Related Plans
Need-based Financial Assistance
Pursuing an independent school education can represent a significant financial strain on the resources of many families. Our hope is to help make a DCD education accessible to as many students 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 2022-23 school year, 25% of our students received close to $1.8 million in assistance.
While families must complete the financial assistance application through SSS to determine eligibility, this is just the starting point. Our financial assistance committee reviews each financial assistance 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.
The Financial Assistance Process
Applying for Financial Assistance
DCD uses School and Student Services (SSS) to process financial assistance 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 assistance decisions.
To be eligible for consideration for financial assistance 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 Assistance Online” to complete an application for financial assistance for the 2023–24 school year.
- Parents Financial Statement (PFS) due by Jan. 15, 2023
- 2021 Forms 1040 and schedules (you should already have these forms from last year) due Jan 15, 2023
- Final pay stubs of the 2022 year – for all jobs worked – for each parent/guardian. Due on January 15, 2023. Please note: we are using pay stubs instead of W-2’s this year.
Financial assistance 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 assistance 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 assistance 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 assistance.
- 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 Assistance Frequently Asked Questions
A family earning $75,000 with modest savings and two children in tuition-charging schools may receive assistance, 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.
The Hawk Scholarship: DCD’s Merit-based Award
DCD’s Hawk Scholarship has been created for highly motivated middle school student applicants 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.
Learn More About Affording an Independent School Education
School and 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.