Financial Aid FAQs

Financial aid at Princeton Day School is a discount in tuition costs that is determined on the basis of need. We define need as the difference between the total cost of tuition and expected fees and a family’s ability to pay that cost. Financial Aid awards do not require repayment.

Princeton Day School does not offer any scholarships based on academic or extracurricular merit.

Anyone applying to or reenrolling at Princeton Day School may apply for financial aid. We recognize that each family’s situation is unique. The best way to determine if you qualify for financial aid is to complete a financial aid application. Current families may only apply for financial aid if their financial situation has changed from the time they enrolled.

No, there is no set income level that disqualifies a family from receiving financial aid. Every award is based on a thorough review of each family’s unique application.

Princeton Day School awards financial aid based on a family’s demonstrated need. The financial aid committee determines the award after reviewing the financial aid application, which includes information such as the incomes of both parents and any stepparents,; family assets,; and the number of dependents. Through the application, discretionary income is determined. It is assumed that a substantial portion of a family’s discretionary income will be available for educational expenses.

Please see the section titled "Financial Aid" on the Tuition and Financial Aid web page.

First consideration is given to families that currently receive financial aid at Princeton Day School and who have completed all application requirements on time. Next, new applications from presently enrolled students and from newly accepted students are considered. Finally, applications completed after the deadline are considered for any funds that remain available.

No. Admission decisions are made without consideration of the financial circumstances of the applicant.

The financial aid application needs to be submitted just once per family, regardless of the number of children applying or reenrolling. If a family has more than one dependent in a tuition-charging school, the total educational expense will be taken into consideration when making the award.

A small financial aid committee and limited staff members will have access to financial aid information. All decisions about awards will be kept confidential.

It is the position of the school that divorced parents, separated parents or parents that have never been married retain the obligation to contribute to the education of their children whether or not there is a legal agreement between them to do so. The Financial Aid Committee will consider the resources of both parents, if living, before making an award. If either parent is remarried, the resources of the stepparent are considered, bearing in mind the obligation of the stepparent to his or her natural children. Both natural parents and any stepparents must, therefore, provide financial aid information by submitting a financial aid application. In the case of divorced, separated or never-married parents, one parent’s information is never disclosed to the other.