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A Quaker School for Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 8
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Tuition Assistance

Thank you for your interest in Cambridge Friends School. We recognize that tuition at independent schools can be expensive, and we appreciate the daily sacrifices families make in order to send their children to CFS. It is our goal to make CFS accessible and affordable for all families. Our tuition assistance program aids us in that goal and helps to open doors for many families who otherwise may not be able to afford our outstanding education.

Cambridge Friends School’s tuition assistance policy is set by the Board of Trustees and reviewed each year. We have allocated approximately $900,000 in financial aid grants to 31% of the CFS student body for the 2009-2010 school year. CFS subscribes to the Principles of Good Practice for Financial Aid Administration as stated by the National Association of Independent Schools and the School and Student Service for Financial Aid (SSS).


Below is a list of general guidelines that CFS uses to evaluate tuition assistance applications. For a complete explanation on our tuition assistance program, policies, and procedures, please fill out our inquiry form and our office will send you materials regarding financial aid.

  • CFS subscribes to the School and Student Service for Financial Aid (SSS). Parents or guardians who wish to apply for tuition assistance must complete a Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS) and submit it to SSS by January 15, 2010. Our school code is 2014. SSS supplies CFS with a Report of Family Contribution (RFC). The Tuition Assistance Committee uses the RFC as a point of departure when determining financial need.
  • Admission decisions are made first. CFS is need-aware. If a student is accepted by the admission committee, the tuition assistance committee will meet to determine the level of need and funding for the student. The School may decide to offer admission spaces only to those students to whom we can also offer aid. In such cases, a wait list position may be offered to the student.
  • Tuition assistance grants are made solely on demonstrated financial need. Grants are not given for academic, athletic, or artistic talents or achievements.

 
  • Grants are awarded for one year only. Families who wish to continue to receive assistance must apply annually.

  • A family that has not settled its obligation for the current year will be ineligible to receive a grant for the following year.

  • To receive a grant, a family must complete all required paperwork in a timely manner and forward all documents to SSS by the stated deadlines (for a detailed checklist, contact the admission office). CFS reserves the right to request additional information or documentation at any time.

  • We expect families to consider all external resources (relatives, religious institutions, scholarships, etc.) before asking for financial assistance. We expect those who are offered assistance and accept a grant to make every effort to contribute as much as they can to their children’s education. This in turn, helps us extend our resources to as many deserving families as possible within our community. The CFS tuition assistance budget will not subsidize choices made by parents such as (but not limited to) returning for graduate studies, business ventures, or the choice not to work when dependents are school-aged.

  • The tuition assistance committee considers all household resources as well as household resources from divorced or separated parents or guardians. In cases of divorce of separation, each household must complete a Parents’ Financial Statement.

  • Priority consideration for tuition assistance is given in this order: returning families receiving aid, returning families whose situation has changed and are now requesting aid, and new students requesting aid.

  • All financial information and grants are kept strictly confidential.

 
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5 Cadbury Road, Cambridge, MA 02140 • 617.354.3880