Admissions: Financial Aid

Financial Aid Information | Financial Aid Timetable

Bement values diversity. Students and families come from different cultures, geographic locations, and economic situations. We understand the cost of attending Bement can be a challenge and we actively seek opportunities to make our program affordable. Our Board of Trustees sets aside funds to assist families that demonstrate financial need. If you have additional questions, please contact our Admission Office.

Bement offers financial aid to U.S. citizens only based on the demonstrated financial need of the family. Our school does not offer merit awards based on academic, athletic, or other talents demonstrated by the student. For the 2011-2012 school year Bement awarded $650,000 to 36% of the student body. For day students these awards ranged from $1,000 to $14,125. Boarding students received somewhat higher awards. No family receives 100% of demonstrated need. Historically, our financial aid budget has allowed us to award between 50% to 70% of demonstrated need.

We use School and Student Services (SSS) to process financial aid applications. SSS is a service of the National Association of Independent Schools. 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 begin your financial aid application for the 2012-13 school year, follow these steps below.

APPLY ONLINE 

1. Starting on November 1, go to SSS at sss.nais.org/parents.

2. Click on the prompt to begin your Parents' Financial Statement (PFS). You only have to complete one PFS even if you have several children applying to our school. The Bement School code is 1570.

3. You will be given a password that will allow you to return to your PFS at a later date before submitting it.

4. You will be given instructions about submitting required backup documents. You may upload them online in the PFS online. Your documents will be handled with the utmost level of security. To read more about SSS's document security, go to nais.org.

Note: If you apply for financial aid online, your information will be delivered more quickly to our school, allowing us to make a faster decision about your eligibility for financial aid.

APPLY BY MAIL 

1. If you don't already have a printed Parents' Financial Statement (PFS), call Bement at 413-774-7061 or go to our website at www.bement.org.

2. Complete the PFS and return it and all required backup documents to: SSS by NAIS, Application Processing Center, P.O. Box 449, Randolph, MA 02368-0449 USA. (For overnight mail, use this address: SSS by NAIS, Application Processing Center, 437 Turnpike Street, Canton, MA 02021.)

▪ In cases of separation, divorce, or parents who have never been married, both parents should complete a PFS form.

▪ In order to receive due consideration, it is important that you complete the financial aid process by the application deadline February 1. Since the total demonstrated need of our applicants exceeds Bement's financial aid budget, our funds can be depleted quickly. Knowing the total need by the time of our first meeting helps us distribute the awards in an equitable manner.

For additional information and resources, please check the following link:

SSS Forms and Resources for Families

If you have questions regarding the application process or timetable, please call Ken Cuddeback in the Business Office or Kimberly Loughlin in the Admission Office. You may also review our Financial Aid Policy. The Bement School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ancestry, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, national and ethnic origin in its financial aid policies. Any questions in this regard should be directed to the head of school.