Tuition & Financial Aid

For the 2023-2024 school year, Bement awarded $1,121,000 in financial aid to 33% of the student body. Aid awards are determined by level of demand and level of funding as set by our board of trustees. Recently, we have been able to make aid awards at approximately 70 percent of demonstrated need. For day students these awards typically range from $1,000 to $21,200. Boarding students receive somewhat higher awards. Aid awarded has no repayment requirements.

 

Our school does not offer merit awards based on academic, athletic, or other talents demonstrated by the student. However, through the generosity of former trustees and donors, the school offers need based financial aid through an application process.

Through the generosity of a former trustee, the school has established The Bement Bridge Grant Fund. This grant provides additional financial aid to cover the remaining balance due for tuition. This grant is available to a new lower school applicant in our local geographic area. In order to qualify, families must have a demonstrated need for full financial aid. There is no additional application process for this grant; by applying for financial aid through Clarity you will be considered for The Bement Bridge Grant. Bement commits to support this student’s tuition balance throughout her/his experience here. Each year, the Financial Aid Committee will renew the grant as long as the family continues to demonstrate appropriate financial need and Bement remains a good fit for the student. Bement’s Financial Aid Committee may use a lottery system to determine the recipient of this grant if multiple families qualify.

Applying for Financial Aid

The Bement School financial aid program is designed to make a Bement education possible for all families based on demonstrated financial need and the availability of funds. The Bement School is proud to use the Clarity Application to determine a family’s level of financial need based on the information that families share in the application which includes assets, income, expenses, and debts.

To get started, please go to the Clarity Application starting October 1 and create an account. The application typically takes less than 30 minutes to complete. The Clarity Application is also mobile-friendly so you can complete it from anywhere. You are also able to save your progress and return at any time. At the end of the application, there is a $60 fee to submit, and you can share your application with additional schools that accept the Clarity Application for no additional charge. Simply use the dropdown menu in the application to select those schools. Bement is listed as The Bement School.

Please remember to return to your dashboard after you complete and submit your Clarity Application, as Bement requires you to upload additional tax documentation including a copy of your 2023 W2.  

The deadline for completing the financial aid application including relevant supplemental documents is February 1.

If you need support during the process of completing your application, there is in-app support available as well as email support at support@claritytuition.com in both English and Spanish. The application itself is also fully translated into Spanish.

Step 1: Start your application

Go to Clarity:

You will be asked to create an account. If you are already register, simply sign in.  

*You don’t have to complete the form in one sitting. You will be able to save your progress and return at any time.

Step 2: Submit supporting documentation

In addition to your completed Clarity application, Bement requires supporting tax documentation.  While your 1040 and W2 documents from 2022 will automatically transferred from the IRS when you complete the verification process, you should upload to your account a copy of your 2023 W-2. 

Step 3: Complete your application

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. In the event that funds become available later, some applicants on the financial aid wait list might then become eligible for financial aid awards.

Step 4: More Information

For additional information and resources, please check the following link to go to the complete Family Application Guide from Clarity with step by step instructions:

If you have questions regarding the application process, please contact Michelle LaMarre in the business office or Kimberly Loughlin in the admission office.

 

You should begin applying for financial aid at the same time you apply for admission. To get started, please go to the Clarity Application and create an account. The application us available starting October 1 and it typically takes less than 30 minutes to complete. The Clarity Application is also mobile-friendly so you can complete it from anywhere. You are also able to save your progress and return at any time. At the end of the application, there is a $60 fee to submit, and you can share your application with additional schools that accept the Clarity Application for no additional charge. Simply use the dropdown menu in the application to select those schools. Bement is listed as The Bement School. Complete your application by February 1.

 

 

Financial aid applications are due February 1 in order to be considered in the first round of decisions.

We have chosen Clarity as our financial aid application provider in order to better serve both our current and prospective families. We are confident that this change is going to make the process of applying for financial aid easier for families.  Clarity removes the need to upload your 2022 W2 and 1040 by transferring them directly from the IRS. This reduces the amount of information that you will need to enter manually and makes it possible to complete the application quickly and efficiently.

 

Bement takes the privacy and security of your personal information very seriously. Clarity is certified for both GDPR and SOC2 and uses enterprise-level security standards including end-to-end encryption of all personally identifiable information. For more information, please refer to Clarity’s Privacy Policy. 

Yes, every family must apply for financial aid each year. You will need to submit a Clarity application each year in order to qualify for financial aid; however, Clarity retains your information from previous applications, so it will be even easier to reapply. Families can generally expect to receive the same amount of aid if their financial circumstances remain the same. A significant change in a family's financial profile may change the financial aid award. You may begin your application in Clarity starting October 1.

Bement requires that all parents contribute to the cost of education for their child to the extent of their ability. Both parents should go to the Clarity Application and create an account. If you are in a position there this is not possible, please contact the school prior to applying.

New families at Bement can expect financial aid awards along with admission decisions on or by March 10. Returning families will receive financial aid awards along with their re-enrollment agreements on or by February 15.

If you need support during the process of completing your application, there is in-app support available as well as email support in both English and Spanish. The application itself is also fully translated into Spanish.

There is also a quick reference guide here to walkthrough the application.