Need-Based Financial Aid

At Nichols, our community is a tapestry of religions, genders and cultures, as well as economic situations. We seek a student body that represents a wide range of experiences and we encourage our students to gain a broader perspective by learning about others’ backgrounds and interests. The goal of our financial aid program is to close the gap between the total cost of a Nichols education and what a family can afford.

We encourage families with concerns about affording a Nichols education to apply for financial aid. For our Upper School families, please also consider our need-based Named Scholarship Program. To learn about our online financial aid application, Clarity, our Policy and Guidelines, How to Apply, and our Named Scholarship program, please see below.

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About Clarity
FAQs
1. Why did Nichols School choose Clarity?
We have chosen Clarity as our Financial Aid application 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.
1. How does Clarity make it easier for me to apply for Financial Aid?
Clarity offers a streamlined, mobile friendly application that can be completed in as short a time as 20 minutes. Clarity removes the need to upload your 2023 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.
1. Is my information secure with Clarity?
Nichols School 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.
1. How will this impact my award?
Just as in prior years, if your financial circumstances have not changed, you will not see significant changes to your award. If you have any questions about your individual circumstance, please reach out to us.
1. Will I still need to apply every year?
Yes, 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.
1. Can I complete my Clarity application on my phone or tablet?
Yes! Clarity’s application is fully mobile-friendly so you have access wherever you are.
1. What is the Automated Tax Pull Deadline?
The Automated Tax Pull Deadline ensures that your tax information will be verified prior to the review process for Nichols School, so that you do not need to manually upload your 1040’s or W2’s.
1. When do I need to apply?
You must submit your full completed application by December 15, 2024. If you apply before that date, your W2s and 1040 will be automatically pulled from the IRS.
Policies and Guidelines

As with all independent schools, Nichols believes that paying for an independent school education is primarily a family's responsibility. Need-based financial aid is provided as a supplement to the family's contribution. The Financial Aid Committee seeks evidence that a family's commitment to their child's education is at least as strong as the school's. Decisions are influenced by various factors each year, including the availability of school resources, the number of qualified applicants, and overall budgetary constraints.

Financial aid awards vary widely to address the needs of families in different financial circumstances.
How to Apply
To get started, please go to the Clarity Application 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 $55 fee to submit. 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

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.
DEADLINES:
- All financial aid applications for RETURNING families must be completed by December 1.
- All financial aid applications for NEW families must be completed by December 15.
- Note: Nichols will not grant a financial aid award until a candidate has completed BOTH their admissions application and financial aid application.
For more information regarding our financial aid process, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page on our website.
Named Scholarship Program

Named Scholarships are funds established by alumni and friends to support our financial aid program. For a complete list of named scholarships, please click here.