Tuition and Financial Assistance
Through our Financial Assistance program, we endeavor to help families from a range of financial means access a Town School education. Given the high cost of living in the Bay Area, we encourage families considering assistance to apply; families of varying financial means qualify for a range of financial assistance grants. Applying for Financial Assistance is confidential and will not affect your application to Town School.
The tuition for the 2025-26 school year is $49,050. Town works to ensure that our tuition is as “all-inclusive” as possible to provide equal access to all of our students and families.
- Lunch and snack program
- Technology use across grades
- Personal technology devices
- Including specialized subscription-based apps for learning and reference
- Books, classroom, and art supplies
- Class field trips
- Outdoor Education trips (Upper School)
- Musical instruments for music classes
- After school athletics (Grades 3-8)
- Before school care
- Additional offerings such as Mathletes, student clubs, etc.
- Annual yearbook
- Parent education programs
- Family access to the Town Library
- After school care
- After school Learning Enrichment Activities Program
- Additional after school offerings for Upper School such as Debate
- Athletics (Grades K-2)
- Parents' Association activities
- Annual Fall Bash community party
Additional funds are also available to help ensure families have equal access to all school activities including special events, parent programs, and other school-related expenses.
In addition, Town School works closely with families who do not qualify for Financial Assistance to help determine the payment plan that best suits that family’s needs.
For the 2025-26 school year Town School has allocated $2,912,030 to K-8 families. Almost twenty percent of the student body receives Financial Assistance.
How to Apply for Financial Assistance
Families applying to Town or re-enrolling for the next school year apply for our Financial Assistance program through the Clarity platform:
By January 31 |
Submit your financial assistance application via Clarity
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By February 15 |
Submit the following financial records to your Clarity account:
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Financial assistance decision notifications for families applying to Town are sent with admissions decisions on March 19, 2026. Returning families who submit their financial assistance materials on time for the following school year are notified of their financial assistance decisions with their re-enrollment agreement.
Town School Financial Assistance Scenarios
Frequently Asked Questions About Our Financial Assistance Program
No.
Decisions about admissions and financial assistance are made independently and confidentially.
Families receive financial assistance ranging from 10% to 99% of the tuition cost, based on demonstrated need.
Financial assistance covers tuition, lunch and snack, books, classroom and art supplies, technology use, field trips and outdoor education trips, musical instruments, after school athletics (grades 3-8), before school care and other additional offerings. The costs of the Extended Day Program are reduced at the same percentage as financial assistance. Financial assistance funds also are used to ensure every family has equal access to all Town School activities like athletics, special events, and parent programs.
Please apply at the time of your initial application to Town School if you feel that financial assistance is appropriate for your family. If you apply at a later time, funds may not be available.
Families may apply in subsequent years if there is a major life change to their financial situation. Please reach out to Brooke Jenkins, Director of Admission and Financial Assistance, if you are an enrolled family and plan to apply for Financial Assistance for the first time. Awards will be made based on eligibility and budget availability.
Town uses the Clarity Application to determine a family’s level of financial need based on information the families share in the application which includes assets, income, expenses and debts.
We are committed to offering financial assistance to families throughout their enrollment at Town, provided they submit necessary written documentation and demonstrate continued need on an annual basis. If your family’s financial circumstances remain unchanged from the prior year, the school will renew your financial assistance award.
We believe that both parents are responsible for the educational expenses of their children, to the extent that they are financially able. Town School requires families to submit financial information from all adults living in the students’ household(s). If parents are divorced, separated, have never been married, and/or are remarried, all parents including step-parents must submit financial information. In the case of divorce, we take into account parents’ and step-parents’ financial commitments to their other children.
The expectation is that all custodial parents are working and earning an income. In families with only one working parent, the family is eligible for financial assistance if the parent who is not working outside the home is either caring for non-school age family members or is actively seeking work. For a parent that is self employed and their business makes below a certain income range an assumed salary will be used as a placeholder.
Hosted by Clarity
Each year, Clarity hosts several Application Info Webinars for families. All families who may be applying to any Clarity school are welcome to attend a webinar. During the live sessions, Clarity covers key aspects of the application, things to look out for, materials to gather, how to get help, how the tax verification process works, and a robust Q&A.
BASIC Fund
Families applying for Financial Assistance who may qualify as “low income” under San Francisco's standards are strongly encouraged to also explore scholarship opportunities through the BASIC Fund. These scholarships provide up to $2,500 in additional support and can play an important role in making an independent school education more affordable.
The BASIC Fund opens its application process each January and reviews applications on a rolling basis. Because funding is limited and awarded as applications are received, we recommend applying as early as possible. Detailed information about eligibility requirements, the application process, and deadlines can be found on the BASIC Fund website.