Financial Aid

New Roads School was founded on the fundamental principle of inclusion. We actively seek a mosaic of authentic diversity in our community — diversity of talents, interests, achievements, races, cultures, and economic and ethnic backgrounds — and our generous financial aid program affirms our commitment to investing in this foundational element of our transformational educational model.
 
Every year, New Roads School devotes between 30% and 40% of its tuition budget to need-based financial aid. This enables us to provide financial aid to more than 45% of our New Roads families. Because we believe education is a partnership among parents, students, and faculty, every family makes some financial contribution, consistent with their means, to their child’s tuition. 
 
New Roads' financial aid program follows several guidelines:
  • The decision to offer admission to a student is made prior to, and independent of, decisions to grant financial aid.
  • All financial aid applications are confidential.
  • Financial aid funds, while generous, are nonetheless limited; demonstrating need does not guarantee support.
  • Financial aid is reviewed annually. All returning New Roads families must reapply for financial aid for each new school year. If a family's financial need continues, aid is typically renewed. However, as tuition and costs rise, families should anticipate an increase in their financial contribution.
Factors considered in determining financial aid include:
  • Economic need of the requesting family. 
  • Socioeconomic diversity of our student body.
  • Other children in elementary or secondary private school. Since loans are readily available for college and university study, New Roads does not consider the expense of college education for other family members in making financial aid decisions.
  • Savings – including those a family may designate as “college savings”. 
  • Expenses for “lifestyle” choices such as vehicles, homes, vacations, club memberships, etc. 
  • Healthcare expenses.
We make every effort to be fair and consistent in all of our deliberations and decisions at New Roads School. Financial aid decisions are particularly difficult since we wish every qualified student could attend New Roads; unfortunately, this is not possible. Our Financial Aid Committee must choose among many competing requests. In making these challenging decisions, New Roads School reserves the right to consider additional factors not specifically set forth above.

Financial Aid Application Process
New Roads School partners with Clarity, a third-party service, to facilitate the financial aid application process. Clarity helps determine a family’s level of financial need based on the information provided in the application which includes assets, income, expenses, and debts. Once your application is completed with all required documents, Clarity performs an initial assessment of your financial aid eligibility. This information is then reviewed by New Roads’ Financial Aid Committee to make final determinations regarding a family’s qualifications. 

To apply for financial aid:
  1. Please go to the Clarity application to create an account and begin the process. If you have previously submitted an application through Clarity, please log in to your pre-existing account.
  2. Upload the additional required income documentation upon completion of your Clarity application.
Additional documentation for all financial aid applicants:
  • 2024 Income Verification. Please upload any of the following, as applicable, for 2024: End-of-Year Paystub, Profit & Loss Statement, W2s, 1040s, End-of-Year Bank Statements, for all parents/guardians.
  • 2023 Form 1120S, Form 1120, or Form 1065 (if applicable).
Clarity offers a streamlined and user-friendly application process that can take less than 30 minutes to complete. It is mobile-friendly, so you can complete your application on your phone or tablet. Furthermore, your 1040 and W2 documents from 2023 will be automatically transferred from the IRS when you complete the verification step, so you will not need to upload those documents manually. 
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. Please remember to return to your dashboard after you submit your Clarity application to upload additional documentation that is required. 
Financial Aid Deadlines (including all required tax and income documentation):
For returning families (current students) 
January 10, 2025
For new families (incoming students) 
January 24, 2025
 
Applications submitted without completed tax and income documentation will not be reviewed by the Financial Aid Committee. Parents are assured that all information submitted will be kept in the strictest confidence. If an award is not satisfactory, an appeal may be made to the Financial Aid Committee. Non-custodial parents may be required to complete the financial aid process, depending on circumstances.
 
If you need support during the process of completing your application, there is in-app support available through the “Help” button on the bottom left of the screen. Email and phone support are also available at support@clarityapp.com or 206-210-3752, in both English and Spanish. Please note that Spanish translation is also available for the application itself.
Clarity Application Resources:

List of 9 frequently asked questions.

  • Does New Roads offer payment plans?

    Yes. New Roads offers the following payment plan options:
    Single payment plan (due July)
    Two payment plan (due July, December)
    Ten payment plan (monthly from July to April)

  • Is financial aid a loan?

    No. When making financial aid determinations, families receive a reduction of the cost of Tuition and the Student Activity fee, based on their demonstrated need.

  • What other expenses are included if I am granted financial aid?

    Families receiving financial aid may also qualify for a reduction in cost with the following:
    Aftercare/Enrichment Programs (Grades K-5)
    Book Costs (Grades 6-12)
    Summer Program (Grades K-12)
    Additionally, there are no added costs for athletics, art supplies, school trips (day and overnight), or yearbooks. These costs are included in your total cost for the Student Activity Fee.

  • When are financial aid award notifications issued?

    For newly accepted families, financial aid awards are included in the acceptance notification. Admissions decisions for the 2025-26 school year will be issued on March 14, 2025.

  • Does applying for financial aid impact the Admissions decision?

    No. Financial Aid decisions are independent of Admissions decisions. Once an admissions decision has been made, the Financial Aid Committee is then alerted to move forward with financial aid review.

  • Do I have to complete a separate financial aid application per child?

    No. Financial aid applications should include all students/applicants that reside in the same household.

  • What if parents reside in separate households?

    For applicants with parents/legal guardians who live in separate households, each parent/legal guardian must complete a separate financial aid application. If a parent/legal guardian is remarried, step-parents that reside in the same household and share household expenses, must be included on the financial aid application.

  • What if I cannot afford the financial aid application fee?

    Clarity automatically qualifies families for fee waivers based on meeting certain income and asset-based criteria. If you qualify for an automatic fee waiver, you will be able to submit your application without paying. If not, please email financialaid@newroads.org to request a financial aid fee waiver form.

  • Do I have to reapply for financial aid for every school year?

    Yes. We require all families receiving financial assistance to reapply for each new school year. Financial aid is not guaranteed for each school year, however, unless there are significant financial changes, New Roads does its best to maintain a family’s financial aid award and cost for tuition for the duration of a student’s enrollment. As costs and tuition increase each school year, families can expect increases in their tuition obligations.
New Roads School is a college preparatory K-12 private independent school in Santa Monica, CA, serving over 514 school age children from the greater Los Angeles area. New Roads School provides an inspired educational program from which an authentically diverse student population, mirroring the rich diversity of Los Angeles, develops a personal dedication to learning, a respect for independent thinking, and an expanding curiosity about the world and its people.