TUITION AND FINANCIAL AID

AFFORDING STEINER

Rudolf Steiner School is committed to offering financial aid to provide greater access to Waldorf education and to foster socioeconomic diversity in our community. Our financial aid process is based on a family’s demonstrated need, and we strive to make our education accessible to families from a broad spectrum of economic circumstances.

Should you have any questions about financial aid, we encourage you to contact us at tuition@steiner.edu.

GUIDELINES

• The application process is open to all families.

• Applications must be on time. Late applications will be reviewed when the process for timely applications has been completed.

• If parents are separated or divorced and both contribute to educational expenses, both must provide financial documentation during the financial aid application process. In two-parent families, both parents are expected to contribute income if there are no preschool children at home and whether or not parents are separated/divorced.

• Current families with outstanding tuition will not be considered for this program until payment arrangements have been made with our business office. Steiner reserves the right to cancel contracts for families with outstanding payments at the beginning of the school year.

• The maximum award the school is able to give may not exceed 70% of the total tuition for grades K-12. The school reserves the right to request additional financial information at any time. The school believes that all families, regardless of their individual situation, must contribute financially to their child or children’s education.

• Financial Aid awards and applications are kept confidential. Recipients are also required to keep awards confidential. Any breach of confidentiality is subject to the school rescinding the tuition assistance.

Financial aid is offered to students from Grades K to 12, nursery families are not eligible; and is dependent on the availability of financial aid funds in our annual budget.
Families should apply for aid at the same time that they are applying for admission, and financial aid awards are included in the notification letter. Families re-apply for financial aid each year so that we may take into account any change in circumstances, and aid is awarded for the following school year. The deadline for submitting all tuition assistance application documents is November 20 for returning families and those applying through early notification, and January 9 for new applicant families. Requests will be reviewed only after all documents have been received. If your tuition assistance application is not complete by the deadline, contracts issued will be for full tuition. Tuition assistance applications are processed via Clarity, and will be available in October.
  • Applications are submitted online through Clarity. Families will need to create a Clarity account in order to submit the application and supporting required documents. Quick Reference Guide for Clarity 2025-2026
  • Applications and all supporting documents are due each year by the specified deadline. Applications received from current families after the deadline will not be considered during the first round of decisions. This could mean that due to funds available an award given in the second round may be smaller than if the application had been received in a timely manner. Late applicants are ineligible for maximum awards, regardless of need.
  • All current families who apply by the deadline can expect to receive their award notification when the re-enrollment contracts are issued.
  • All new families who apply by the deadline can expect to receive their award notification with their acceptance letter. All awards need to be accepted or appealed within two weeks of the initial notice. Any award not accepted or appealed by the deadline will be forfeited. The Tuition Assistance Committee reserves the right to auto-accept the award on behalf of the family and issue an enrollment contract with an according award. In addition, the Tuition Assistance Committee reserves the right to award the assistance to an alternate candidate.
  • You have the right to appeal your award by providing additional information or explanation to the Tuition Assistance Committee. Please complete the Tuition Assistance Appeal Form.
  • Parents choose their method of payment annually when student contracts are issued.
  • A late fee of $40 will be automatically charged if payment is not made by the 5th day of the month when tuition is due.
  • A 3% credit card fee is automatically charged if you choose this payment method.
  • Enrollment in Clarity is required.
OPTION A- Payment in full
  • Enrollment Deposit on return of signed contract
  • 100% tuition paid on or before July 1st
OPTION B – 2 Payment Plan
  • Enrollment Deposit on return of signed contract.
  • 50% of the tuition (less Enrollment Deposit) due by July 1st
  • 50% tuition due by December 1st
OPTION C – 4 payment Plan
  • Enrollment Deposit on return of signed contract.
  • 25% of the tuition (less Enrollment Deposit) on or before May 1st, August 1st, November 1st and January 1st
OPTION D – 10 payment Plan
  • Enrollment Deposit on return of signed contract.
  • A ten-month schedule of payments running from May 1st to February 1st
The Tuition Insurance Plan is available to protect parents when a child is withdrawn or dismissed. A 2.1% fee is charged to the first month of your tuition plan. Click here to access the TRI-Tuition Refund Insurance brochure.
Rudolf Steiner School no longer offers a sibling discount.
Our tuition is all-inclusive. Lunch, annual trips, sport clubs and athletics are included in the tuition amount. Additional fees may arise at parent expense, if tutoring, or special educational support services which the school does not provide are recommended. Other expenses include musical instrument rentals and private music lessons. Fees Covered by Tuition
        • Materials, supplies and loaned textbooks
        • Annual class trip allowance
        • Parent Association dues
        • One recorder (grade 1 and grade 3)
        • Eurhythmy slippers
        • Standardized testing fees through eighth grade
        • Use of 92nd Street Y during scheduled physical education classes (grades 5 – 12)
        • Lunch (full day students)
        • Yearbooks
Billed Fees
    • $500 late re-enrollment fee for contracts submitted past the deadline, and $1,000 if contract submitted after March 31st.
    • Tuition Refund Insurance premium
    • Replacement supplies, uniforms, and books
    • Private music lessons (billed by the instructor grades 4 – 12)
    • Field trip costs in excess of allowance
    • Academic Tutoring (billed by instructor)
    • After Care costs for Early Childhood to Grades 1- 6 are $35 per day. After Care schedule is from 3PM to 5:30PM.
Instrumental music is an integral part of the curriculum. In 3rd grade, string classes begin. In 4th grade, students begin private lessons. The school requires the continuation of these lessons through 12th grade. Rental or purchase of an instrument and payment for lessons are the responsibility of the family. There is a small fund for music scholarships. Awards are based on demonstrated financial need and merit. Applications are available in the Business Office each fall.

2025-2026 Tuition

Full Day Program Half Day Program
Nursery $48,200 $36,200
Kinder
garten 		$50,200 $38,200
Grade 1-6 $55,200 -
Grade 7-8 $55,500 -
Grade 9-12 $56,000 -

HOURS OF OPERATION

Full Day Program Half Day Program
HOURS Monday - Friday
8:00am - 3:00pm 		Monday - Friday
8:00am - 12:00pm