Affording MA

Marin Academy’s life-changing education is an investment in your child’s future.

At MA, we believe that diversity in all of its forms enhances the educational and social experiences for our students. It sustains a healthy school culture and brings many voices to the table. To that end, we remain committed to providing our life-changing education to the Bay Area’s most dynamic students, regardless of their ability to pay our highest tuition rate.

We deploy nearly $3.5 million each year in need-based tuition assistance to bring students with a wide array of backgrounds and experiences to campus each year. And whether it’s through our extensive tuition support, or through our financing options, MA helps families manage ways to afford their child’s life-changing education.

Since tuition alone does not cover the full cost of providing the deeply student-centered and transdisciplinary education that is the hallmark of the MA experience, every student on campus in essence receives a tuition subsidy. And as a direct result of MA’s culture of generosity, contributions to the Annual Fund and other philanthropic sources close the $7,000 gap per student between the actual cost of providing our educational model and the highest tuition rate. These sources support nearly 15% of our School’s operating budget.

If you are interested in learning more about how to afford a Marin Academy education for your child, please spend some time reviewing the information below, and consider joining us on campus in November for our annual Affordability Seminar. In the meantime, please know that we look forward to partnering with you for your child’s future.

Highest tuition rate for the 2019-20 academic year: $48,272

Range in tuition paid by MA families for the 2019-20 academic year: $0-$48,272

Average financial aid award covers 75% of tuition

Nearly 1/4 of families pay something less than our highest tuition rate

14% of total cost of educating each student derived from contributions to the MA Annual Fund and other philanthropic sources

Marin Academy Announces MA Promise

Beginning with the class of 2023, Marin Academy will be free for all admitted students whose families earn less than $100,000 per year (and have assets typical of this income range). And while a family whose income exceeds $100,000 per year might not qualify for free tuition under MA Promise, the School will continue to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need for ALL admitted families who apply for tuition assistance.

Information for New and Returning Families

List of 6 frequently asked questions.

General Information and Policies

Our tuition assistance program has a primary purpose: to provide access to a Marin Academy education to qualified students who could not attend for financial reasons.

Marin Academy tuition for the 2019-2020 school year is $48,272. There are additional charges that cover books and other incidental expenses that average between $600 and $1200 a year. Approximately $2,900,000 in need-based financial aid will be distributed among about 25 percent of our students in the form of partial or full tuition allowances. Beneficiaries represent a wide range of income levels. Prizes are awarded to families whose ability to pay school fees is extremely limited, as well as those of somewhat substantial income that may require a modest premium. We encourage interested applicants to apply to Marin Academy, regardless of their ability to pay full tuition.

All information regarding financial assistance is kept strictly confidential during the application process, as well as during the four years a student attends Marin Academy. School and Student Services (SSS) helps us process our requests for tuition assistance. Based on the financial information you provide, SSS gives us an estimated amount that your family can contribute to educational expenses. This helps our school make fair and objective tuition assistance decisions. To begin your financial aid application for the 2020-2021 enrollment year, complete the Parent's Financial Statement (PFS) online (available October 2019). You can download the Guiding Principles for Families document designed to guide families in the financial aid process.

The PFS is a complete application that will take some time to complete. Please take the time you need and do not wait until the deadline to start. We recommend that you review the wide range of resource materials SSS has developed to help families with the financial aid process. These resources can be found in SSS.

The Tuition Assistance Committee requires a PFS and supporting documents from parents, stepparents and applicant (if applicable). This information must be submitted each year to demonstrate financial need. In the case of divorced or separated parents, the school requires both parents to complete and submit the PFS forms and will not be bound by the statement that one parent has waived responsibility for educational expenses. If a parent remarries, we will also consider the step-parent's assets, taking into account the step-parent's obligations to their own children.

Please do not send tuition assistance documents directly to Marin Academy. All tuition assistance applications and all supporting documents must be completed and uploaded online using the SSS site.
Additional Resources

It has been our experience that grandparents, other relatives, and close friends are often invited-and thankful for the opportunity-to provide financial aid for an education at Marin Academy. There are organizations that provide tuition assistance to families, and although these providers are limited in number, they tend to be local and offer funding based on need. Employers, churches, and other civic organizations in your community are good places to call for assistance.
Putting it all together

Talk to any of our alumni and tell them that attending Marin Academy was a deeply transformative experience for them. Making that experience financially possible will take careful planning and, for many families, a considerable sacrifice. It may be beneficial to look at a combination of options when formulating a strategy for paying tuition fees such as repayment plans, loans and, if you qualify, tuition assistance. Families who represent a wide range of income may qualify for tuition assistance. If you would like help identifying the options available to fund a Marin Academy education, please do not hesitate to contact Trent Nutting.
Prepare your taxes

We know that completing the federal tax returns for 2019 by mid-February 2020 presents a challenge for many families. As tuition assistance notices will be sent in March, we also have very little time to process hundreds of tax returns. Thank you for working with us to process your financial aid application on time.

Returning Families: 2018 tax documents are due December 13, 2019.

New Families: 2018 tax documents are due January 19, 2020.

All families applying for Tuition Assistance:
2019 tax documents must be submitted by February 14, 2020.

In the case of divorced, separated or non-traditional parents, the school requires all parents, including couples, to complete and submit PFS forms and will not be required to assert that one parent has waived responsibility for educational expenses. If a parent remarries, we will also consider the estate of the stepfather, taking into account the obligations of the stepfather to his own children.

Please do not send financial aid documents directly to Marin Academy. All tuition assistance application materials and supporting documents must be completed and submitted online using the SSS portal.

Note: If your tax returns are too large to be submitted online, please send them to: School and Student Services, P.O. Box 449, Randolph, MA, 02368.
Required Documents

• 2018 & 2019 federal tax returns (1040, 1040A or 1040EZ with all pages)
• 2018 & 2019 W2 and / or 1099 of 2015 Federal Business Tax Return 2018 and 2019 (With all pages and schedules including 1065, 1120 or 1120S, as well as any K-1, if applicable)
• 2018 & 2019 Forms 1098 (mortgage and university registration statement, if applicable)

Note: If your tax returns are too large to be raised, please send them to: School and Student Services, P.O. Box 449, Randolph, MA, 02368. Be sure to include a Required Documents Cover Sheet.
Tuition Payment Plans

Plan A
Reservation deposit non-refundable before March 26 (10% of enrollment) Payment of 30% of the registration before the first of May Payment of 40% of the enrollment before the first of July Payment of the rest of the registration before the first of December

Plan B
Ten-Pay Plan We have a low-cost, interest-free payment plan that begins April 1. Payments must be paid on the first of each month and can be done automatically through your checking / savings account.

Steps for New Families

List of 5 frequently asked questions.

Step 1: Attend a tuition assistance affordability presentation

Attend the Marin Academy Affordability Presentation in November. Please register for this event on Ravenna
Step 2: New to MA Parents' Financial Statement (PFS) deadline
January 9, 2020

Beginning October 2019 and before January 9, 2020, complete and submit the Parent Financial Statement (PFS), including the Business / Farms statement, if applicable, at School and Student Services (SSS). The Marin Academy SSS Code is 4852 The fee to send your PFS is $ 51.00. If your family qualifies for a fee waiver, it will apply automatically. SSS Customer Service can be reached at 1-800-344-8328 or sss@solutionsbysss.com. Begin an online PFS account for the 2020-2021 school year. You can exit the PFS at any time, and then go back to complete it. After pressing "send", you will be taken to the payment screen. After paying and delivering your PFS, you will have access to a section called "My Documents". If you upload documents online, they will be available on this page within five minutes of uploading them. It is important to keep in mind a distinction between uploading your documents and meeting your requirements. SSS is obliged to review the documents, verify their authenticity and label them for our use. This process usually takes up to three business days.
Step 3: Submit 2018 Tax Documents by January 9, 2020
Please do not send tuition assistance documents to Marin Academy. All application materials for financial aid must be completed and submitted online using the SSS Portal (SSS Portal).

Please upload the following documents to your SSS account by January 9, 2020.

Required documents:
- 2018 Federal Tax Returns (1040, 1040A or 1040EZ with all pages)
- 2018 Federal Business Tax Return (with all pages and schedules including 1065, 1120 or 1120S, as well as any K-1, if applicable)
- 2018 W2 and / or 1099
- 2018 1098 Form (mortgage and university registration statement, if applicable)
Note: If your tax returns are too large to be submitted online, please send them to: School and Student Services, P.O. Box 449, Randolph, MA, 02368. Be sure to include a Required Documents Cover Sheet.
Step 4: Submit 2019 Tax Documents by February 14, 2020
Please do not send tuition assistance documents to Marin Academy. All application materials for tuition assistance must be completed and submitted online using the SSS Portal (SSS Portal).

Please upload the following documents to your SSS account by February 14, 2020.

Required documents:
- 2019 Federal Tax Returns (1040, 1040A or 1040EZ with all pages)
- 2019 Federal Business Tax Return (with all pages and schedules including 1065, 1120 or 1120S, as well as any K-1, if applicable)
- 2019 W2 and / or 1099
- 2019 1098 Form (mortgage and university registration statement, if applicable)
Note: If your tax returns are too large to be raised, please send them to: School and Student Services, P.O. Box 449, Randolph, MA, 02368. Be sure to include a Required Documents Cover Sheet.
Step 5: Tuition Assistance Notification

At 4:00 p.m. on Friday, March 20, 2020, applicants will be informed of their application decision and financial assistance. Students who agree to enroll and receive financial aid in MA will have to submit a signed enrollment agreement before noon on Thursday, March 26, 2020.

Steps for Returning Families

List of 4 frequently asked questions.

Step 1: Complete and Submit the Parents' Financial Statement (PFS) by December 13, 2019

Beginning October 2019 and before December 13, 2019, please complete and submit the Parent Financial Statement (PFS), including the Business / Farms statement, if applicable, at NAIS School and Student Services (SSS). The Marin Academy SSS Code is 4852 The fee to send your PFS is $ 51.00. If your family qualifies for a fee waiver, a waiver will be automatically provided when you submit the PFS.

SSS Customer Service can be reached at 1-800-344-8328 or sss@solutionsbysss.com.

Using your record of the previous year(s), initiate a PFS for the 2020-2021 academic year. You can exit the PFS at any time and come back later to complete it. After you have pressed "send", you will be taken to a payment screen. After you pay and deliver by your computer your PFS, you will have access to a section called "My Documents."

If you upload documents online, they will be available on the "My Documents" page within five minutes of uploading them. It is important to consider a distinction between loading your documents and meeting your requirements. SSS is obliged to review the documents, verify their authenticity and label them for our use. This process usually takes up to three business days.
Step 2: Submit 2018 Tax Documents by December 13, 2019
If the 2018 Tax Documents are not already available in SSS from your application last year, please submit the following required documents by December 13, 2019.

Please do not send tuition assistance documents to Marin Academy. All application materials for tuition assistance must be completed and submitted online using the SSS Portal (SSS Portal)

Required documents:
- 2018 Federal Tax Returns (1040, 1040A or 1040EZ with all pages)
- 2018 Federal Business Tax Return (with all pages and schedules including 1065, 1120 or 1120S, as well as any K-1, if applicable)
- 2018 W2 and / or 1099
- 2018 1098 Form (mortgage and university registration statement, if applicable)
Note: If your tax returns are too large to be raised, please send them to: School and Student Services, P.O. Box 449, Randolph, MA, 02368. Be sure to include a Required Documents Cover Sheet.
Step 3: Submit 2019 Tax Documents by February 14, 2020
Please do not send tuition assistance documents to Marin Academy. All application materials for tuition assistance must be completed and submitted online using the SSS Portal (SSS Portal).

Please upload the following documents to your SSS account by February 14, 2020.

Required documents:
- 2019 Federal Tax Returns (1040, 1040A or 1040EZ with all pages)
- 2019 Federal Business Tax Return (with all pages and schedules including 1065, 1120 or 1120S, as well as any K-1, if applicable)
- 2019 W2 and / or 1099
- 2019 1098 Form (mortgage and university registration statement, if applicable)
Note: If your tax returns are too large to be submitted online, please send them to: School and Student Services, P.O. Box 449, Randolph, MA, 02368. Be sure to include a Required Documents Cover Sheet.
Step 4: Tuition Assistance Notification

Returning families will receive a re-enrollment agreement in early March. At this time your tuition assistance award will be confirmed. If we need to make changes to the award, the Tuition Assistance Office will notify you before any re-enrollment agreements are distributed.

Meet the Admissions Staff

List of 3 members.

Trent Nutting

Director of Admissions & Tuition Assistance

(415) 482-3216

tnutting@ma.org
Diane Boodrookas 10

Senior Associate Director of Admissions

(415) 482-3225

dboodrookas@ma.org
Joann Gatine

Admissions Associate

(415) 482-3311

jgatine@ma.org