Tuition and Financial Assistance

Some costs vary based on the programs a student participates in. Financial Assistance is available for some of these expenses.

Books

Prices are based on new books. Occasionally, used books are available through the student book store.

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Technology

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Optional Programs

*Does not include optional trips for competitions.

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Middle & Upper School Athletics

Families can choose between three different payment plans that best fits with their circumstance.

• Option 1: One installment. 100% of the tuition will be billed in June. Your 10% non-refundable deposit will be applied to this amount billed. A 0.5% discount will then be applied to the remaining 90% tuition owed.
• Option 2: Three installments. 30% of the tuition will be billed in June. 30% of the tuition will be billed in September. 40% of the tuition will be billed in December. Your 10% non-refundable deposit will be applied to the amount billed in December.
• Option 3: Ten installments. 10% of the tuition will be billed in April, and will continue for the following 9 months, ending with the final 10% billed in January. Your 10% non-refundable deposit will be applied to the amount billed in January. A 2% service fee will be applied to the monthly tuition charge except those families who receive financial assistance.

Student Withdrawal Deadlines and Payments

• Student withdrawal through May 31 results in loss of deposit only.
• Student withdrawal on or after June 1, but prior to the first day of school results in an obligation to pay 40% of the total net tuition.
• Student withdrawal or dismissal on or after the first day of school results in an obligation to pay 100% of the total net tuition.

Tuition Insurance Plan

The Tuition Refund Plan is an insurance program sponsored by A.W.G. Dewar, Inc. that provides families with tuition obligation coverage in the event of a student’s withdrawal or dismissal from the school before the academic year is completed. The premium rate for 2022-23 is equal to 0.85% of the annual tuition. The premium is billed in June and payment is forwarded to the insurance company. Detailed information on what is covered by the plan can be found in their brochure.

Catlin Gabel believes socioeconomic diversity enriches the educational experience for all its students and is committed to offering a robust need-based financial assistance program. Although families bear the primary responsibility for financing their child’s education to the extent they are able, the school provides need-based assistance to help bridge the gap between a family’s resources and a child’s total educational experience.

Need-based financial assistance is offered by Catlin Gabel and is based on a family’s demonstrated need as calculated by our third party provider School and Student Services (SSS). Parents first complete the online application or Parent Financial Statement (PFS) and uploads required tax documents. SSS then verifies the income and tax data and produces a Report of Family Contribution (RFC) estimating the amount a family can contribute towards the cost of their child(ren)’s tuition or the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). The SSS methodology considers many aspects of a family’s financial situation including but not limited to: the incomes of both parents (taxable and non-taxable), assets held by the family, qualifying debts and expenses, number of dependents, age of both parents, and the number of children attending tuition-charging schools (up to and including four years of undergraduate college/university studies). Allowances are made for living expenses, retirement, taxes, medical costs, unusual expenses, debts, and a modest standard of living.

The Catlin Gabel financial assistance committee reviews the RFC and, if necessary, makes adjustments upon review of final tax documents, consideration of special circumstances, and other professional judgment guidelines designated by the school. We then calculate need-based tuition as the difference between the total published tuition amount and some or all of the family’s EFC per student. Our overall financial assistance is finite, therefore our goal is to meet at least 85% to 95% of demonstrated need in order to serve as many families as possible.

In addition to the school’s principles of equity and inclusion, our policies ensure that we apply uniform guidelines to every family who applies for need-based assistance and that decisions are made without regard to student’s race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability, or age and in compliance with existing state and federal laws or regulations.

The financial assistance committee appointed by the head of school decides and finalizes all need-based financial assistance decisions. This committee prioritizes the applicants as follows:

1. First consideration is to returning students who are currently enrolled with financial assistance. This is to provide families with need-based tuition the assurance that resources will be available as long as they continue to qualify or until their child(ren) graduates or withdraws. Extraordinary changes in income, family status, or the number of children in tuition-charging institutions may increase or decrease need-based tuition from year-to-year.
2. If financial assistance resources remain, the committee then reviews returning students who have newly applied for need-based assistance due to a temporary financial hardship or a qualifying change in circumstances (see examples below).
3. Finally newly admitted families in all grades are given consideration for need-based financial assistance. New students entering ninth grade who qualify may also apply for the Palma Scholars Program, which is administered by a separate admission committee and is merit-based. Students are eligible to receive both need-based financial assistance and the Palma Scholarship.

Families are expected to fully disclose all assets and income each year so that any significant increases or decreases in a family’s ability to pay tuition can be reevaluated annually by the financial assistance committee. This allows our limited resources to be allocated where need is the greatest. The committee endeavors to keep each family’s level of need-based tuition as consistent as possible and notify families of pending changes in advance so they may plan accordingly. We will make immediate adjustments if a family’s financial changes are significant.

Families are expected to continue paying the same general level of tuition for the duration of enrollment. If there is a qualifying change in circumstances, new applications for or increases in financial assistance in subsequent years will be considered. Limited assistance may be available for families facing a temporary unexpected financial hardship. In very limited cases, if the financial hardship has been shown to become permanent due to extenuating circumstances, the family can formally apply to become a part of the financial assistance program depending on, but not limited to, the number of years enrolled at Catlin Gabel, level of household income loss, and any additional extraordinary circumstances. 

Tuition is a long-term investment and therefore should be considered very thoughtfully before enrolling at the school. Upon enrollment, students who have arranged for tuition to be paid by non-parent/guardian family members, trusts, or other entities, are expected to continue under this agreement for the duration of enrollment. If there is a qualifying change in the financial circumstances of the contributing family member, trust, or other entity, the student may be eligible to apply for financial assistance. Changes include, but are not limited to, extraordinary medical expenses, financial hardship, employment changes, or significant financial losses which can no longer sustain tuition expenses. Depending on the circumstances, the school may still expect some level of continued tuition support in addition to any financial assistance for which the student may qualify. For the purposes of due diligence, the financial assistance office would require documentation from the original payer to demonstrate the change in circumstances in support of the financial assistance application.

Families who feel they are able to afford only the first year or two of a Catlin Gabel education should review their financial situation with the Financial Assistance Office prior to enrolling.

Need-based financial assistance for students attending Catlin Gabel are contingent upon the student successfully completing each school year and the payment in full of all financial obligations set forth in the Enrollment Agreement and/or re-enrollment commitment.

Financial assistance is funded through a combination of resources including restricted annual giving, restricted and unrestricted endowment income, and general operating income. In accordance with our mission of working towards socio-economic diversity, the school has committed 19% of its operating budget to need-based financial assistance.

Because of these funding sources, our policies and procedures ensure that the school is doing its due diligence in the administration of the financial assistance program.. In addition, we reserve the right to share limited student data regarding academics and co-curricular involvement with our donors for the purposes of reporting on scholarship allocations and continued fundraising.

Catlin Gabel receives no outside funding from state or federal sources and is not supported by any religious organizations.

Special Considerations

• Enrolling additional children at Catlin Gabel or another tuition-charging school or institution. The School will consider outside daycare/school programs for a younger sibling only if it allows both parents to work. The school will also consider up to four years of undergraduate school for an older sibling.
• Change in family size.
• Parent becoming disabled.
• In some cases, when a parent's income is permanently affected by circumstances beyond their control.

• Loss or reduction of employment.
• Extraordinary medical expenses due to injury or illness.
• Caring for sick/aging grandparents who need financial or other assistance. Family must show payments to nursing care, hospital/doctor bills, and/or reduced work capacity.

Catlin Gabel expects both parents to earn income beginning when all children in the household reach first grade to remain eligible for need-based assistance. At this point, if one parent chooses not to work or decides to return to school, an annual income based on a 40-hour work week at the current Oregon minimum wage will be applied to the application for a limited time. Eventually, both parents will be expected to earn reasonable income. Exceptions are made in the case of disability, for which documentation must be provided, as well as sudden or unexpected job loss where the parent is actively seeking employment. We evaluate other unique situations on a case-by-case basis.

Financial need is determined based on the student’s entire family’s ability to pay tuition not their willingness to pay; therefore, Catlin Gabel requires both parents (custodial and non-custodial) and their spouses or domestic partners, if any, to participate in the financial assistance application process. Each household must complete a separate, confidential Parent Financial Statement (PFS) and provide required tax documentation. Exceptions to this policy will be considered only for extraordinary circumstances and on a case-by-case basis. Neither the school nor SSS will share confidential information between households.

• SSS website for parents
• Applying for financial aid (PDF)
• Cómo solicitar ayuda financiera
• PFS Online Workbook (provides question-by-question help and tips on uploading documents)
• Cuaderno de Trabajo y Manual de Instrucciones
• Tax Primer for Parents (PDF)
• Tax Primer for Self-Employed Parents (PDF)
• Submitting Required Documents
• SSS Parent Webinars
• SSS Help for Families