Financial Assistance Eligibility & Policies

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, Clarity Financial Aid. Each household first completes the online application and uploads additional required tax documents. Clarity then verifies the income and tax data and calculates a 'suggested tuition' or the calculated amount a family can contribute towards the cost of their child(ren)’s tuition. The Clarity Financial Aid 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, allowable out of pocket expenses, debts, and a modest standard of living.

The Catlin Gabel financial assistance committee reviews the applications and, if necessary, makes adjustments upon review of final tax documents, consideration of special circumstances explained in the application, and other professional judgment guidelines designated by the school such as a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). We then calculate need-based tuition as the difference between the total published tuition amount and some or all the family’s demonstrated financial need. Our overall financial assistance is finite; therefore, our goal is to meet at least 85% to 100% 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 assistant head of school for enrollment and external relations, 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 in our regular need-based financial assistance program. This is to provide families with 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. 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 'Special Considerations').
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, income, and changes in financial circumstances each year of enrollment to be reviewed by the financial assistance committee. This allows the committee to allocate the school's limited resources equitably and where need is the demonstrated. 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 may 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. New applications for, or increases in, financial assistance in subsequent years will be considered if there is a qualifying change in circumstances. Limited assistance may be available for families facing a temporary unexpected financial hardship. Please see 'Special considerations' tab below.

Tuition is a long-term investment and therefore should be considered very thoughtfully before enrolling at the school. 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. Furthermore, 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.

Need-based financial assistance for students attending Catlin Gabel is 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 between 18% and 19% of its operating budget to need-based financial assistance.

Because of these funding sources, our policies and guidelines ensure that the school is ensuring 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 sibling prior to first grade only if it allows both parents to work. The school will also consider up to four years of undergraduate college or university for an older sibling.
• Change in family size.
• Unforeseen decrease in household income which becomes permanent.
• Parent/guardian becoming disabled.

• Temporary 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 online Clarity Financial Aid application and provide required tax documentation. Exceptions to this policy will be considered only for extraordinary circumstances and on a case-by-case basis. Examples of past exceptions have been due to incarceration, medical disability, known danger to the health and safety of the family, abandonment or unknown whereabouts, and homelessness or addiction issues.

Neither the school nor Clarity Financial Aid will share confidential information between households.