MKA contributes more than $6 million in need-based financial aid each year, supporting roughly 16% of our student body. Our Financial Aid program is central to our mission — to build and sustain a diverse, collaborative, and inclusive community where students of varied backgrounds and experiences learn alongside one another. Through our financial aid program, we are able to welcome and support families for whom some level of assistance makes an MKA education possible. Please note that need-based financial aid at MKA is available beginning in fourth grade. Families enrolling in Junior Kindergarten through third grade are not eligible for financial aid at this time. We recognize that this is an important consideration for families planning ahead, and we encourage those with questions about long-term financial planning at MKA to reach out to our admissions team directly. Additionally, please note that financial aid awards for families enrolling in fourth and fifth grade are capped at 50% of tuition.
INTRODUCTION
Montclair Kimberley Academy (MKA) recognizes that for many families, choosing an independent school education is both meaningful and significant. Expanding access to an MKA education is a priority we take seriously and invest in deeply.
FINANCIAL AID AT MKA All financial aid at MKA is needbased; merit-based and athletic scholarships are not offered. Need is understood as the gap between the cost of attendance and what a family is able to contribute, as calculated through Clarity, our third-party financial aid platform.
MKA’s Financial Aid Committee reviews applications submitted through Clarity and shares decisions with families each February for the upcoming school year. When evaluating a family’s financial picture, Clarity takes into account a range of factors — among them income, assets, debt, living expenses, the number of dependents, and the number of children in tuition-charging schools (K-12 and undergraduate college). Because no two families look alike financially, no income ceiling automatically excludes a family from consideration. After accounting for essential living expenses and tax obligations, Clarity helps establish what a family can reasonably contribute toward educational costs. Families seeking need-based financial aid must submit a Clarity application each year, along with all required supporting documentation, by the stated deadlines. Applications received after the deadline may not be reviewed. Completed applications are evaluated by MKA’s Financial Aid Committee.
FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION TIMELINE Awards are revisited annually and may change based on a family’s financial circumstances; barring any significant changes, families can expect awards to remain consistent year to year. The Admission Process is separate from the Financial Aid Process. Families who do not apply for financial aid during the admissions process, or who enroll at MKA without financial aid, are welcome to apply in the future. However, a twoyear waiting period applies, and applicants must clearly demonstrate a significant change in financial circumstances since joining MKA before MKA will consider a new application. All financial aid information shared with MKA is kept strictly confidential and is used solely for the purpose of determining eligibility for need-based assistance.
TIMELINE
ACTION
Early February
Application and all supporting documents due to Clarity
Fall
End of February Early March
Financial aid application opens
Award decisions communicated to families Enrollment deadline for the upcoming school year
Financial Aid Appeal Process Families who wish to request a review of their financial aid award may submit a Financial Aid Appeal if they have new or additional information that they believe warrants a second look. To begin the appeal process, families should email the Director of Enrollment Management, Admissions, and Financial Aid within seven days of receiving their financial aid decision. Families will complete an appeal form and submit any relevant supporting documentation. Once all materials have been received, the Financial Aid Committee will conduct a second review and communicate a decision within seven to ten days.
COSTS TO ATTEND At MKA, we understand that the true cost of attendance extends beyond tuition. Families receiving financial aid may apply for additional assistance with other required school expenses. In our ongoing effort to be transparent about what it costs to attend MKA, please refer to the Beyond Tuition Table at the end of this document for an overview of potential annual expenses.
FAMILY CIRCUMSTANCES Divorced, Separated, and Unmarried Parents Regardless of a family’s structure, MKA’s Financial Aid Committee expects that all parents or guardians contribute to the cost of their child’s education. As a result, we require financial information from all parents or guardians as part of the application process. Applications that do not include financial data from all parents or guardians may not be considered for an award. We recognize that family circumstances vary. In situations where one parent has no contact with or role in a student’s life, the custodial parent will be asked to complete a waiver with supporting documentation if necessary as part of the financial aid process.
Remarried Parents When a parent or guardian remarries, the financial aid determination includes the income and assets of a stepparent.
Non-Working Parents For households where a parent or guardian is not employed, the Financial Aid Committee will attribute an annual income to that parent, provided their youngest child is older than the age of five. We understand that some families face unique circumstances — such as caring for a child with special needs or an elderly family member — that may affect a parent’s ability to work. Any extenuating circumstances must be documented in writing and submitted at the time of application for consideration.
MKA’S COMMUNITY SCHOLARSHIP Montclair Academy founded the Community Scholars Program in 1969, and it has been the longeststanding commitment in our financial aid program. It is unique because the award considers families with full financial need and students with strong academic merit. The endowment, annual giving, and operating budget fund the program.
The number of open scholarships in a given year is determined by the number of Community Scholars who graduated from MKA the previous year. MKA’s Community Scholars have been some of the most accomplished and remarkable people to graduate from our school. What is included in the Community Scholars Program? MKA’s Community Scholars Program covers full tuition and all additional costs, including but not limited to books, lunch, transportation, and athletic equipment. What are the qualifications for a Community Scholar? When selecting Community Scholars, the school prioritizes need-based awards for students who embrace the values upheld by the MKA community. Families must demonstrate full financial need to be considered.
ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE Based on the level of assistance a student receives, they may be eligible for additional assistance beyond tuition — for example, support with global experience trips, athletic pre-season trips, other trips, or college application costs. All families, regardless of financial aid status, are eligible to apply for assistance with global experience trips, athletic pre-season trips, and other trips, subject to the following guidelines: For global experience trips, students may apply for assistance with one Middle School trip and one Upper School trip during their time at MKA.
Families not currently receiving financial aid who wish to apply for trip assistance must submit documentation of household income and financial circumstances for review. Assistance for families not receiving financial aid cannot exceed 50% of the trip cost. Families receiving financial aid are eligible for assistance with college application-related fees. Families receiving financial aid will receive an email from the Director of Enrollment Management, Admissions and Financial Aid outlining the additional support they are eligible for, based on their existing aid level. For additional information and questions, please contact Alyson Waldman, Director of Enrollment Management, Admissions and Financial Aid, at awaldman@mka.org or 973-509-7930.
Montclair Kimberley Academy 201 Valley Road, Montclair NJ 07042
Admissions Office | awaldman@mka.org | 973-509-7930