Financial aid applications for the 2026-27 school year are now closed. For new families, a financial aid application will not be considered unless the admission application is complete. For questions, please contact the admission office directly at admissions@waterfordschool.org
We recognize that a Waterford School education is a significant investment and do not want the cost of attendance to be the sole barrier to your consideration. We are committed to building a community of learners who are talented, driven, and from a broad range of backgrounds, regardless of their financial circumstances.
To fulfill this commitment, the School maintains a Financial Assistance Program. Need-based financial aid can make Waterford more affordable for families who demonstrate financial need.
Waterford’s financial aid budget is limited. As a need-aware school, we prioritize financial aid awards to students in the Middle and Upper School division. To be considered for financial assistance, families must submit both the Admission application and the Clarity Financial Aid application.
The Waterford School Tuition Assistance program is designed to make a Waterford education possible for all families, based on demonstrated financial need and available funds. Waterford is proud to use the Clarity application to determine a family’s level of financial need based on the information they share in the application, including assets, income, expenses, and debts.
To get started, please go to the Clarity application and create an account. The application typically takes less than 30 minutes to complete. The Clarity application is also mobile-friendly, so you can complete it from anywhere. You can also save your progress and return at any time. At the end of the application, there is a $65 submission fee, and you can share your application with additional schools that accept the Clarity application for no additional charge. Simply use the dropdown menu in the application to select those schools.
The deadline to complete the financial aid application, including any required supplemental documents, is December 1 for returning families and January 31 for new families.
If you need support while completing your application, in-app support is available, as is email support at support@claritytuition.com, in both English and Spanish. The application itself is also fully translated into Spanish.
Below are some frequently asked questions. If you don’t see your question here, feel free to chat with us or schedule a time to talk with a member of our Admission team.
The deadline is December 1 for returning families and January 31 for new families, annually.
This Comprehensive Guide will walk you step-by-step through the Clarity application for the 2026-2027 academic year. Or use this Quick Reference Guide. Spanish versions of the Comprehensive Guide and Quick Reference Guide are also available.
Additionally, each year Clarity hosts several Application Info Webinars for families. All families who may be applying to any Clarity school are welcome to attend any of these webinars. During the live session, we will go over some key aspects of the application, things to look out for, materials to gather, how to get help, how the tax verification process works, and a robust Q&A. Registration links for each date:
Date and Times for 2027-28 Applications — TBD
Waterford’s financial aid budget is limited. As a need-aware school, we are mindful in considering each family’s level of financial need in the awarding of tuition assistance. Waterford School is proud to use Clarity to determine a family’s level of financial need. Clarity is a third-party organization that assesses financial need on the basis of family composition, household income, assets, expenses, and debts.
As a need-aware school, we prioritize financial aid awards to students in the Middle and Upper School division. We do not make financial aid awards for preschool students.
Currently, 17% of our student body receives some level of tuition assistance.
Yes, please contact us directly at admissions@waterfordschool.org for that information.
Families who submit their financial aid application after the applicable deadlines will be considered for assistance after those who submitted their application before the deadline, and as funds are available. Please note that applying after the deadline reduces Waterford’s ability to provide financial aid.
Yes, both parents are required to fill out the Clarity financial aid application. Regardless of marital or custodial status, all parents and/or guardians (including current spouses or partners, if applicable) must complete the application for financial assistance. The custodial parent is responsible for asking the noncustodial parent to complete the application. Waterford will be unable to provide financial assistance unless all parents and/or guardians complete the application. The Waterford Admissions Office holds the information submitted in the utmost confidence.
Yes, because family circumstances change and available funds for tuition assistance vary, families must reapply annually for financial aid.
All newly admitted students will receive their financial aid decision at the same time they receive their admission decision.
Waterford offers two different tuition payment plans. A non-refundable enrollment deposit of 10% of tuition is payable upon acceptance.
Celebrate 5 years since graduation with your classmates. Reconnect, reminisce, and enjoy an evening of conversation, shared memories, and celebration with fellow members of the Class of 2021. Hearty appetizers and a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided.
Register for the Class of 2021 Reunion
Celebrate 10 years since graduation with your classmates. Reconnect, reminisce, and enjoy an evening of conversation, shared memories, and celebration with fellow members of the Class of 2016. Hearty appetizers and a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided.
Register for the Class of 2016 Reunion
Celebrate 15 years since graduation with your classmates. Reconnect, reminisce, and enjoy an evening of conversation, shared memories, and celebration with fellow members of the Class of 2011. Hearty appetizers and a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided.
Register for the Class of 2011 Reunion
Celebrate 20 years since graduation with your classmates. Reconnect, reminisce, and enjoy an evening of conversation, shared memories, and celebration with fellow members of the Class of 2006. Hearty appetizers and a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided.
Register for the Class of 2006 Reunion
Celebrate 25 years since graduation with your classmates. Reconnect, reminisce, and enjoy an evening of conversation, shared memories, and celebration with fellow members of the Class of 2001. Hearty appetizers and a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided.
Register for the Class of 2001 Reunion
Come together with Waterford alumni from across the entire 1990s for an evening of reconnecting and reminiscing! This combined reunion is a chance to celebrate the friendships, memories, and moments that made your Waterford years so special. Enjoy hearty appetizers and a variety of drinks, including alcoholic and non-alcoholic options, while catching up with old friends and sharing laughs about your school days.
Register for the 90’s Reunion
Saturday, May 16 | 7:30 – 11:30 AM | Murray Science Center
We’re bringing back birding! Who remembers the Class IX Bird Project? Don’t miss your chance to join this fun, family-friendly event with Mark Bromley, James Harris, Mike Johnson ‘88, and Bekka Joslin. We will meet at Waterford and take a bus together. Don’t forget to bring your binoculars (we will have extras on hand if you don’t have your own).
Register Here!
Friday, May 15 | 6:30 – 7:30 PM | East Field
We’re excited to see Waterford Alumni at our annual Alumni Soccer Game! This Waterford tradition gives former players the chance to return to the field, reconnect with old teammates, and showcase their skills in a friendly atmosphere. Whether you played with us just a few years ago or several decades ago, we look forward to seeing you back on the field. Make sure to bring friends and family to cheer you on!
Friday, May 15 | 5:00 – 7:00 PM | Main Quad | No Registration Required
Join us for a fun BBQ bash at Waterford with current families and Waterford staff and faculty. It’s a great way to connect with your Waterford classmates and enjoy delicious food before the Alumni Soccer Game!
No registration is needed for the Spring BBQ. Please join us!
Friday, May 15 | 4:00 – 5:00 PM | Haught Visual Arts Gallery at Waterford | No Registration Required
Waterford has always been a place where creativity thrives. Join us for the first-ever Alumni Art Show in the Haught Visual Arts Gallery and reconnect with the creative spirit that shaped your time here. This exhibition features work by 16 Waterford Alumni artists, reflecting a range of disciplines, perspectives, and practices.
Brief Remarks at 4:00 pm will be offered by Gallery Manager and Curator Charlie Tadlock, followed by remarks from some of the Alumni Artists.
Click here for a campus map
Friday, May 15 | 2:15 – 3:30 PM | Miller Student Commons | Registration Highly Recommended
Ever wish you could go back and sit in your favorite class one more time? This Alumni Weekend, you can. We’re bringing you back “Back to Class” where you’ll have the chance to slip into a real, live Upper School classroom and experience Waterford exactly as it exists today. Same teachers, same energy, same magic. Come relive the feeling.
Friday, May 15 | 12:45– 1:00 PM | Miller Student Commons | No Registration Required
Don’t leave lunch just yet. Immediately following the Kick-Off, Head of School Andrew Menke will take a few minutes to share what’s been happening at Waterford; the changes, the milestones, and the exciting things on the horizon. It’s a chance to hear straight from the source about the school you helped shape and where it’s headed next. No sign-up needed, just pull up a seat.
Friday, May 15 | 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM | Miller Student Commons | No Registration Required
Kick off Alumni Weekend the right way — with good food and even better company. Join us in the new Miller Student Commons for Waterford’s all-inclusive dining experience, and spend the lunch hour reconnecting with the faculty who made your time here unforgettable. Pull up a chair, catch up with old favorites, and let the weekend begin. No registration is required for this event.
Friday, May 15 | 1:00 – 2:00 PM | Miller Student Commons | No Registration Required
For many of you, Assistant Head of School, Todd Winters, was the first person who ever showed you and your parents around our 41 acre campus. Now he’s back to do it again! Todd will lead you through Waterford’s beautiful newest additions and recent transformations, giving you a firsthand look at what your years here helped build. Whether it’s your first tour with Todd or your second, you won’t want to miss this one.