Guided Tuition

DCDS partners with Clarity Tuition to conduct the financial need analysis for all applicants.  All information gathered through the Clarity financial aid application remains strictly confidential. In order to be considered in our regular award decision deadline, new families must have an application and all supporting documents completed by January 31, 2025.  

By submitting form 4506c within the Clarity application you will give Clarity permission to pull your 2023 taxes returns.  You may need to upload your 2024 W2’s and/or other supporting schedules and forms.

The Clarity application fee is $60.  Detroit Country Day School will send award notifications to qualified families beginning in March of 2025.

*After January 31, 2025, applications are considered on a rolling basis, and decisions are based on a variety of factors, including space in our classes.

Families should apply at https://auth.clarityapp.com/en/signup/ 

*Please note: Students at all levels may apply for financial assistance, although aid will be granted in descending order with our Middle and Upper School students receiving priority consideration. Lower School applicants will be considered next.

DCDS partners with Clarity Tuition to conduct the financial need analysis for all applicants.  All information gathered through the Clarity financial aid application remains strictly confidential. In order to be considered for a financial aid award, returning families must have their financial aid application completed by January 10, 2025.

By submitting form 4506c within the Clarity application you will give Clarity permission to pull your 2023 taxes returns.  You will also need to upload your last paystub and/or other supporting schedules and forms.  The Clarity application fee is $60.  

Award amounts and notifications will be reflected on your parent portal or within the enrollment contract. 

Families should apply at https://auth.clarityapp.com/en/signup/ 

*Please note: Students at all levels may apply for financial assistance, although aid will be granted in descending order with our Middle and Upper School students receiving priority consideration. Lower School applicants will be considered next.

Financial information submitted by parents in support of the Guided Tuition Program is held in confidence by the Guided Tuition Committee  and Clarity.

New Family Regular Enrollment - January 31, 2025

Current Family Re-enrollment - January 10, 2025 

After January 31, 2025 applications are considered on a rolling basis, and decisions are based on a variety of factors, including space in our classes.

If your application is completed by the due date, you will be notified of a decision by March 10 or after re-enrollment contracts are sent (returning families only.) 

Families who have submitted a completed applications by the designated due dates and who would like to be considered for reduced tuition are eligible to apply.

The school’s budget for financial assistance is limited, the pool of candidates requesting assistance is competitive and, therefore, we are unable to offer Guided Tuition to every student who qualifies and who is admitted to DCDS. Consequently, a timely request for Guided Tuition is critical. Priority consideration is first given to students entering the Upper and Middle Schools.

Non-discrimination Policy: Detroit Country Day School admits students of any race, color, gender, religion, sexual orientation, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students in the school. The school does not discriminate on the basis of religion, race, color, gender or gender identity sex, height, weight, disability, genetic information, national and ethnic origin, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status under Michigan or federal law, in the administration of the school’s admission, financial aid/loan, educational, athletic, employment and other school administered programs, policies and plans.

Families will need to re-apply each year by completing the Clarity form in order to be re-considered for Guided Tuition. If the calculation confirms that continued assistance is necessary, then the student will remain in the Guided Tuition Program. The student’s Guided Tuition amount may change due to tuition increases, the school’s available budget for Guided Tuition, or a change in the financial situation of the family.

Please direct any questions regarding Guided Tuition to financialaid@dcds.edu.

What are the components used by Clarity and the school to calculate the family’s financial need? 

• Income. Pre-tax income from wages, business or investments is considered. If two parents reside in separate households, the income, and expenses of both households are considered.
• Assets. A portion of a family’s major assets, investments, and savings are added to the gross income and considered available for tuition. The income assumed to be generated by assets also takes the parent age into account with respect to the consideration of retirement savings.
• Family Size. Living allowance estimates are based on the number of people in the student’s household. Income is adjusted by expenditures for housing, food, or medical needs to obtain the available discretionary income.
• Number of Children in Tuition Charging Schools. 
• Divorced, Separated or Never Married Parent. Detroit Country Day Schools’ policy in determining the financial need of students from separated or divorced families is derived from the underlying principle on which we base financial aid for all students. That is, parents have an obligation to pay for the educational expenses of their children to the extent that they are able. 
• Unusual Expenses. Documented expenses such as those for the care of an aging grandparent, parent educational loan payments, or uninsured medical expenses are considered when determining the Guided Tuition amount.