Tuition & Financial Aid

Tuition for 2018-2019 is $41,150. To extend greater transparency and provide families more predictable supplemental billings, the cost of most course-related and some extracurricular activities have been included in the annual tuition cost. In 2018-2019, the average financial aid award is $29,216.

Most course-related and some extracurricular activity fees are included in the tuition. In addition, financial aid is applied to most additional costs, including student fees, books, laptop computer, and transportation.

Senior Fee: $2,000 - required to cover additional expenses associated with a student's senior year.
New Student Fee: $2,500 - a one-time fee required of all newly enrolled students.

Textbooks: $800-$1,500

Costs vary based on grade and course load. Some books may be available to rent or purchase used. Financial aid is applied to the cost of books.

Marlborough offers bus service to eight different neighborhoods: Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Pasadena, Pico (East of 405), Santa Monica, South Bay, Valley, Westside.

Families can choose round trip or one-way service. In addition, students can purchase daily passes. Financial aid is applied to the cost of bus transportation.

Round Trip Service: $3,000
One-Way Service: $1,500
Senior Reduced Rate: $250

Marlborough offers two afternoon bus departures. The first leaves right after school; the second departs at 5:30 pm.

For more information, please contact Scott Appel at scott.appel@marlborough.org.

Bring Your Own Laptop: $500 to $2,000
Each student is required to bring her own fully charged laptop to campus every day. Device requirements are provided to enrolling students. If a financial aid student needs to purchase a new laptop, her award percentage will be applied.

All families for whom Marlborough’s tuition is outside of their family’s budget are encouraged to apply for financial aid. Financial aid awards are based on a formula that determines calculated financial need and awards can range from 10-100% of school costs.

Although Marlborough has a robust financial aid budget, we are unable to fund every admissible student who requests financial aid. Therefore, students who apply for financial aid are placed into a more competitive admissions pool.

Candidates who meet the admissions requirements and who have applied for financial aid are prioritized by the Admissions and Financial Aid Committees based on the school's enrollment goals. A student who applies for financial aid will receive an acceptance decision only if a financial aid award is offered or if it is determined that she does not qualify for financial aid.

Marlborough does not offer any merit, athletic, or talent scholarships. All financial aid awards at Marlborough are based on demonstrated economic need that is determined using the SSS national, standardized formula that employs an impartial third-party analysis of a family’s financial situation. Marlborough maintains that the primary responsibility for financing a child’s education rests upon the family.

Marlborough School subscribes to the School and Student Service for Financial Aid (SSS) by NAIS. This calculation considers gross taxable income, assets, liabilities, family size, daily living expenses, and number of children in tuition-charging institutions, among other things. Based on this information, coupled with data gathered from tax documents you submit, the Financial Aid Committee determines what amount, if any, your family can pay for tuition.

Marlborough's calculated parental contribution may differ from the SSS's calculation. For example, Marlborough may disallow losses attributable to second homes, investment properties, hobby business, and certain types of depreciation.

Marlborough School considers the assets of both parents in reviewing students for a financial aid award. Custodial and non-custodial parents are responsible for educational expenses and therefore both must participate in the financial aid process by submitting the financial aid application form and tax information. Until both parents complete the process, the Financial Aid Committee will not review the financial aid application.

If either parent has remarried or is living with another adult who is contributing to the household income, the school will consider the assets of the step-parent or partner, always bearing in mind that the primary responsibility for payment rests with the natural parents.

Marlborough expects both parents to contribute financially to their child’s education. If a parent is not receiving a salary, the school will make a financial adjustment to the application to account for the income the parent might receive if she or he chose to work.

Since each application is reviewed individually, there may be exceptions to this policy, such as caring for a child not yet of school age, or another individual who cannot care for her/himself, or a parent who is not able to work. Under such circumstances, we ask that you explain in writing why the parent is not employed when you submit your initial application.

If a family believes they will need financial aid at any point during a child’s time at Marlborough, they must apply for aid when they submit their application for admission. A “full-pay” application communicates that a family is capable of covering all educational expenses for the duration of their daughter’s time at Marlborough.

A Marlborough financial aid award, which can range from 10-100% of school expenses, covers most necessary expenses that your child will incur as part of the Marlborough experience. This includes items such as books, transportation, and athletic participation. Our goal is to help parents with expenses, and to enable financial aid recipients to participate fully in school life.

Yes. We will ask you to file a new PFS and submit your tax returns and W-2 and/or 1099 forms each year. The school will continue to award a level of aid appropriate to your level of demonstrated need until your child graduates from Marlborough.

Newly-admitted students receive their financial aid award decisions with their Online Enrollment Contracts. Returning students receive their award decisions in mid-March.

Marlborough School offers three payment plans: 1) Payment in Full (tuition protection plan is optional), 2) Two Payment Plan (payments due in July and December, tuition protection plan and finance charges apply), and 3) Nine Payment Plan (payments due July through March, tuition protection plan and finance charges apply).