Financial Aid
An independent school education is an investment in your child’s future. At Aurora, we understand that affording independent school tuition in addition to the cost of living in the Bay Area can be challenging for some families.
We are committed to making Aurora affordable and accessible to as many families from a broad range of economic circumstances as possible. We devote approximately 18-21% of our operating budget to tuition assistance, with 37% of Aurora families (42% of students) receiving some level of aid. While every family at Aurora is expected to pay a portion of their tuition, we do not expect the level of tuition remission to be the same for everyone.
We believe each family’s financial situation is unique, and Aurora’s Tuition Assistance Committee takes care to consider every application thoughtfully and intentionally. If your family finds the cost of tuition a potential obstacle to attending Aurora, we encourage you to apply for financial aid even if you think you may not qualify.
Average tuition paid at Aurora for 2019-20 is $21,540.
2020-2021 Tuition
$29,379
Annual Tuition and Fees
Optional Expenses
Annual Volunteer Commitment
General Admissions Deadlines
2020-2021 Academic Year
Friday, January 24, 2020
*Although Aurora has a priority application deadline each January, we accept applications for admission on a rolling basis.
Financial Aid Priority Deadlines*
*Although Aurora has a priority application deadline each January, we accept applications for Financial Aid on a rolling basis.
Student Assessments
42% of our students receive a financial aid award
Financial Aid FAQs
How is financial aid awarded?
Aurora is a member of School and Student Services by NAIS (SSS), which assists independent schools in determining a family’s financial need. Families submit a Parent’s Financial Statement (PFS) to SSS that contains detailed financial information. From the information provided on this form, SSS uses a standardized calculation nationally accepted by independent schools to compute a family’s estimated tuition contribution. The information is reviewed by the Tuition Assistance Committee at Aurora and is used as a guideline in determining financial aid decisions.
What is Aurora’s school code for the School and Student Services website?
How exactly is my family’s estimated tuition contribution calculated?
Will applying for financial aid affect my child’s chances of being admitted to Aurora?
Do we have to reapply for financial aid every year?
I cannot complete my tax returns in time to meet the financial aid application deadline. What should I do?
We understand your taxes may not be complete so we ask that you estimate your financial information to the best of your ability. Aurora will use the information that you provide to make a preliminary financial aid award decision. We will verify that the information that you provided is correct after reviewing your tax returns. 2018 W-2s are due by February 5, 2019 and all 2017 tax forms are due by February 28, 2019.
What if I have children at other tuition charging schools?
Do you take into consideration both parents’ income if we are divorced or do not live together?
How do you treat our application if one parent does not work?
I work for myself and my income can vary each year. Does this impact my application?
When will I be notified of my award?
Are there payment plans available?
Families at Aurora may choose among three payment options:
- Annual – one payment due by May 1 or the time of enrollment
- Semi-Annual – two installments are due on May 1 and December 1
- Monthly – ten installments on the 5th of the month from May through February.
How can I be assured that my information is kept confidential?
If my financial situation changes and I have need for financial aid that I didn’t have before, what do I do?
Complete the Financial Aid Appeal Form and return to our Admissions Director. You will also need to make necessary changes to your Parent Financial Statement on School and Student Services (SSS). Once all of this is completed, the Committee will meet and then contact you to let you know if you qualify for more aid and if so, how much.
If I’m receiving financial aid and my financial situation changes for the better, what do I do?
How do I apply for Financial Aid?
Please visit the School and Student Services (SSS) website to apply for Financial Aid.
Can you assist me with the Financial Aid application process?
Yes. We are happy to answer any questions you may have. We realize that the applying for Financial Aid can be a time consuming process and that you want to complete the application fully and accurately. To help make it a bit easier to manage, be sure to check out these free informational webinars that provide valuable tips to guide you in the process.
40 Dulwich Road
Oakland, CA 94618
Phone: (510) 428-2606
Fax: (510) 428-9183
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