The Breakwater School Financial Aid program is designed to make a Breakwater education possible for all families based on demonstrated financial need and the availability of funds. Breakwater School is proud to use the Clarity Application to determine a family’s level of financial need based on the information that families share in the application which includes assets, income, expenses, and debts. 

Financial Aid is available for our Kindergarten through 8th-grade families. All information regarding financial aid is kept confidential by Breakwater School. Families are required to maintain confidentiality as well. We ask that parents refrain from speaking about their child's financial aid with others.

THE PROCESS
To begin the Clarity Application, create an account. The application typically takes less than 30 minutes to complete. The application is mobile-friendly and can be completed from anywhere. You can save your progress and return to it at any time. At the end of the application, there is a $60 fee to submit.

Please return to your dashboard after you complete and submit your Clarity Application, as Breakwater School may require you to upload additional tax documentation.

DEADLINES
The deadline for completing the financial aid application including relevant supplemental documents is January 22, 2024 for returning families. Breakwater accepts rolling financial aid applications for new families.

APPLICATION SUPPORT
If you need support during the process of completing your application, there is in-app support available through the “Help” button in the bottom left of the screen, as well as email and phone support at support@clarityapp.com or 206-210-3752, in both English and Spanish. The application itself is also available in Spanish. Please communicate with us if your family needs assistance in navigating the application in English or if a translator is needed. 


Family Application Guide / SPANISH Family App Guide

Application Quick Reference Guide / SPANISH App Quick Reference Guide


 

FAQS

  • Financial aid is a grant and is not paid back to the school. Your financial aid award is applied to tuition only. All other charges of AfterCare and Enrichment are not included in the award and are paid in addition to tuition.

  • Financial aid applications and documents are required annually. The 2024- 2025 school year deadline for current families and newly accepted families is Monday, January 22, 2024. The financial aid awards are provided in the enrollment contracts that are sent to returning and new families in January and February. Financial aid is awarded on a rolling basis for newly applying families.

  • The only people at Breakwater who have access to financial aid information are the Financial Aid Committee and the Bookkeeper for billing purposes. Most often the Financial Aid Committee does not see any specific financial information but simply the calculations that result from this information. We also require that all financial aid awards be kept confidential by the receiving family and will revoke an award if confidentiality is not kept.

  • Our admissions process is separate from our finance aid award process, meaning that we accept students regardless of their financial status. When a student is accepted, their file is passed on to the financial aid committee for review. Financial aid awards are presented on enrollment contracts. 

  • We understand that an unexpected loss of work, health issues, or a variety of other factors can impact your financial status making it difficult to fulfill your financial obligations to the school. If this unfortunate situation occurs please contact the Director of Enrollment with any documentation that supports your change in finances. We do make every effort to work with families.

  • We can not estimate awards because they are based on the financial aid application, supporting documents, and the school’s financial aid budget. There is a wide range of awards that our families receive that are appropriate for the individual financial situation of the family. 

  • Breakwater offers a 5% discount to the youngest sibling.

  • Breakwater does not provide financial aid awards to Toddler and Preschool students. We encourage families to explore the Dependent Care Tax Benefits in the State of Maine.

  • We generate financial aid awards based on the information contained in the financial aid application and the supporting financial documents as well as our limited financial aid budget. We understand that there are extenuating circumstances that may not be included with this information and are willing to consider these factors. You can email the Director of Enrollment to request a financial aid appeal.

  • There are many factors that affect how financial aid awards are determined There is no income that would preclude an award being made. We encourage anyone concerned about affordability and financial limitations to apply for aid. Breakwater is committed to working with families as they navigate the financial landscape of independent schooling. We do not offer financial aid without a complete application.