Our financial aid program reduces the cost of tuition for eligible families, supports our commitment to socio-economic diversity, and makes Menlo a reality for any admitted student.
We believe funding an independent school education should be a high priority for all Menlo families. Menlo’s tuition at all levels supports our programs and our people, while our financial aid program is funded by generous donations from our community.
This year, 20% of Menlo families received financial assistance towards tuition and non-tuition expenses such as books, athletic team or club trips, global trips, a laptop, athletic gear, and more.
With a $7.9 million financial aid budget, we meet 100% of each admitted student’s demonstrated financial need. Tuition for families receiving grants was reduced by amounts ranging from 11% to 99% for the 2025-2026 school year.
It’s important that you know that the admissions and financial aid processes at Menlo are entirely separate. Applying for financial aid will not affect your child’s admissions decision.
We are dedicated to making a Menlo education accessible to admitted students, regardless of their financial circumstances. This program enables us to create a diverse and inclusive learning environment and enrich the educational experience for all students.
Tuition & What’s Included
Full tuition and fees for the 2025-2026 school year are $64,718 and include:
Lunch
Menlo Bus Transportation
Shuttle to/from Menlo Park Caltrain
Most field trips and retreats
Athletic and arts program participation
Non-tuition expenses
Books/supplies approx. $400-$600*
Laptop approx. $1,300*
*Financial Aid also supports families with tuition and non-tuition expenses.
Applying for Financial Aid
Who Needs to Apply
Deadline
Documents to Submit
Current Menlo Families (returning Fall 2026)
November 1, 2025
- Financial Aid Application - 2023 and 2024 Federal Tax Returns - All schedules - W-2 forms submitted through Clarity
Families Applying for Admission to Menlo
January 8, 2026
- Financial Aid Application - 2023 and 2024 Federal Tax Returns - All schedules - W-2 forms submitted through Clarity
Both new and returning families
March 2, 2026
- Completed 2025 Federal Income Tax Forms submitted through Clarity
Families must apply by the posted deadlines to be eligible for aid for the coming academic year. Menlo maintains some funding to assist current families who experience verified financial reversals outside of the regular application cycle, allowing them to apply for financial aid for the first time.
Menlo uses Clarity, a third-party application system, to determine your financial need based on the information you enter. There, you will also authorize Clarity to directly download and verify your tax returns from the IRS. The process can take as little as 30 minutes to complete.
To begin, create an account on Clarity. There is a $60 application fee, which covers your Menlo application and your application to any other school using Clarity. Clarity automatically waives the fee for applicants meeting their income level guidelines. If you need but don’t receive an automatic waiver through Clarity, please contact: Rose Garza, Financial Aid Manager, rose.garza@menloschool.org
Menlo Financial Aid Webinars
What is financial aid? How does the application process work? How is the grant calculated? Our Director of Admissions & Financial Aid, Brooke Wilson, dives into these topics and more in these webinars. These sessions are for families seeking to better understand how to afford independent schools.
Register for one of our live online sessions using the links below:
Each year, Clarity hosts several Application Info Webinars for families. All families applying to any Clarity school are welcome to attend any of these webinars. During the live session, they will cover 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. Typically, these will run for about 60 minutes, but will go longer to cover all questions.
For assistance during the application process, in-app technical support is accessible via the “Help” button at the bottom left of the screen. Additional support is available through email and phone atsupport@claritytuition.comor 206-210-3752 in both English and Spanish. The application itself is fully translated into Spanish.
Will I qualify for financial aid?
Menlo offers financial assistance based on each family’s unique financial situation. When evaluating need, we consider many factors, including but not limited to:
Family income
Household size
Number of children attending tuition-based schools
Family net worth
Extraordinary expenses
Each family’s circumstances are evaluated individually, and calculator results can not guarantee your eligibility or level of assistance.
Financial aid data updated for the 25-26 school year.
Approximately 20% of the student body receives financial aid. Based on individual family circumstances, families from a wide range of income levels have qualified for assistance, and Menlo School has been able to meet 100% of the demonstrated need for each student it enrolls. This year, tuition for families receiving grants was reduced by amounts ranging from 11% to 99% for the 2025-2026 school year.
The financial aid application process runs concurrently with the admission application process. Financial aid applications and tax documents for income verification are submitted through the Clarity platform and are due on January 8, 2026, for families applying to Menlo for Fall 2026.
Prospective families’ financial aid applications are due on January 8, 2026, the same date as the admission applications. Financial aid grant information is provided simultaneously with the admission decision so that families have all the information they need to decide on enrollment. Current families returning to Menlo for Fall 2026 must submit their applications and materials for current students by November 1, 2025.
Families must apply by the posted deadlines to be eligible for aid for the following academic year. Menlo maintains funding to assist current families who experience verified financial reversals outside the regular application cycle, allowing them to apply for financial aid for the first time.
No, not at all. The Admissions Committee considers each applicant without knowing whether or not the applicant’s family is applying for financial aid. Once students are admitted, the Financial Aid Committee meets to review the financial aid applications of admitted students to determine the size of each student’s grant.
Regardless of custodial arrangements, all legal parents/guardians must complete a financial aid application and submit all pertinent tax documents (1040s, W-2s, and any relevant tax schedules).
Yes. We have three different payment options. All newly enrolling families pay a non-refundable enrollment deposit by noon on March 27 and choose one of the three payment plans:
One (1) Payment – This plan is for families who would like to make one payment for the full tuition on June 1.
Two (2) Payments — This plan requires families to pay 70% of tuition by June 1 and the remaining balance by September 1.
Ten (10) Payments — Menlo offers a ten-month payment plan administered by the Business Office. This budget plan divides the total yearly tuition (less the 10% deposit) into ten equal monthly installments paid by direct debit beginning June 1 and ending March 1. A small interest charge of 4% of the remaining tuition balance is calculated monthly.
We do not offer academic, athletic, or other merit scholarships. Financial aid at Menlo is completely need-based.
Yes. We will ask you to file a new financial aid application and submit your tax declarations and W-2 and/or 1099 forms each year. The school will continue to grant aid appropriate for your demonstrated need until your child graduates.
Admission and financial grant decisions for new students will be emailed on March 20. If accepted and granted financial aid, the grant amount will be included in the contract.
Financial aid grant decisions for returning students will be included with re-enrollment contracts on January 22, 2026.
You should plan to complete your taxes by this deadline, but if that is not possible, you must provide an estimate of your 2025 income. Please contact Rose Garza in the Financial Aid Office if you can’t meet this deadline.
Yes! Menlo wants all students to be able to fully engage in our program. Financial aid grants go beyond the tuition discount and include the same percentage discount on all non-tuition school expenses, from books to laptops, athletic gear, school trips, AP exams, and more. Menlo will support families with all of these school expenses.
If you have questions regarding your financial aid application, please contact Rose Garza, in our Financial Aid Office, rose.garza@menloschool.org, tel: 650-330-2001 ext. 2602.
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Menlo School is committed to creating a socioeconomically diverse community.
We know that students with different life experiences enrich the Menlo learning community for everyone. Our generous financial aid program makes Menlo accessible and affordable.
Access and Affordability
2024-2025 Tuition
Tuition/fees for the 2024-2025 school year are $61,635 and include:
Menlo’s tuition, which is $61,635 for the 2024-2025 school year, includes most school expenses. For example, daily transportation on any of our four Menlo bus routes, the shuttle to and from the Menlo Park CalTrain station, lunch, field trips, class retreats, and many other incidental costs are all included in tuition.
Each year Menlo admits many students regardless of their families’ ability to pay the cost of a Menlo education. In fact, more than 19% of our current students receive financial aid. We have a $7.3 million financial aid budget and are able to meet 100% of each admitted student’s demonstrated financial need.
As a school that places a great value on inclusivity, Menlo wants every student to have access to the same opportunities. In addition to helping with tuition expenses, Menlo financial aid helps with all additional school-related costs such as books, athletic team or club trips, global trips, a laptop, athletic gear, etc.
Menlo’s financial aid awards are strictly need-based (no merit or athletic scholarships) and can range from a few thousand dollars to the full cost of tuition. These awards do not need to be repaid.
How does Menlo determine a family’s financial need?
Like many area independent schools, we use the School and Student Services (SSS) platform as a starting reference point. To apply for aid (see details below), families use this secure online tool to complete the Parent Financial Statement (PFS), which provides Menlo an estimated family contribution based on income, assets, family size, debts, and liabilities. We consider this recommendation and make adjustments as merited. (Please see the case studies below for more details.)
We believe that funding an independent school education should be a high priority for all Menlo families. In our experience, parents are more invested in their student’s education if they contribute to the cost of tuition. Some of our financial aid families will contribute as little as $50 per month as a result of our generous financial aid budget. These families will pay almost nothing for school-related costs such as a laptop, tutoring, school supplies, books, athletic gear, transportation, school trips, college-application expenses, etc.
Menlo is committed to providing aid during the student’s entire time at the School. Families must reapply for financial aid each year, and adjustments to an award can occur due to a change in a family’s financial situation. If a family’s financial circumstances don’t change, the award will increase to cover the rising cost of tuition each year.
How to Apply for Financial Aid
Go to the School and Student Services (SSS) and click on “Complete your PFS” in the upper right-hand corner.
Families in the applicant pool must complete and submit the Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS) and upload a copy of your 2020 & 2021 federal tax returns, all schedules, and W-2 forms to SSS by January 12, 2023.
Both new and returning families must upload completed 2022 federal income tax forms to SSS by March 1, 2023.
If you need assistance, contact Rose Garza in our Financial Aid Office at rgarza@menloschool.org or 650.330.2001 ext. 2602.
Financial Aid Case Studies
Menlo’s financial aid award recipients represent a broad range of income levels. We realize that each family has a unique financial situation, and we are eager to work with families who can’t afford our tuition. The following case studies help demonstrate that families of various sizes and from a wide range of financial circumstances receive aid from Menlo. Each of these cases represents a currently enrolled family.
Case Study 1: Two parents, one child, both income earners, rent their home
# of Children: One child in a tuition-charging school (at Menlo) Total Income: $289,500 Net Worth*: $335,000 Award: $14,735 (30% discount on tuition). Menlo also covers 30% of all additional school-related costs, which may include a laptop, a trip to Southern California with water polo team and a Menlo Abroad trip to China. Parent Contribution: $34,375
*Net worth includes savings, investments, and home equity.
Case Study 2: Two parents, two children, both income earners, own their home
# of Children: Two children in tuition-charging schools (both at Menlo) Total Income: $223,000 Net Worth*: $815,000 Award: $37,110 (76% discount on tuition). Menlo also covers 76% of all additional school-related costs, which may include a laptop, AP exams, graduation night party, and a Menlo Abroad trip to India. Parent Contribution: $24,000 ($12,000 per child)
*Net worth includes savings, investments, and home equity.
Case Study 3: Two parents, one child, both income earners, own their home
# of Children: One child in tuition-charging school (at Menlo) Total Income: $152,500 Net Worth*: $1,237,335 Award: $34,110 (70% discount on tuition). Menlo also covers 70% of all additional school-related costs, which may include a laptop, a trip to Los Angeles for a Mock Trial competition, and a Menlo Abroad trip to Guatemala. Parent Contribution: $15,000
*Net worth includes savings, investments, and home equity.
MENLO SCHOOL Since 1915
