Applying for Financial Aid

Boston University Academy’s financial aid office uses 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.

Application materials received past the following dates will be reviewed on a funds-available basis:

Financial Aid Application Instructions

Beginning on September 15, families can go to the Clarity Application and create an account. The application typically takes less than 30 minutes to complete and is mobile-friendly so it can be completed from anywhere. Families are able to save their progress and return at any time. At the end of the application, there is a $60 fee to submit, and you can share your application with additional schools that accept the Clarity Application for no additional charge. Simply use the dropdown menu in the application to select those schools. Please remember to return to your dashboard after you complete and submit your Clarity Application, as BUA does require you to upload additional tax documentation from 2024 once you have that available. 

For questions about financial aid, we encourage you to reach out to our team at academyadmission@bu.edu and we will follow-up as soon as possible. If you need support during the process of completing your application, there is also an in-app support available through the “Help” button on the bottom left of the screen, as well as email and phone support at support@claritytuition.com or 206-210-3752, in both English and Spanish. The application itself is also fully translated into Spanish.

• Clarity removes the need to upload your 2023 W2 and 1040 by transferring them directly from the IRS. This reduces the amount of information that you will need to enter manually and makes it possible to complete the application quickly and efficiently.
• In addition to the Clarity Application, BUA requires all families to submit additional 2024 tax documents (listed above) as part of the application.
• A separate application is also required if an applicant’s parents are divorced or separated, or if they have never been married. Families will also need to provide additional documentation by February 15 if any of the following scenarios apply:
  • If either parent/guardian is or was formerly enrolled in the military, submit Leave and Earning Statements for 2023 and 2024.
  • If the student has assets in a trust fund, submit a copy of the Trust Agreement.
• BUA takes the privacy and security of your personal information very seriously. Clarity is certified for both GDPR and SOC2 and uses enterprise-level security standards including end-to-end encryption of all personally identifiable information. For more information, please refer to Clarity’s Privacy Policy. 

Families are encouraged to review the Clarity: How to Apply Guide as well as the extended Clarity Family Application Guide prior to starting an application for step-by-step instructions and detailed notes.

Mission Enrollment, a company that works with Clarity, will be hosting two 1-hour financial aid sessions on Tuesday, October 15, 2024. The first session starts at 1:00 p.m. and the second session starts at 7:00 p.m. The webinars will be recorded and shared with participants. Learn more about these sessions here.

Guiding Principles and Policies

• While Boston University Academy has a commitment to making its education available to all students, our limited financial aid resources mean that families have the final responsibility for meeting educational costs. In its commitment to assisting families who express financial need, the school expects that families will contribute to their child’s education to the extent to which they are able, as assessed by the Financial Aid Committee. All families will be asked to pay some amount toward tuition.
• Boston University Academy’s financial aid awards primarily cover the cost of tuition. Some families will also receive grants that are intended to help defray the cost of other school-related expenses (including but not limited to books, lunch, and school trips).
• Financial aid is only available to students who hold US citizenship or who have permanent resident status. A student with an I-1551, I-1551c, I-94, or T-visa is an eligible non-citizen.
• In cases of divorce or separation, both natural parents are required to apply for financial aid by submitting a PFS. BUA considers the resources of all parents and guardians involved when determining awards.
• If additional information regarding a family’s financial circumstances becomes known, BUA reserves the right to adjust the initial award granted to the family.
• Families are required to re-apply for financial aid every year in which they are enrolled at the school. Awards may be adjusted based on changes in family circumstances; however, families can assume that their funding will be renewed at a similar level in subsequent years if there are no significant changes to their financial status.
• Families re-enrolling at the school who have not previously received financial aid must submit tax information for the previous three years as well as a letter detailing the change in family circumstances for the coming year.
• Due to limited funds, financial aid is not guaranteed to all applicants who qualify.

For more information about BUA’s financial aid program, please contact Assistant Head of School for Enrollment Management and Institutional Advancement Nastaran Hakimi.