Apply for Financial Aid

All families seeking need-based financial aid will apply annually via the Clarity application. We have chosen Clarity as our application for a financial assistance provider to serve our current and prospective families. We are confident in the simple process of applying for financial aid via Clarity. The application includes uploading tax forms when necessary, linking to the IRS data retrieval tool, and providing other requested documents.

How does Clarity make it easier for families to apply for financial aid?

Clarity offers a streamlined, mobile-friendly application that can be completed in as little as 20 minutes. Additionally, Clarity removes the need to upload your W2 and 1040 by transferring them directly from the IRS. This reduces the amount of information you must manually enter and makes it possible to complete the application quickly and efficiently.

The application will request information on family income, expenses, and assets.

The Financial Aid Committee will utilize the Clarity Financial Aid application and assessment to determine the family’s ability to invest in their student's education at Tallulah Falls School. 

Tallulah Falls School offers need-based financial aid and merit aid based on student academic performance.

While Tallulah Falls School cannot meet 100% of a family’s needs, we proudly offer significant assistance to make an independent school education attainable. 

As in prior years, if your financial circumstances have not changed, you will not see significant changes to your award. If you have any questions about your circumstances, please contact us.

The Financial Aid Committee understands that events occur outside of the application period that affect a family’s income. These events can be challenging; families with an unexpected loss of income should contact the Financial Aid Office to discuss their situation.

Tallulah Falls School admits students who fit the criteria set by the Admissions Committee and does not use financial need to determine a student's eligibility for admission.

Tallulah Falls School takes the privacy and security of your personal information very seriously. Clarity is certified for 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.

Yes, Tallulah Falls School offers merit aid based on Academic performance. We do not offer athletic or fine arts scholarships. 

According to the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) methodology and principles, parents are responsible for financing their children's education. Both custodial and non-custodial parents (regardless of legal settlements) who are divorced, separated, or never married should contribute to educational costs. In exceptional cases, where one parent cannot comply, the custodial parent should submit the Statement of Explanation Form.

The conditions under which we may consider waiving the non-custodial requirement are:

• The non-custodial parent's whereabouts are unknown.
• The non-custodial parent has not had contact with the applicant for an extended period.
• The non-custodial parent provides no financial support to the student.

At Tallulah Falls School, we are committed to providing an inclusive and diverse educational environment for all students. We understand that families go through various life circumstances, including divorce. To support divorced parents who wish to provide their children with quality education, we have developed the following policy specifically designed to address the needs of divorced families.

Definition of Divorced Parents
Divorced parents refer to legally separated or divorced parents with joint or sole custody of their child.

Financial Aid Eligibility
Divorced parents are eligible to apply for financial aid following the standard financial aid application process.

Non-Custodial Parent's Financial Information
It would be unfair for the school to subsidize a student's education when one parent is capable but unwilling to contribute to the student's education expenses. Instead of both parents submitting the required documents, the school may consider an amount equal to three-quarters of the student's child support.

A divorce agreement does not negate a parent's responsibility for educational expenses. The application should reflect each household's income.

If a student has a guardian who is not their parent, the school requires letters of guardianship.

A number of factors determine whether or not a family qualifies for financial aid, including assets, income, and expenses. Tallulah Falls School is proud to assist many families with different socioeconomic circumstances and encourages all to apply for assistance. 

Returning families must submit their full, completed application by February 1st each year. Newly accepted families' applications must be submitted two weeks after they are accepted into the school. 

Yes, all families must complete the Clarity application to the best of their ability, including the Non-US Tax Filer Verification upload. If you live in Canada, you will be prompted to upload your T1, T4, and Notice of Assessment.

Please click to review the Tallulah Falls Financial Aid Policy.