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Admissions

Affording PCD

We believe that the cost of a PCD education should not be a deterrent to any family, regardless of income.

We know that the published cost of tuition can make it seemingly impossible for many families to consider independent schools as an option, and we have worked hard to change that perception.
At the Providence Country Day School, we believe that the advantages of an independent school—especially those at PCD (small class size, individualized instruction, abundant opportunities for leadership in the classroom, arts, athletics, and the community), should be available to as many academically qualified students as possible.

That is why financially qualifying families may be able to take advantage of financial aid, designed to increase access and give families the opportunity to pay according to their demonstrated need.

Tuition Reset

PCD announced a major tuition reduction—called a tuition reset—for the fall of 2021. After listening carefully to the concerns of PCD parents and as a direct response to the skyrocketing tuitions of private education, we thought it was time to take a different path.
 
We recognized that the financial model for both independent schools and for higher education was broken. Tuition prices were spiraling out of control and it was no longer sustainable for either schools or for the families we serve, making private schools more exclusive than ever. This was contrary to our values. We felt compelled to finally do something about this complex problem, and reduced tuition by nearly 40%—one of the boldest moves in independent education today.

Applying for Financial Aid

Our financial aid program is designed to make a PCD education possible for all families based on demonstrated financial need and the availability of funds. We use the Clarity Financial Aid Platform 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.

If you need support during the process of completing your application, there is in-app support available as well as email support at support@claritytuition.com in both English and Spanish. The application itself is also fully translated into Spanish.

New families must submit their initial financial aid application by December 31.  Returning families must reapply for financial aid by December 1 of each year.

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  • Completing the financial aid application online

    • To get started, please go to the Clarity Application and create an account.
    • The application typically takes less than 30 minutes to complete.
    • The Clarity Application is mobile-friendly so you can complete it from anywhere.
    • You are able to save your progress and return at any time.
    • At the end of the application, there is a $60 fee to submit. You may 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 PCD may require you to upload additional tax documentation.

  • Additional Required Documents

    • 2023 federal 1040 tax form with all filed schedules, attachments, and W2 wage statement(s)
    • 2024 federal 1040 tax form with all filed schedules, attachments, and W2 wage statement(s)
    Recognizing that your 2024 tax documents will not be available by the December deadlines, the Admissions Office will make a preliminary determination based on your 2023 tax information received by the application deadline. Any offer of financial assistance will not be finalized until we receive your 2024 tax information.

  • Notification of the Financial Aid Decision

    We will communicate our financial aid decision to you directly with your admission decision (new families) or offer of re-enrollment (returning families). To make our decision, we use the information from the financial aid application as a starting point. We also consider our school policies and practices, as well as the budget we have available.

  • Note for Divorced/Separated/Never Married Parents and Guardians

    PCD requires that every living biological parent and/or legal guardian complete and submit a separate financial aid application for review.

Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

List of 3 frequently asked questions.

Tuition

Middle and Upper School tuition including meal plan (2024-2025 school year)

 
Grades 5-8
Grades 9-12
Domestic
$23,700
$26,800
International
$27,700
$30,800

Lower School tuition including meal plan (2024-2025 school year)

Pre-K
Kindergarten
Grades 1-4
$18,950
$17,850
$16,800

Payment Plans

PCD offers three different tuition payment plans.
  • PCD Single Full Payment Plan: Due in full by July 31
  • PCD Monthly Installment Plan: 12 payments due on the last business day of each month beginning on May 31
  • 50/50 Payment Plan: two equal payments due by June 30 and November 30

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  • Middle School Field Trip Fees

    • Grades 5 - 8: $550

  • Other Fees and Charges

    • New student enrollment fee: $500 (nonrefundable)
    • Books: $200–$500 (estimate)
    • Miscellaneous: Variable (Upper School Activity Day, AP exams, etc.) 
    • The Learning Center fee: Variable; for users only
    • Athletic fee: variable (covers off-campus facility rentals for applicable sports)

Contact Us for More Information

Please call 401-438-5170 to speak with an admissions representative to discuss how you can afford a PCD education.

Please note: Tuition Refund Insurance (approximately 1.35% of total tuition amount) is required for all first-year students, families on monthly and 50/50 payment plans, and families paying a reduced tuition based on financial aid regardless of payment plan chosen. For those families receiving financial aid, the premium is based on the total amount of full tuition and not the amount of financial aid. Click here for more information.

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