Tuition & Affordability

Grymes is committed to building a thriving and diverse learning community.

We believe that a child’s access to a quality education should not be limited by their family’s ability to pay full tuition and we encourage you to consider Grymes regardless of your financial situation. Nearly 50% of Grymes families receive need-based tuition assistance and we awarded more than $350,000 in tuition assistance last year, in addition to offering flexible payment options. We will work with you to explore your options for ensuring that your child receives the best possible start to their educational journey.

THE VALUE OF GRYMES

Families often speak about the many rewards of the Grymes community. It starts with knowing that their children will be prepared academically to excel in high school, college, and beyond. More immediately, they describe the joy and excitement children bring home at the end of their school day. Many parents also note the security that comes from receiving frequent updates about their children’s progress. Others appreciate the character values that are actively nurtured within our community. Ultimately, it is knowing that their children are in a safe and stimulating place where they are free to be kids, surrounded by gifted adults who love them as their own.
“I am grateful that my girls felt safe, cared about, known and challenged. I never had to worry about them growing up here.”
“Our son had a passion for reading and we were afraid he’d get lost at a larger school. It’s amazing to see him blossom at Grymes.”
“Grymes provides such peace of mind. Knowing that our child is developing the character traits that will serve him throughout his life is priceless.”

TUITION

Setting the tuition is one of the most important responsibilities of the Grymes Board of Trustees. As a top priority, the school must generate sufficient revenue to attract and retain our faculty, whose reputation for teaching excellence and commitment to young people is much deserved. Small class sizes, wide-ranging programs, multiple buildings, and a beautiful 42-acre campus are additional expenses that require prudent financial planning.

A Grymes education is an investment in your child’s future. As we understand the challenges families face, let us work with you in giving your child the best educational start possible and one that will reap dividends for years to come.

FLEXIBLE PAYMENT PLANS

We offer three flexible payment plans that can make tuition payments easily manageable and worry-free for any family. With our payment plans, you have the ability to choose between paying in full, paying in three installments throughout the year, and paying in ten monthly installments throughout the academic year. You may choose how you would like to pay, whether from a checking/savings account or by credit card. You can access the FACTS online payment system here.

TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Interested in breaking down your tuition into more than ten installments to make the payments even smaller? No problem! We work closely with a company called Your Tuition Solution, which can offer even more flexibility to payment schedules for qualified families. Many Grymes families make use of this service, which we will happily refer to you during the admissions process.

FEE-FREE TUITION

Grymes’ tuition is comprehensive, which means that we do not charge additional fees. Tuition includes most of the tools used for classroom learning, particularly workbooks, daily planners, textbooks, readers and classroom technology. Our bus service is free of charge, and we do not charge technology fees, athletics fees or a Parents Association Fee, as many other schools do. The only additional charge that all parents* are required to pay along with tuition is a 1% Tuition Refund Insurance (TRI) payment, which protects against unexpected withdrawals. This payment is reflected in the first billing statement.

*All parents are required to purchase TRI unless paying in full in one payment.

Our Pre Kindergarten and Junior Kindergarten tuition is structured differently from our Kindergarten through eighth grade tuition. This five-day program offers choice in scheduling, and tuition varies based on the length of the day a student is enrolled. You may choose from:
Our Pre Kindergarten and Junior Kindergarten tuition is structured differently from our Kindergarten through eighth grade tuition. This five-day program offers choice in scheduling, and tuition varies based on the length of the day a student is enrolled. You may choose from:

AFFORDABILITY

Investing in your child’s education with an independent school education can be a difficult decision due to cost, and it’s our greatest wish that families of all means will find our program accessible. Through the Tuition Assistance Program, we can offer tuition in a wide range based on your family’s financial qualifications. To participate in the program, a family must apply and qualify each year. Qualified applicants may be eligible to receive up to 50% off in tuition discounts. While we cannot always guarantee that we can meet a family’s full need, we will do our best to make tuition more affordable for candidates who qualify for the program.

50%

Percentage of Grymes Families that Receive Some Form of Tuition Assistance

$350k

Amount Awarded in Tuition Assistance in 2019

$5,300

Amount of Average Yearly Award
To be eligible to participate in our Tuition Assistance Program, a family must demonstrate financial need based on criteria established by the School and Student Service for Financial Aid (SSS), a service provided by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). A completed SSS form provides a comprehensive review of a family’s financial profile, which SSS then uses to calculate a family’s need.
I can't begin to tell you how happy Grymes has made us. The children are truly challenged by teachers that truly care. It's an education miracle as far as I'm concerned. I was reflecting on the past year and the many challenges with moving and changing workplaces, and the one thing that shines brightly as overwhelmingly positive has been being accepted into the Grymes family.
Julie Hughes
Mother of two Upper School students

Frequently Asked Questions

SSS stands for School and Student Services, an objective and consistent service administered through the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) that evaluates a family’s financial need based on the financial profile that is submitted to them directly. More than 2,100 schools around the country use SSS as a way to determine a family’s ability to contribute to their children’s educational expenses.

Determining a family’s ability to contribute toward private school tuition requires a complex look at many factors in a family’s profile. The major factors reviewed include income and expenses, assets and debts, taxes paid, household size, and number of children enrolled in any program that charges tuition.

We suggest applying as you begin the Admissions process. Please note, the Tuition Assistance Program is separate from the admissions process and assistance offers are only considered after a signed contract and deposit have been returned and enrollment has been completed. If the amount of assistance awarded after a new family is enrolled is not sufficient to meet a family’s need, the enrollment deposit will be returned in full.

If you qualify to participate in the Tuition Assistance Program, you can be eligible to receive a discount of up to 50% towards your annual tuition. The resources we have budgeted for the program each year are limited, but we are committed to doing our best to meet your family’s needs.

After you submit your complete financial statement to SSS, it can take up to 14 days for us to receive the evaluation from SSS. Our Tuition Assistance Committee then meets to determine the amount of assistance we can offer based on the resources available. The entire process can take up to three weeks.