Tuition & Financial Aid

Tuition

Most middle school families paid between $12,650 – $27,900 and most high school families paid between $16,450 – $31,900 in tuition during the 2023-24 school year.

Each year, tuition is set at a level that enables every student to enjoy the exceptional experience that is Vermont Commons School. The funding allows us to retain high-quality educators, provide a modern campus with up-to-date facilities, and maintain small class sizes.  The Comprehensive Fee is for the entire academic year and covers all normal parts of the school program; it includes the textbook and activity fees, athletic fees, lab fees, programs, clubs, field trips and Encounter Week programs. (Programs involving national or international travel, extra tutoring, or individually designed activities such as music lessons are not included in the Comprehensive Fee.).

It is our intent that the Vermont Commons student body be broadly representative of the community at-large and that our education be accessible to every admitted student. Our Financial Aid Program is intended to help us accomplish this goal. Traditionally, the school has allocated up to 16.5% of the operating budget to financial aid. Approximately 30% of our students receive Financial Aid, with an average award of $19,500.

The Comprehensive Fee for the 2024-25 school year is:

• $28,820 for 6th-8th grades 
• $32,895 for 9th-12th grades 

Payment Plans

We offer generous interest-free payment plans that help families spread out the cost of a VCS education within each academic year, as needed. Within 7 days of acceptance to the school, Vermont Commons requires the first tuition payment from newly admitted families to secure a space for the student. This payment is $1000 for those not applying for financial aid and $250 for those applying for financial aid. Payments typically beginning in the summer leading up to the school year.

Annual Payment Plan: 1 payment
Semi-Annual Payment Plan: 2 payments
Monthly Payment Plan: 10 payments

Financial Aid

Families who anticipate requesting financial assistance apply at the time they submit their re-enrollment contract or admissions application by completing the Parents Financial Statement through Blackbaud Financial Aid Management and providing their 1040 tax form for the current year.

Returning families who intend to apply for Financial Aid for the 2025-2026 academic year must submit a complete application with all supporting documents (including 2023 and 2024 tax returns) by February 25.  Late submissions result in reduced financial aid allocations or non-allocations.

Families new to Vermont Commons applying for admission and financial aid after these deadlines will receive full consideration on a rolling basis.  Please contact our Business Manager, Linda Bursell at lbursell@vermontcommons.org with questions. Vermont Commons does not review requests for financial assistance unless a student has been accepted to the school.

Helpful Documents

Families applying for Financial Aid should review the documents below which go into more detail regarding circumstances common among families at Vermont Commons.

• Financial Aid Frequently Asked Questions
• Vermont Commons School Financial Assistance
• Instructions for applying accessing the Blackbaud Financial Aid Application

Vermont Commons School admits mission aligned students irrespective of race, color, religion, gender and sexual diversity, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, place of birth, citizenship status, political affiliation, genetic information, or disability. All students are afforded the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to our students. The school does not discriminate on the basis of race, color religion, sex, national origin, pregnancy, ancestry, place of birth, gender identity, sexual orientation, citizenship status, political affiliation, genetic information or disability in the administration of its educational programs, admission, scholarships and loans, athletics, or other school policies.