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Tuition & Financial Aid

Invest in a Semester That Lasts a Lifetime

A semester at the Mountain School is an investment in academic growth, personal resilience, and lifelong community. We’re committed to making this transformative experience accessible to students from all financial backgrounds.

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Tuition, Deposit & Payment Plans

We know that planning for tuition is an important part of the decision to attend the Mountain School. Our goal is to make the process simple, transparent, and flexible so that families from all backgrounds can access this transformative semester school experience. Below you’ll find details on tuition, deposits, and payment plans designed to help you plan with confidence.

Tuition

Tuition for the Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 semesters is $39,750, which also covers student activities, fieldtrips, books, course materials, and community programming.

Deposit

To confirm your enrollment, a 15% non-refundable deposit of your family’s tuition balance (after financial aid) is required. This amount is applied toward your overall tuition.

Payment Plans

We understand that flexibility matters. Payment plans begin in May and allow families to pay tuition in up to 10 monthly installments, completed by the following February.

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Financial Aid

Making a Transformative Education Accessible

The Mountain School offers need-based financial aid to ensure that students from all backgrounds can experience our community. These are grants that never need to be repaid.

We do not offer merit-based scholarships, as every admitted student is already academically qualified and contributes to our shared community.

The Mountain School financial aid program is designed to make a Mountain School education possible for families based on demonstrated financial need and available funds. The Mountain School uses Clarity to determine a family’s level of financial need based on the information families share in the application, including assets, income, expenses, and debts. The Clarity application is mobile-friendly and fully translated into Spanish.
Applicants whose families wish to apply for need-based financial aid should submit the financial aid application along with required supporting documents through Clarity. A completed Clarity application is due at the same time as the student’s TMS application, February 15, for students applying for the upcoming fall or spring semester. The application will request tax returns; please submit the most recent year available.
If you are applying to the Mountain School after the February 15 priority deadline, please contact us at admissions@mountainschool.org to confirm whether financial aid is still available.
If you need support during the process of completing your application, there is in-app, phone, and email support available through the “Help” button in the bottom left of the screen. Additional resources:
Similar to the FAFSA used for college admissions, Clarity takes into account your family’s full financial picture, including income, savings and investments, real estate (excluding your primary residence, but second homes and investment properties are considered), the number of students in your family attending school, medical and health expenses, and the cost of living in your home city.
Because we receive applications from families with a wide range of backgrounds and from all over the country, we encourage you to reach out as early as possible if you have questions about your financial aid package.
In some cases, private schools that your family currently attends may send a prorated portion of your financial aid package to the Mountain School on your behalf. This can be combined with Mountain School financial aid to reduce your family’s contribution. If you are unsure whether your home school forwards financial aid, please contact our admissions team at admissions@mountainschool.org or speak with your school counselor.
All applications are first reviewed on their own merits, without consideration of financial aid status. In rare cases, when the overall financial need of the applicant pool exceeds available funds, a family’s demonstrated need may be considered alongside other factors in the admission process.
In the most recent admissions season, 40% of accepted students were offered a need-based scholarship. We do not offer merit-based scholarships, since all students who come to the Mountain School are academically motivated.
Sometimes, the Mountain School is unable to meet 100% of a student’s demonstrated need. This could be the case if you are applying late or if there is a particularly competitive application cycle. Over the years, we have seen students be extremely resourceful in contributing to their Mountain School education. Some past students have…
- Gotten a summer job to contribute towards their tuition and travel
- Applied for grants to local Lions Club, Rotary, or other community organizations
- Received support from a church or religious organization that they are a part of
- Received contributions from family members, such as grandparents
- Received contributions from local businesses
If you have another suggestion or would like to discuss these options, please email admissions@mountainschool.org

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Additional Costs of Attendance

Health Insurance

We require all students who attend the Mountain School to have active health insurance. If you do not have health insurance, you can purchase plans through the school.

Travel

Travel costs to the Mountain School can vary depending on where you live. Families are invited to attend Opening Day and Closing Day on campus in Vershire. This can also be helpful for moving into and out of the dorms. During the semester, there is one longer break (Thanksgiving or Spring Break) during which all students must leave campus. For students receiving a 100% scholarship, the Mountain School covers travel costs for the student and one family member.

Gear for Outdoor Program

You may need gear for the Outdoor Program at the Mountain School. As an alternative to purchasing new gear, TMS has gear libraries. We have sufficient cold-weather gear and camping equipment available for all students who prefer to borrow them.

Shipping & Miscellaneous

At the end of the semester, some students choose to ship items home rather than carry them on a plane. If you decide to ship items home, our office is happy to do so for you and will bill you for the shipping cost.