Tuition and Financial Aid

Harpeth Hall offers a transformative education to the girls and young women of Nashville.

We are delighted you are interested in Harpeth Hall. For many families, investing in an independent school education requires careful financial consideration. We work to keep tuition and fees as low as possible to make a Harpeth Hall education feasible. Harpeth Hall seeks to enroll talented young women regardless of their family's ability to pay. Over $2 million in financial aid was awarded to 17% of the student body in the 2018-2019 school year and 98% of demonstrated need was met. 

Harpeth Hall is dedicated to the education of girls and young women and the the development of their limitless intellectual and personal potential. A Harpeth Hall education inspires young women to Think Critically, to Lead Confidently, and to Live Honorably. Being part of the Harpeth Hall community is a unique experience that is different from other schools.

Learn more about The Girls' School Advantage. 

Why We Chose Harpeth Hall



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If there is one word that encapsulates how we feel about Harpeth Hall, it is OPPORTUNITY.

Leisa Byars-McSpadden, Harpeth Hall Parent

 

Included in Tuition

  • Lunch
  • Day retreats and field trips
  • Student admission to all on-campus plays, concerts, and regular season athletic events
  • Athletic team uniforms and regular season travel
  • Student Accident Insurance
  • School publications, including yearbook and newspaper
  • Science fee

Also included for Middle School: 

  • After Care
  • Art Fee
  • Overnight class trips
  • Testing fees

Additional Expenses

Middle School

Middle School Additional Expenses

Families receiving financial aid may apply for the Olivia Fund and the Adeline Fund to potentially help cover costs beyond tuition

  • Textbooks: $250 - $500
  • Technology fee for laptop lease: $350 per year
  • School Uniform: A complete new uniform $200 - $250. (A uniform can be purchased from our monthly consignment sale, at the Hang Up, for a reduced price)
  • PE Uniform: Approximately $40

Optional Expenses

  • 7th/8th Choir Dress: $60 new or $30 previously worn  
  • Orchestra: Instrument rentals $35 - $50/month. Middle School orchestra uniform is $56
  • Dance: $75 - 250
  • Athletic Team Expenses: Athletic equipment that is necessary for a particular sport such as practice gear, cleats, lacrosse stick, softball, glove, etc. is purchased by families. This equipment will remain in the possession of the families after the season

Upper School

Upper School Expenses

Families receiving financial aid may apply for the Olivia Fund and the Adeline Fund to  defray expenses beyond tuition.

  • Textbooks: $250 - $500 
  • Technology fee: $400 per year
  • School Uniform: A complete new uniform $200 - $250. (A uniform can be purchased from our monthly consignment sale, at the Hang Up, for a reduced price)
  • PE Uniform: Approximately $40
  • Athletic Team Expenses: Athletic equipment that is necessary for a particular sport such as practice gear, cleats, lacrosse stick, softball, glove, etc. is purchased by families. This equipment will remain in the possession of the families after the season.

Optional expenses

  • AP Exam Fee: $94 per exam
  • Winterim Travel: costs vary based on location
  • Art Fee: $150 for yearlong studio courses; $75 for semester studio or photo courses; $50 for media courses
  • Choir Dress: $81 new, $40 previously worn
  • Orchestra: instrument rentals $35 - 50/month, uniform is $56.
  • Dance: $95 - $250 
  • Some co-curricular activities, mixers and dances: $10 average ticket price 

 

Financial Aid at Harpeth Hall

Admission decisions are made separately from financial aid determinations. The application process for both occur concurrently, in parallel. Families will receive an estimated financial aid package at the same time they receive their admission decision. All families contribute toward the cost of a Harpeth Hall education. We expect this investment to be among a family’s highest financial priorities. Financial aid determinations are confidential agreements between Harpeth Hall’s Financial Aid Committee and each family.

For any additional questions about applying for financial aid, please contact Director of Admission and Financial Aid, Wellesley L. Wilson, at 615-346-0098, or Associate Director of Admission and Financial Aid, Jessica Viner, at 615-346-0103.

 

First Steps

Steps to apply for Financial Aid for the 2020-21 school year:
  1. Create an account with SSS (School and Student Services), a confidential third party financial information review service.  Harpeth Hall's school code is 3718.
  2. Select SSS for Families.
  3. Select Login to Complete or Update Your PFS.
  4. Log in to your preexisting account or create a new account.

SSS offers a variety of resources for parents. Please use the following links to learn more about the financial aid process:

SSS Webinars 
SSS FAQs

For any additional questions about applying for financial aid, please contact Director of Admission and Financial Aid, Wellesley L. Wilson, at 615-346-0098, or Associate Director of Admission and Financial Aid, Jessica Viner, at 615-346-0103.

Financial Aid Policies

Click HERE to view the full Harpeth Hall Financial Aid Policy for 2020-2021.

FAQs

When should I apply for Financial Aid?

The financial aid process begins the year before a student would like to enter Harpeth Hall. If you are seeking financial aid for the 2020-21 school year, your financial aid process begins October of 2019. Families seeking financial aid will complete the online application available on SSS. A timeline of financial aid application deadlines is below.

 

For prospective families seeking financial aid in the 2020-21 school year:

October 1: SSS opens for families seeking financial aid for the 2020-21 school year.

January 6: Parent Financial Statement (PFS), 2018 and 2017 Federal Tax Returns and all related schedules due in SSS for all families seeking financial aid in 2020-21

February 1: 2019 W-2s and/or 1099s due in SSS

February 29: Admission and Financial Aid decisions available in the admission portal

March 6: Admission and Financial Aid Response Deadline

April 1: 2019 Federal Tax Return and all related schedules due in SSS

May 1: Enrollment Contract Binding Date

For any additional questions about applying for financial aid, please contact Wellesley L. Wilson, director of admission and financial aid, at 615-346-0098, or Jessica Viner, associate director of admission and financial aid, at 615-346-0103.

How and when is financial aid determined?

Harpeth Hall uses an objective third-party processor, SSS, to provide a financial profile of an applying family. SSS estimates the amount a family is able to pay according to their methodology. After careful consideration, Harpeth Hall determines a financial aid package for a family. We make every effort to partner with families who seek a Harpeth Hall education for their daughter.

Financial aid packages are available to current families during the re-enrollment period in late January and are available to new families at the time of admission in late February.

I'm not sure if our financial situation would qualify us for financial aid. Should I still apply?

Yes. Each year, the Financial Aid Committee makes a wide range of tuition decisions based on your family’s specific situation. The Financial Aid Committee considers a family’s income, assets, debts, the number of students in a tuition-charging school and/or university, and other financial responsibilities. After reviewing these items, many families are eligible to receive financial aid; therefore we strongly encourage everyone to apply for financial aid each year.

 

Is my financial information confidential?

Yes. All financial information is held in strict confidence by SSS and the Financial Aid Committee.

Do I have to reapply for financial aid each year?

Yes. Each student's financial need will be recalculated annually. Therefore, parents are required to reapply each year. All financial aid awards are contingent upon payment in full of the prior year's account.

Are there any payment options?

Yes, Harpeth Hall offers three payment plans: one payment, two payments, and a ten-month payment plan. Tuition payments are adjusted accordingly for families receiving financial aid.

How is financial aid funded?

Harpeth Hall as a whole is funded through a combination of tuition, fees, philanthropic giving, investment income, and auxiliary program revenue. The breadth and depth of educational opportunities available at Harpeth Hall entail substantial fixed costs, each family’s share of which decreases as more students are enrolled. The Financial Aid program reduces the expense of a Harpeth Hall education for full-pay families by distributing our total fixed costs across a broader base of tuition payers. Harpeth Hall is deeply committed to moderating tuition and fee increases for all families by augmenting our other sources of income and controlling our operating costs.

What other expenses are there other than tuition?

Uniforms, textbooks, and co-curricular activities are not covered by financial aid. Harpeth Hall has additional resources for families receiving financial aid that allow every girl to enjoy the full Harpeth Hall experience. More information can be found here.

 

How does financial aid benefit full-pay families?

To reduce the cost of a Harpeth Hall education for full-pay families, we distribute our fixed operating expenses across the entire student body. Harpeth Hall students are an engaged group of bright and curious girls from different socio-economic backgrounds. At Harpeth Hall, we aspire to reflect the composition of metropolitan Nashville. Read more about Harpeth Hall’s mission and values here.

Named Scholar Programs

Click HERE for the full list of Harpeth Hall's Named Scholar Programs and their descriptions.

Please note that some programs are designed for tuition aid while others aid with expenses beyond tuition.

Important Dates for Admission and Financial Aid

There are not enough words to describe the immense love and encouragement that permeates throughout Harpeth Hall's campus. To put it in the simplest way, Harpeth Hall is like the book you don't want to put down and never will.

Zora Young '19

The most important things I learned at Harpeth Hall are confidence and perseverance. There were times when I fit in with the crowd and other times I did not. Regardless, I gained the strength to overcome obstacles and keep standing. 

Tara Scarlett '91