Navigating Tuition and Financial Aid at Brimmer and May School

Brimmer and May School, a co-ed private day school located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, is committed to providing a strong and supportive learning environment. The school inspires students to learn, encourages them to explore, and empowers them to lead, preparing them for the rapidly evolving world. This article delves into the details of tuition fees and financial aid opportunities available at Brimmer and May, providing prospective and current families with essential information.

Brimmer and May: An Overview

Brimmer and May is a PK-12 school that upholds high academic standards while implementing innovative ideas in a supportive and student-centered community. The school develops lifelong learners who are informed, engaged, and ethical citizens and leaders in our diverse world.

The school's guiding principles are:

Inspired to Learn: Inspiring students to be active learners, confident problem-solvers, and critical thinkers who work both independently and collaboratively.
Encouraged to Explore: Encouraging students to engage their curiosity, expand their creativity, explore their interests, develop their voices, and strive for their personal best.
Empowered to Lead: Empowering students to embrace opportunities, develop their intellect with character, and lead in the global community.

Brimmer and May's curriculum combines academic excellence with innovative practices in the context of a global perspective. Emphasizing ethical citizenship and active learning, the school cultivates responsible, articulate, and motivated students in a caring, inclusive, and diverse community.

The school has a student population of 419 and a student-teacher ratio of 6:1. Approximately 80% of the faculty hold master's degrees or higher. Brimmer and May School is located in the State of Massachusetts of USA. The closest major city is Boston, which is about 5 miles away from school.

Understanding Tuition Fees

Tuition and fees at Brimmer and May may vary depending on the grade level. It is important to contact the admissions office for the most up-to-date information and to clarify any questions regarding the cost of attendance.

Financial Aid: Making Brimmer Accessible

Brimmer and May is committed to making the Brimmer experience affordable for families from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. Any student who is enrolled or applying for admission is eligible to apply for financial aid. Financial aid grants at Brimmer are 100% need-based. The school does not offer merit awards or scholarships.

The Clarity Application

Brimmer and May uses the Clarity Application to determine a family’s level of financial need. The application typically takes less than 30 minutes to complete and is mobile-friendly. There is a fee to submit the application, but it can be shared with additional schools that accept the Clarity Application at no extra charge.

Application Deadlines

For current Brimmer families, the Financial Aid application deadline for the 2026-2027 school year is January 5, 2026. For new applicants to Brimmer, the deadline is January 23, 2026.

Required Documents

Applicants must submit the following documents:

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Completed Clarity application by the appropriate deadline from all applicant parents/guardians (including spouses, if remarried).
Supporting documentation submitted in Clarity by February 6, 2026 (new applicant families only). This includes:
- A signed federal tax return (1040) with all supporting schedules from the previous tax year.
- Copies of current year’s W-2s from all working parents.
- IRS Form 1099 if self-employed.
- 1040 and W2 documents will be automatically transferred from the IRS when you complete the verification step in Clarity.

Financial Aid Committee Review

Once all forms are received, Brimmer’s Financial Aid Committee begins a thorough review of the information provided by the family. Based on the information families provide on the application, Clarity generates an estimated amount that families can contribute towards educational expenses. This amount is used as a starting point for discussions and allows the Financial Aid Committee to be fair and objective in its decision-making.

Factors Considered

Your family’s taxed and untaxed income, assets, and benefits (such as unemployment or Social Security) are all considered in the formula. In addition to income, personal/family assets are taken into consideration in the calculation of awards. The school believes that every family has an obligation to contribute towards their child’s education and expects that this commitment (regardless of level) is reflected in the application.

Financial Aid Awards

Financial aid awards vary from 10% to 95% of tuition. Financial aid awards are directed towards tuition only. However, depending upon grade and aid level, additional funds may be granted for books, iPads, orientation programs, and trips.

Additional Considerations

Any family can apply for financial aid, regardless of whether assistance was provided at their year of entry. With that said, aid cannot be guaranteed, and parents should plan ahead of time for annual tuition increases as well as tuition levels of future grades/divisions within the School.

Each parent (regardless of level of contribution) has a financial obligation toward the education of their child/children. To that end, each parent is required to complete a Clarity application. If there are extenuating circumstances preventing this from happening, please be in touch with the Financial Aid Office. The school does consider the ability of stepparents to contribute in their calculations, though recognize that they have a greater financial obligation to their biological children when applicable.

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Due to the generosity of donors who have made gifts to the school's endowment that are restricted to financial aid, Brimmer is proud to offer a number of named scholarships to current students each year.

Payment Plans

The School offers a payment plan through Blackbaud Tuition Management, enabling parents to pay in a variety of installments. Enrolled families will receive two statements (one in June, one in December), and the first payment is due July 1.

Navigating the Admissions Process

To begin the admissions process, complete the inquiry form to receive an information packet. To schedule a tour or interview, create a Ravenna Hub account. After creating a student profile, navigate to the School Directory and choose to explore or apply to Brimmer and May School.

Application Steps

From the Ravenna Hub account, you will be able to see all the application steps that are part of the process, including Campus Tours and Interviews. A parent/guardian interview is required for students applying for grades PK-5. Students applying for the 5th grade attend the campus visit with their parents in order to complete their student interview and student assessment. Student assessments for grades PK to 4 are completed on the Friday prior to Martin Luther King, Jr. Weekend. All applications materials, as well as student and parent interviews, must be completed by January 15.

Visiting the Campus

The Admissions Office is located in May Hall (96 Middlesex Road), a brown shingle-style house on the edge of campus. There are clearly identified visitor parking spots behind the building. If those spaces are occupied, you may also park on the street for up to two hours.

Waitpool

When a student is placed in the waitpool, it means that the school may not be able to offer them a space. After April 10, the school will know how much space is available. If at that time, the school still cannot offer a space, families in the waitpool may choose to remain there during the spring and summer months.

International Students

Brimmer welcomes students and families from all around the world who enrich the community. Brimmer does support I-20 forms for students in grades K-12. For students in grade Pre-K to 8, the school requires students to be living with their parent(s) while attending school. Brimmer is not a boarding school and therefore for students in grades Pre-K to 8 the school does not provide housing, residential arrangements, or allow homestay agreements.

Revisit Days

There are revisit days offered for accepted Lower School students in early April. There is a parent/guardian coffee and panel for grades Pre-K through 2 and a student and parent/guardian morning event for grade 3 through 5. There are revisit days offered for accepted Middle and Upper School students in late March/early April. If accepted, families will be notified of the scheduled revisit days. During a revisit day, students will attend classes, meet faculty, and have an opportunity to meet Division Heads.

Location and Contact Information

Brimmer and May School is located in Chestnut Hill, MA, approximately 5 miles from Boston.

Directions

By MBTA Green Line: Take the MBTA Green Line ("D" towards Riverside) to the Chestnut Hill stop. Take the footpath beginning on the inbound side of the tracks to Middlesex Road and turn left. Walk several hundred yards down Middlesex Road to the first stoplight.
From Boston: Follow Route 9 (west) through Brookline to the intersection of Route 9 and Hammond Street. (Route 9 is also called Huntington Avenue in Boston and Boylston Street in Brookline.) Turn right onto Hammond Street. At the first stop sign, turn right again onto Middlesex Road. (You will see the Chestnut Hill Post Office on the corner.) Drive down Middlesex Road to the first stoplight.
From Route 128: Take Route 128 to exit 36 for Route 9 east. Follow Route 9 for 3.6 miles. Turn left onto Hammond Street. At the first stop sign, turn right again onto Middlesex Road. (You will see the Chestnut Hill Post Office on the corner.) Drive down Middlesex Road to the first stoplight.

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