Understanding Dwight-Englewood School Tuition and Financial Aid

Dwight-Englewood School (D-E), located in Englewood, New Jersey, is an independent, college-preparatory day school. It serves students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade across three divisions: the Lower School (Pre-K through grade 5), the Middle School (grades 6 through 8), and the Upper School (grades 9 through 12). Investing in a Dwight-Englewood School education is a major commitment on the part of the family and should be given thoughtful consideration.

Tuition Costs for the 2025-2026 Academic Year

Tuition at Dwight-Englewood varies depending on the grade level. Here's a breakdown of the tuition costs for the 2025-2026 academic year:

Preschool (ages 3 & 4): \$35,430
Kindergarten: \$47,130
Grades 1 - 5: \$54,605
Grades 6 - 12: \$61,605

The tuition for Grades 6-12 includes middle and upper school lunch, trips, tuition insurance, technology fee, supplemental student accident insurance, and parents association dues.

Additional Fees

Besides tuition, families should also be aware of potential additional fees:

Computer: All 6th-grade students and new students entering the Middle School are billed approximately \$700 for an iPad and software. New students entering grades 9-11 may purchase a laptop from the school for approximately \$1,300 or bring their own device that meets school specifications.
Lunch: Optional for Lower School students in Grades 1-5, for a fee of \$1,460.
Books: Students in Grades 6-12 purchase books through an online bookstore, with costs ranging from \$400 to \$1,300 per year, depending on the classes selected.
Transportation: Bus services are available upon request, with costs varying based on bus routes.

Dwight-Englewood's Commitment to Financial Aid

Dwight-Englewood has a long-standing commitment to its financial aid program, allowing students to receive an independent school education regardless of their family’s financial circumstances. As a central part of its commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, Dwight values enrolling a student body with diverse talents, interests, and backgrounds. The school endeavors to support as many current and newly enrolled students as possible. However, the financial aid budget is limited, and Dwight receives more applications than its funding can support. Dwight-Englewood offers \$6.2 million in need-based grants to allow for socioeconomic diversity and access to students who are the best fit for our community.

Read also: A look into Dwight Howard's impact

Financial need is defined as the difference between a family’s financial resources and the school’s tuition fee. The program’s goal is to assist qualified students whose families could not otherwise afford an independent school education. Financial aid awards range from small grants to full tuition and fees for students applying to kindergarten through grade 12. Preschool aid (2s-Pre-K) is limited to partial grants.

Confidentiality and Need-Based Decisions

All financial aid applications are reviewed confidentially, comprehensively, and individually. Financial aid decisions are based on demonstrated need, and there are no specific benchmarks for income levels to qualify for financial aid. Providing additional narrative details in the application assists the Financial Aid Committee in understanding any extenuating circumstances unique to the family. Recipients of financial aid must reapply to confirm need-based eligibility every two years, and all financial aid information is kept confidential.

Applying for Financial Aid

To apply for financial aid at Dwight-Englewood School:

Check the financial aid box on the Ravenna admissions application.
Dwight works with a financial aid platform called Clarity to determine a family’s contribution amount. Dwight-Englewood School partners with Clarity to manage the financial aid application process. Click here to learn how to start your Clarity account and submit your application. Please review the Clarity Application Guide.

Financial Aid Application Deadlines

Financial Aid applications for new applicants are due by December 15th, 2025. No consideration for financial aid will be made unless the student has been accepted to the School.
Qualified families whose applications for financial aid are submitted correctly and on time are given priority in the distribution of funds.
New applicant families who submit aid applications after December 15, 2025, are evaluated on a funds available basis.

Admissions Information

Application Timeline for the 2026-2027 Academic Year

Application Opens: August 15th, 2025
Preliminary Steps (Part 1) Due: December 5th, 2025
All Additional Steps (Part 2) Due: January 15th, 2026

If the initial December 5th deadline is missed, a second-round application can be submitted. All second-round applications will be reviewed for grades in which spots are available in the Spring of 2026.

Notification and Reply Dates

Lower School:
- Notification Date: February 5th, 2026
- Reply Date: February 20th, 2026
Middle School:
- Notification Date: February 5th, 2026
- Reply Date: February 25th, 2026
Upper School:
- Notification Date: February 19th, 2026
- Reply Date: March 12th, 2026

Standardized Testing, Interviews, and Admissions Criteria

Dwight-Englewood requires standardized test scores (ISEE or SSAT) for Grade 5-11 applicants. These scores help evaluate applicants and are considered a piece of the puzzle in getting to know each student. Dwight-Englewood will offer the ISEE on-campus on: October 4th, November 8th, December 13th, and January 10th.

Read also: Dwight School Affordability

All interviews will be conducted virtually. Once you submit the Preliminary Steps (Part 1), please register for your interview on Ravenna.

Dwight-Englewood looks for kind and community-minded students of demonstrated motivation and ability who will contribute to the D-E community beyond just the classroom. The school seeks to admit intellectually prepared, diverse, and talented students.

Sibling and Legacy Applicants

Dwight-Englewood values its relationships with sibling and alumni families but does not offer Early Action. Admission is not guaranteed based on a prior association with D-E; sibling and legacy candidates undergo the same Admissions Committee review as all other applicants.

Grade-Specific Admissions

Dwight-Englewood accepts about 40-45 new students into the 9th grade. The school accepts students in the 10th and 11th grades based on grade attrition but does not accept students for the 12th grade.

Dwight-Englewood School Overview

Dwight-Englewood School teaches students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade in three functionally separate schools. The Lower School serves students in pre-kindergarten through 5th grade in Drapkin Hall. The Middle School serves students in 6th through 8th grade. The Upper School serves grades 9 through 12. As of the 2019-20 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,040 students (plus 28 in PreK) and 125.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student-teacher ratio of 8.3:1.

The Dwight School for Girls was founded in 1889, and the Englewood School for Boys was established in 1928. In 1973, the two schools formed a nonprofit corporation known as Dwight-Englewood School. The school's campus consists of 15 buildings totaling 318,000 square feet (29,500 m2).

Academics and Extracurricular Activities

Dwight-Englewood offers a wide range of academic and extracurricular activities. The school has Principals for the lower, middle, and upper schools, as well as deans of students. Within the schools, there are departments for Math, English, History, Science, Language, Physical Education, Technology, Human Development, and Arts.

The Dwight-Englewood Upper School robotics teams compete in FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC). In fifth grade, students compose and write an original opera. The Dwight-Englewood Student Government is divided into many initiatives.

tags: #dwight #englewood #tuition #costs #financial #aid