One of Schechter Boston’s main philosophies is that there is no limit to better. This means that the school community constantly reflects on how the program can be improved, teaching can be honed, student experience can be elevated and Jewish life and learning enhanced. Schechter is a better school when the community grows. This also means continually working toward the best and broadest possible offerings in financial aid programs for families.

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Schechter is committed to providing tuition assistance to help make a day school education affordable for families.

“We have been the beneficiaries of extraordinarily generous financial aid since our oldest started at the school,” says Benjamin Yudkoff, P ’27, ’29. “Our daughter comes home with a love of Yiddishkeit and an implicit sense of identity that we are tremendously grateful for. This dovetails into our home life and the broader sense of teaching about who we are and where we come from. She is proud of who she is, which gives us tremendous pride. Our middle child, rambunctious and full of vigor, has found such a home at the school. He takes pleasure in what he learns and has been the beneficiary of what the school has offered him.”

In partnership with a committed donor, eligible families who are new to Jewish day school can now qualify for Presenting Schechter, which gives families $10,000 off tuition in kindergarten through grade 2. Families can access this grant for one, two or three years, depending on the starting grade.

“At the time of my life that I most needed financial aid, as a fresh immigrant from Israel, a trainee at MIT, living off a stipend, while single-parenting my son—Schechter Boston was able to provide me with a sufficient discount to give my son a superb Jewish education,” says Naama Kanarek, P ’24, ’33. “Schechter provided our little family with peace of mind, a supportive community and an educational and social home that contributed significantly to our feeling at home in this country and to my professional success. Today, my son thrives in school and has the same opportunities that other, extremely fortunate students have. I don’t take this for granted because most immigrants, especially single parents, can’t offer this privilege to their children.”

Another program, Tiered iCap, is designed for simplicity and ease so that families can anticipate their core tuition obligation year after year. It is based on a grid of the family’s adjusted gross income (AGI), as listed on their most recent federal tax return, and the number of children enrolled at Schechter in kindergarten through grade 8. Families are subject to additional asset eligibility requirements.

Schechter has expanded eligibility for both programs in recognition of the growing financial demands on young families:

  • 2021 family income must be between $0 and $499,999, regardless of prior years.
  • Family assets (excluding primary residence and retirement—401k, 403b, IRA, etc.) must be less than $500,000.

Finally, traditional financial aid, which is granted on a year-to-year basis, is based primarily on the family’s prior year income and overall financial situation. All families, regardless of financial circumstances, are expected to contribute toward their child(ren)’s education. To determine financial need, Schechter works with Student and School Services (SSS), a consulting firm and processor of financial aid applications for independent schools across the country. Traditional financial aid may not be combined with any other program.

“We are so grateful for the generous financial aid program at Schechter!” says Ronna Ungar, ‘99, P ’30. “The application process was clear, and we were able to get any and all questions answered by the financial aid team. We used the iCap program last year. Being able to predict and plan for tuition each year is important for us. This year, we applied for traditional financial aid, which allowed us to provide more specific information about our family’s financial circumstances to the committee. Receiving financial aid is a huge factor in our enrollment decision at Schechter, and we are incredibly thankful to receive it and be a part of this amazing community.”

Learn More About Schechter Boston

Click here to learn more about the school’s full menu of financial aid programs.

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