Grades K-5 $39,000
Grades 6-8 $42,500
Inclusive Tuition Model: Tuition includes costs for books, class supplies, field trips, concert expenses, and yearbooks.
Payment Plan Options
Crowden School uses Clarity for all contracts and tuition payments.
Once a student is accepted to Crowden School, they will receive a contract that shows the total tuition due (including any tuition assistance that has been applied). A deposit totaling 10% of the net tuition (after all tuition assistance has been applied) is due upon signing the contract.
Families may then choose a one payment, two payment, or ten payment plan for the remainder of their tuition.
Tuition payment can be made via credit card or by ACH. Clarity will apply a small fee for credit card payments. If you choose to pay by ACH, there are no additional fees.
Tuition Assistance
Qualified students should apply to Crowden School regardless of ability to pay full tuition.
Crowden School budgets a significant fraction of revenue to tuition assistance. As part of our commitment to musical talent, academic excellence, and distinction in the student body, the actual cost of a Crowden education is substantially more than the tuition we charge—approximately $2,200 to $2,500 more per pupil—which is raised by tax-deductible donations from families, alumni, and friends of the school. We annually solicit contributions to close this gap and support the provision of tuition assistance.
Crowden School is proud to use the Clarity Application to determine a family’s level of financial need based on the information that families share in the application which includes assets, income, expenses, and debts.
Each year in the fall, Clarity offers webinars for all families at any Clarity school who may be interested in learning more about how to fill out the Clarity Application for Financial Aid. Any family can register for and attend any webinar they choose. Please note that webinars are recorded and will include an open Q&A with families.
Clarity Family Application Information Webinars:
September 23, 7pm Pacific Time
Questions about the school’s Tuition Assistance policies should be addressed to our Admissions team at 510.559.6910 ext. 122 or admissions@crowden.org.
New students
January 31st, 2026: Tuition assistance applications and supporting documents due.
March 19st, 2026: Decisions are released. Accepted students will receive a contract offer that includes tuition assistance information.
Returning students
Dec 15, 2025: Tuition assistance applications and supporting documents due.
Early February 2026: Contracts and tuition assistance decisions.
Tuition Assistance awards are based on a family’s demonstrated ability to pay tuition as assessed through the Clarity application and supporting tax documentation. All families are welcome to submit a Clarity application to see if they qualify. Annual income is a significant consideration in the tuition calculation, but many other factors figure in the qualification process including assets (property, investments, business assets etc.); liabilities and debts, and other expenses. The number of children attending tuition charging schools, and the number of other family dependents, also impact the calculation.
Recognizing that family finances do not exist in a vacuum, The Crowden School layers in cost of living adjustments to our tuition assistance calculations. We encourage all families who question the affordability of a Crowden education to apply for tuition assistance.
Yes. Tuition Assistance is awarded annually. Because a family’s financial circumstances may change over time, all participants in the tuition assistance program are required to reapply each year. While Tuition Assistance is not guaranteed, as long as a family’s financial circumstances do not change significantly from year to year, families can generally expect a similar level of Tuition Assistance annually.
Tuition at Crowden School covers all educational expenses including books, classroom supplies, field trip costs, concert expenses, the bi-annual seventh and eighth grade tour, and yearbooks.
Weekly private lessons on your students’ primary instrument are required, and tuition does not cover the cost of private lessons. While all Crowden School students are required to take lessons from a private teacher, families may choose to either find a teacher outside of our community education program, or enroll through our community education program and take lessons on campus at Crowden. If you choose to enroll for private lessons through our community education program, you may also apply for tuition assistance to help cover the cost of private lessons. Tuition assistance for private lessons can cover up to 50% of tuition for qualifying families. Please contact Beth Vandervennet for more information, bvandervennet@crowden.org.
Yes! Crowden families can pay tuition with a one-time payment, in two installments, or in 10 payments throughout the year. You can choose the plan that works best for you when you submit your enrollment contract.
No. Crowden only awards Tuition Assistance to families based on demonstrated financial need.
Yes! Crowden School recognizes that, for some families, even a small modification to tuition can make a critical difference. If any amount of assistance would make it possible for your child to attend The Crowden School, we encourage you to apply.
No. Tuition Assistance is assessed separately from admissions decisions. Once admission decisions have been made the Tuition Assistance committee assesses tuition levels based on income, assets, debts, etc. of those being offered enrollment.
In the case of families with a stay-at-home parent, the tuition assistance calculation will include a modification for potential income of that parent. Exceptions will be considered in the case of caring for a preschool-aged child, a child with a disability, a seriously ill child, parent or grandparent, or if there are other special circumstances. Please make sure to note these possible exceptions in your Tuition Assistance application through Clarity. If you have questions, please contact Kirsten Shallenberg, Director of Admissions, kshallenberg@crowden.org.
Crowden School believes that all parents have an obligation to contribute to the expense of educating their children. Assets and incomes of all natural and adoptive parents will be considered in making a tuition assistance award. All parents and guardians must complete the Clarity Application and submit the required documents in order for the school to gain a realistic picture of family resources. The Tuition Assistance committee will not be bound by a claim that one parent is not responsible for educational expenses. If there is legal documentation that one parent has no financial responsibility for the child’s education, please submit that documentation with your application.
If either parent has remarried, we will consider the assets and earning potential of the step parent in conjunction with the natural parent and keep in mind the step parent’s responsibility to their own children.
If the non-custodial parent has little or no contact with their child for a significant period of time, and provides no financial support, the requirement may be waived and you will be asked to submit a verified form stating such. In such cases, the school requires a written statement about the parent’s absence from a non-family member (such as a family lawyer, clergyperson, or social worker) who is aware of the family situation.
If the non-custodial parent is providing financial support and/or is in contact with their child, Crowden School requires their participation in the process of determining any potential awards. Tuition Assistance is determined by parents’ ability to pay, not by their willingness.
Tuition assistance awards are included in your enrollment contract, which will be sent out to accepted students on Thursday, March 19, 2026.
Yes. If you would like to appeal your award, please follow the appeals process as outlined in your Clarity account. If you have questions, please contact Kirsten Shallenberg, Director of Admissions, kshallenberg@crowden.org.
We expect our families to share with us any material changes in their financial circumstances – for better or for worse – that might result in an equitable adjustment to their family’s contribution amount. If your family faces economic hardship due to an income change, please get in touch with Kirsten Shallenberg (kshallenberg@crowden.org) to discuss your financial situation and determine the next steps. The Crowden School is committed to doing our best to support our families through difficult financial periods.
There are a few Bay Area organizations that may offer small amounts of tuition support for qualifying families. We encourage you to reach out directly to those organizations to see if your family might qualify.
Guardsmen Scholarship Fund
(415) 856-0939
Independent Scholarship Fund
(510) 632-1366 x144
BASIC Fund
(415) 986-5650
Yes. Crowden School maintains strict confidentiality regarding the financial circumstances of our families. No one outside of the Tuition Assistance committee has access to a family’s financial information or is aware of which families receive a tuition assistance award.
The Crowden School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
Crowden is committed to creating a diverse environment, and we value our inclusive community of students, parents, and faculty and staff of all backgrounds. Together, we celebrate our many differences and unite in our shared love of music of all kinds and origins.
