For most families, investing in an independent school education requires careful financial planning.

As a school, we seek to admit talented and motivated students, regardless of family resources.

Triangle Day School is committed to creating awareness, developing cultural competence, and building a diverse and inclusive environment where all persons are valued for their unique qualities by enhancing the entire student body through socioeconomic, cultural, and geographic diversity. In fact, research has proven that a diverse environment leads to better learning outcomes for all students.

Families who feel the full tuition cost is out of their reach should not hesitate to visit or apply. We are here to help you determine the best options for your family with this very important educational investment.

We initially chose TDS due to the small class size and teacher:student ratio, the emphasis on character education in a secular environment, and the welcoming “community” feel that we experienced from our very first visit. Over time, our affection for TDS has only grown.

Current Parent

23% of Families Receive Financial Assistance

We work to enroll the most dynamic student body possible, regardless of a family’s financial background. When determining a family’s eligibility for aid, Triangle Day School uses the Clarity Application to determine a family’s level of financial need based on the information that families share which includes assets, income, expenses, and debts. Admissions decisions are made prior to evaluating families’ financial need, which is calculated by Clarity without regard to race, gender, ability, ethnicity, or religion, and all financial information, including award amounts, is kept completely confidential.

2026-2027 Tuition & Fees

Grade Level Tuition
TK & K $17,420
1st-5th Grades $19,185
6-8th Grades $21,730
Additional Fees
New Student Application Fee $90
Building Fee (one-time, for new students) $1000 (first student) $500 (each additional sibling)
Clarity Application Fee $60
Tuition Refund Plan 1.95% of the annual tuition charges (required unless tuition is paid in full in July)
After School Program (optional) $29/day (for a lower rate, semester and year-round contracts are available)

How to Apply for Financial Assistance

Clarity Apply Button

Priority Deadline for New Families: January 11, 2027

To get started, please go to the Clarity Application and create an account. The application typically takes less than 30 minutes to complete. The Clarity Application is also mobile-friendly so you can complete it from anywhere. You are also able to save your progress and return at any time. There is a $60 fee to submit, and you can share your application with additional schools that accept the Clarity Application for no additional charge. Simply use the dropdown menu in the application to select those schools.
If the Clarity Application fee presents a financial hardship, please contact the Admissions Office.

Please complete the Clarity Application at the same time as your Admissions Application, if possible. This allows us enough time to process both applications and provide you with the information you need to join the TDS community!

Clarity FAQ

Clarity offers a streamlined, mobile friendly application that can be completed in as short a time as 20 minutes. Additionally, Clarity removes the need to upload your W2 and 1040 by transferring them directly from the IRS. This reduces the amount of information that you will need to enter manually and makes it possible to complete the application quickly and efficiently.

None! Clarity imports your information directly from the IRS, so there are no uploads to deal with. However, gathering information like your most recent tax documents can help you complete the application.

Once you’ve filed this year’s tax return, Clarity will automatically update your application with the new information.

Clarity is certified for both GDPR and SOC2 and uses enterprise-level security standards including end-to-end encryption of all personally identifiable information. For more information, please refer to Clarity’s Privacy Policy.

Yes, you will need to submit a Clarity application each year in order to qualify for financial aid; however, Clarity retains your information from previous applications, so it will be even easier to reapply.

Families receiving financial assistance will also receive a comparable discount (in percentage) on contracts for the After-School Program.

Yes! Clarity’s application is fully mobile-friendly so you have access wherever you are.

If you need support during the process of completing your application, there is in-app support available through the “Help” button in the bottom left of the screen, as well as email and phone support at support@clarityapp.com or 206-210-3752, in both English and Spanish.

NC Opportunity Scholarship

schhol choice North Carolina

See if your family is eligible!

In addition to Financial Aid from TDS, we participate in and encourage parents to apply to the Opportunity Scholarship Program through the NC State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA). This program can award up to $7,942 per year towards tuition for eligible students that apply.

New families who apply to the Opportunity Scholarship Program by March 1 will be considered in the lottery.
We encourage all families to apply between February 1 and March 1!

Financial Aid at Independent Schools

Financial Aid

TISC TALK Episode 3

Financial aid: How does it work? How do you apply? Who qualifies? All these questions and more are answered by Nancy Hayes and Margaret Mills, two admissions experts with decades of experience at independent schools.

Questions?