Tuition & Affording WRA

An investment in your child's future.

Western Reserve Academy is committed to admitting talented and motivated students, regardless of family resources. We believe the cost of education should not deter you from applying. Each year, we award more than $8 million in need-based financial aid. We also offer merit-based scholarships — awards range from up to $50,000 for our boarders and $30,000 for our day students, as well as full boarding tuition coverage through graduation.

We are here to help you determine the best options for your family as you consider this very important decision.

Merit Scholarships

Merit scholarships will be awarded to the top applicants to WRA, regardless of family financial need. Recipients will be selected based on academic performance and intellectual promise, positive contributions to their community or school outside the classroom, strong character skills and leadership potential. In order to be considered for merit scholarships, students must complete their application for admission by the appropriate day or boarding application deadline.

Flip through to see all of our merit opportunities.

The Written in the Stars Scholarship Contest

This scholarship provides 100% boarding tuition coverage through graduation to a domestic applicant with boundless creativity. Participants must submit a creative project in response to a prompt, along with their WRA application, to be considered for this unique opportunity.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

Ohio Pioneer Scholarship

This scholarship provides 100% boarding tuition coverage through graduation. If you’re an exceptional boarding applicant from Ohio, then this is the chance of a lifetime! We’re looking for outstanding students who shine bright — whether that’s through intellectual pursuits, athletics, activism, creative passions, service to others, leadership or something else entirely. This scholarship is awarded to the top boarding applicant from Ohio, and the only step is to apply to WRA!

Click here to learn more!

The James Ellsworth Scholarship

This scholarship is named for James Ellsworth, WRA Class of 1868. Mr. Ellsworth was a pioneering philanthropist instrumental in securing the financial future of WRA.
Boarding - $50,000
Day - $30,000

The Helen Jacobsen Scholarship

This scholarship is named after former English and French faculty member, Helen Jacobsen, who taught at WRA during the early 1900s. Students who submit their application by the stated application deadline will receive priority consideration for this scholarship.
Boarding - up to $30,000
Day - up to $15,000

The 1826 Scholarship

This scholarship is named in honor of WRA's founding year and the continuation of the school's longstanding commitment to access for talented students. While we encourage students to submit their application by the stated application deadline, we recognize that the decision to apply to Western Reserve Academy may be made at different points within the admission timeline for each family. While students that submit their application by the stated deadline will still receive priority consideration for the 1826 Scholarship, students applying after the deadline may be considered, pending space and availability.
Boarding - up to $15,000
Day - up to $10,000




Financial Aid

We encourage families to apply for financial assistance where needed. WRA awards more than $8.2 million in need-based financial aid to 45 percent of the student body each year. If you are offered admission, WRA puts forth every effort to make education affordable for you.

Need-based financial aid awards are not loans; they are grant awards that do not need to be repaid. WRA's financial aid budget is funded through the school's endowment.

WRA uses 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. Financial aid applications are due at the same time as admission applications:

Day applications - Jan. 12, 2024

Boarding applications - Feb. 9, 2024

Please read below for details about the financial aid application. These resources from Clarity are especially helpful for navigating this process:

Applying for Financial Aid

WRA bases aid decisions on demonstrated need, which is defined as the difference between the amount of money a family can afford to contribute and the cost of tuition.

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. At the end of the application, there is a $60 fee to submit.

Check the “Documents Requests” panel on your portal to see what you need to upload.

Deadlines for submission are as follows:

Day Applicants - January 12, 2024

Boarding Applicants - February 9, 2024

Please note that if there is more than one household, each household will need to complete its own separate application. All information is held confidentially.

Once processed by Clarity, the results of your application will be visible to representatives of the WRA Financial Aid Committee. Any information that is provided to WRA will remain confidential. Whenever possible, financial aid decisions will be communicated concurrently with admission decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions about Financial Aid

Every one of our students has a success story to tell. We can't wait to tell yours.

Inquire Visit Apply

Get To Know WRA!

If you're looking for some literature about Western Reserve Academy, then look no further! Here is a list of our best sellers, award-winners, page-turners and more!

Settle in and explore.