Tuition & Financial Aid

We understand that getting an education is a significant financial undertaking. We are dedicated to helping you afford the cost of your education through our strong financial aid program.

Nearly 75% of our current students receive financial aid, and we will provide over $1,100,000 in NBSS scholarships directly to qualified students this year. Our team is here to help you understand your eligibility for all types of financial aid, including scholarships, grants, loans, and other educational benefits.

Note: The Department of Education recently announced that schools will not receive data needed to make financial aid awards until mid-March. We are focused on making this process as smooth as possible and will keep you informed of any updates.

Tuition by Program

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September 2023 – June 2024

  • Tuition is $25,800 per year totaling $51,600*, with the option of making 18 monthly payments of $2,778.
  • The estimated cost of hand tools is $1,700.
  • The estimated cost of materials is $1,300.
  • The estimated cost of transportation, room, and board for optional class trips is $100-$3,000.

* North Bennet Street School reserves the right to increase tuition in the second and subsequent years of a course. If the School does increase tuition for a course in subsequent years, that increase will not exceed 7.5% of the previous year’s tuition. Should the School exercise its right to increase tuition, the School must give the student a minimum of ninety (90) days written notice prior to the effective date of the increase and a new enrollment agreement will be executed.

September 2023 – June 2024

  • Tuition is $25,800 per year totaling $51,600*, with the option of making 18 monthly payments of $2,867.
  • The estimated cost of hand tools is $4,000.
  • The estimated cost of materials is $3,500.
  • The estimated cost of transportation, room, and board for optional trips is $300.

* North Bennet Street School reserves the right to increase tuition in the second and subsequent years of a course. If the school does increase tuition for a course in subsequent years, that increase will not exceed 7.5% of the previous year’s tuition. Should the school exercise its right to increase tuition, the school must give the student a minimum of ninety (90) days written notice prior to the effective date of the increase and a new enrollment agreement will be executed.

September 2023 – June 2024

  • Tuition is $26,300, with the option of making 9 monthly payments of $2,923.
  • The estimated cost of hand tools is $3,350.
  • The estimated cost of books is $250.
  • The cost of materials is $1,000, billed as as $500 per semester.
  • Students are responsible for their own transportation to site work.

* North Bennet Street School reserves the right to increase tuition in the second and subsequent years of a course. If the school does increase tuition for a course in subsequent years, that increase will not exceed 7.5% of the previous year’s tuition. Should the school exercise its right to increase tuition, the school must give the student a minimum of ninety (90) days written notice prior to the effective date of the increase and a new enrollment agreement will be executed.

September 2023 – June 2024

  • Tuition is $25,800 per year totaling $51,600*, with the option of making 18 monthly payments of $2,867.
  • The estimated cost of hand tools is $1,900.
  • The estimated cost of materials is $3,000.
  • Palladium and platinum provided by the department’s Metals Library.

* North Bennet Street School reserves the right to increase tuition in the second and subsequent years of a course. If the school does increase tuition for a course in subsequent years, that increase will not exceed 7.5% of the previous year’s tuition. Should the school exercise its right to increase tuition, the school must give the student a minimum of ninety (90) days written notice prior to the effective date of the increase and a new enrollment agreement will be executed.

September 2023 – June 2024

  • Tuition is $21,600, with the option of making 9 monthly payments of $2,333.
  • The estimated cost of hand tools is $1,900.
  • The estimated cost of books is $200.
  • The estimated cost of transportation, room, and board for the class trip is $100.

Basic Piano Technology

September 2023 – June 2024

  • Tuition is $26,300, with the option of making 9 monthly payments of $2,923.
  • The estimated cost of tools is $1,800.
  • The estimated cost of transportation for class trips is $300.

Advanced Piano Technology

September 2023 – June 2024

  • Tuition is $26,300*, with the option of making 9 monthly payments of $2,833.
  • The estimated cost of hand tools is $800.
  • The estimated cost of transportation for class trips is $300.

* North Bennet Street School reserves the right to increase tuition in the second and subsequent years of a course. If the school does increase tuition for a course in subsequent years, that increase will not exceed 7.5% of the previous year’s tuition. Should the school exercise its right to increase tuition, the school must give the student a minimum of ninety (90) days written notice prior to the effective date of the increase and a new enrollment agreement will be executed.

September 2023 – June 2024

  • Tuition is $26,300* per year totaling $52,600, with the option of making 18 monthly payments of $2,923.
  • The estimated cost of hand tools is $5,000.
  • The estimated cost of books is $250.
  • Students are responsible for materials for their own projects.
  • Students are responsible for their own transportation to site work and class trips.

*North Bennet Street School reserves the right to increase tuition in the second and subsequent years of a course. If the school does increase tuition for a course in subsequent years, that increase will not exceed 7.5% of the previous year’s tuition. Should the school exercise its right to increase tuition, the school must give the student a minimum of ninety (90) days written notice prior to the effective date of the increase and a new enrollment agreement will be executed.

September 2023 – July 2024

  • Tuition is $26,800 yearly totaling $80,400 with the option of making 30 monthly installments of $2,780.
  • The estimated cost of hand tools is $2,800.
  • The estimated cost of materials for violins is $1,000 per year (totaling $3,000 for the program), billed in monthly installments of $100.

North Bennet Street School reserves the right to increase tuition in the second and subsequent years of a course. If the school does increase tuition for a course in subsequent years, that increase will not exceed 7.5% of the previous year’s tuition. Should the school exercise its right to increase tuition, the school must give the student a minimum of ninety (90) days written notice prior to the effective date of the increase and a new enrollment agreement will be executed.


Note: Information about the costs of short courses is listed in the Community Education page. With the exception of veteran’s benefits for our Three-Month Furniture Making program, Community Education courses are not covered by Financial Aid.

75%
of NBSS students receive some kind of financial aid
$1.1M
in scholarship funds provided to qualified students this year
$10K
average amount awarded to those who qualify

Financial Aid

Applying for financial aid at our School is easy, and it’s never too early to get started. Just follow the steps below to be considered for a full range of funding, including private and NBSS scholarships, federal or state grants, federal or private loans, and more.

Apply for Financial Aid

  1. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Our school code is 015527.
  2. Review the wide range of NBSS scholarships we offer, based on need and background. You may be eligible for more than one, and the FAFSA is the only form you need to complete.
  3. Look into Veterans Administration benefits. Our NBSS Yellow Ribbon Program may also be able to support your education.
  4. Finish your Admissions Requirements, as we only provide aid packages for accepted students.
  5. Search for private scholarships. To date, our students have received funding from over 40 different sources.

Estimate Your Award

Get a rough snapshot of your costs and forecast your award eligibility with our online net price calculator.

Note: The Department of Education recently announced that schools will not receive data needed to make financial aid awards until mid-March. We are focused on making this process as smooth as possible and will keep you informed of any updates.

Financial Aid Details

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It’s never too early to get started on applying for financial aid. You simply need to complete a FAFSA* for each academic year. Our school code is 015527.

You may receive financial aid at any point during your time as a student. However, in case we need more information from you, we suggest you apply no later than one month before the end of your enrollment period. Review our Financial Aid timeline.

*Enrollment at NBSS is considered undergraduate enrollment, whether or not you already have a bachelor’s degree. For the FAFSA question “When you begin the upcoming school year, what will be your grade level?” please answer as below:

  • First-year students and one-year programs, please select “Never attended college/1st year” or “Attended college before/1st year.” (Applies to all programs, including Advanced Piano Technology)
  • Second-year students, please select “2nd year/sophomore.”
  • Third-year Violin Making & Repair students, please select “3rd year/junior.”

Review and apply for federal, state, institutional, and private grants/scholarships.

View our dedicated Veterans page for more info, including the NBSS Yellow Ribbon Program.

Federal Direct Stafford Loans

These loans are awarded to NBSS students at the amounts and rates of the undergraduate loan program. Subsidized loans are for students demonstrating financial need as determined by the FAFSA application. Unsubsidized loans are for students who do not qualify for need-based loans. Direct Stafford Loan amounts are established by the United States Department of Education (DOE) at the following levels:

YearSubsidizedUnsubsidizedAnnual Total
Dependent Student1st year$3,500$2,000$5,500
2nd year$4,500$2,000$6,500
3rd year (Violin Making students only)$5,500$2,000$7,500
Independent Student1st year$3,500$6,000$9,500
2nd year$4,500$6,000$10,500
3rd year (Violin Making students only)$5,500$7,000$12,500
*For financial aid purposes, students are considered dependent until the age of 24, unless they meet certain other criteria. If you are under the age of 24, you can find your dependency status by visiting the FAFSA website.
Terms and Conditions

The federal government sets the terms and conditions of Federal Stafford loans. Current Direct Loan interest rates and fees are as follows:

2022-2023
(Loans disbursed after July 1, 2022. Interest rates for 23-24 will be set on July 1, 2023)
Undergraduate Subsidized: 4.99% interest rate; 1.057% origination fee
Undergraduate Unsubsidized: 4.99% interest rate; 1.057% origination fee

2023-2024
(Loans disbursed after July 1, 2023. Interest rates for 24-25 will be set on July 1, 2024)
Undergraduate Subsidized: coming soon
Undergraduate Unsubsidized: coming soon

Interest Payments

The Federal government pays the accruing interest on a subsidized loan during your in-school deferment and grace periods. If your loan is unsubsidized, you’ll be responsible for paying the interest. You may choose to make voluntary interest payments while in school to reduce the overall cost of the loan, or defer the interest payments until it’s time to repay. We recommend you pay the interest when you receive your bill every quarter. Otherwise, unpaid interest on unsubsidized loans will be capitalized (added to the principal balance) at the end of the grace period.

For more information on Direct Loan terms and conditions, and eligibility, please visit the Federal Student Aid website.

All first-time student loan borrowers at NBSS must complete a Direct Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN) as well as student loan entrance counseling before receiving student loan funds.

Step 1: Complete the Master Promissory Note

You’ll need to complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN) If you have not previously borrowed a Federal Direct Stafford Loan or have not borrowed within the last ten years. The MPN is an agreement between you and the federal government. It shows that you understand your responsibilities as a Federal Direct Stafford Loan borrower.

To complete your MPN online, please go to the Student Loan website and sign in using your FSA ID. Once you sign in, you’ll see the “Welcome to StudentLoans.gov” page. Select “Complete Master Promissory Note.” Then select your loan type, which is “Subsidized/Unsubsidized.”

You must complete the entire MPN process in one session, so be sure you have enough time before you start. Each MPN takes approximately 30 minutes to finish.

Step 2: Complete Loan Entrance Counseling

You must also complete Direct Loan Entrance Counseling if you haven’t borrowed a Federal Direct Stafford loan at NBSS before. Counseling explains your rights and responsibilities as a Federal Direct Loan borrower.

To complete your entrance counseling online, please go to the Student Loan website and sign in using your FSA ID. Once you sign in, please select “Complete Entrance Counseling.” On the next page, you’ll need to select counseling as an undergraduate student. It should take 20 to 30 minutes to finish the entrance counseling session.

If you need help completing your Direct Loan MPN or entrance counseling on-line, please contact the DOE Applicant Services help desk at 800-557-7394. You won’t be able to receive your student loans until you have completed your entrance requirements.

Direct Stafford Loan Exit Counseling

You’ll need to complete exit counseling before you graduate or leave the School. Direct Loan (DL) exit counseling explains your rights and responsibilities as a Direct Loan borrower. To complete your exit counseling on-line, please go to the Federal Student Loans website and sign in using your FSA ID.

Once you sign in, go to the “Tools and Resources” tab in the toolbar. Select “Exit Counseling.” You’ll then be able to access the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS), where you can complete exit counseling. Once you’re finished with exit counseling, they’ll notify the School’s Financial Aid Office. If you need help, please contact the DOE Applicant Services help desk at 800-557-7394.

Under the Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan program, parents of dependent students may borrow up to the difference between the annual cost of attendance and any other financial aid. We’ll assume Parent PLUS Loan eligibility for all dependent students. However, eligibility is based on credit approval by the Direct Loan Servicing Center. The interest rate on a new PLUS Loan is fixed at 5.30%. They set the rate for the upcoming year every July 1st. The current origination fee is 4.228%.

If your parents are denied the PLUS Loan for any reason, you’ll be eligible to get a Direct Stafford Loan as an independent student. For help with a credit decision, contact the Direct Loan Servicing Center at 800-848-0979 or visit their website.

PLUS Loan Terms and Conditions

Repayment starts 60 days after the funds are fully disbursed, and the repayment term is up to 10 years. Parents have the option to defer payments on the Parent PLUS loan while you’re in school, and for a six-month grace period after you graduate or drop below full-time enrollment. (Parents can also defer payments if they’re enrolled in college. They’ll need to submit an application for an in-school deferment.) The interest on the PLUS loan is not subsidized. It continues to accrue while deferred and is capitalized when the loan enters repayment. To request Parent PLUS Loan deferment, please call the Direct Loan Servicing Center at 800-557-7394.

Request a Parent PLUS Loan

To request a Parent PLUS loan, please complete this Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan Pre-Approval Request Form (PDF) and return it to our Financial Aid Office. We’ll include this form with your child’s financial aid award packet. If you prefer, you may submit your PLUS loan application directly to the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) by visiting the Federal Student Loans website.

All first time Parent PLUS Loan borrowers at North Bennet Street School must complete a PLUS Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN) prior to receiving their loan. Complete the PLUS Loan MPN by signing into the Student Loans website using your FSA ID. Once you sign in, select “Complete Master Promissory Note,” then select your loan type, which is “Parent PLUS.” For help completing the PLUS Loan MPN, please contact the DOE Applicant Services help desk at 800-557-7394.

We’re happy to work with students seeking alternative financing up to the cost of attendance. For more information on alternative financing, or processing an alternative loan, please contact the Financial Aid Office at 617-227-0155 ext. 115, or jdergay@nbss.edu.

The federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program forgives the remaining balance on your federal Direct Loans following 120 qualified monthly payments (ten years).

A common misconception regarding PSLF is that eligibility depends upon the kind of job one has. In fact, federal student loan borrowers employed in any industry may qualify for PSLF provided they work for a qualified employer, which includes the government, 501(c)3 organizations, and some other non-profit organizations.

Graduates of NBSS entering the industries for which we train may qualify for PSLF provided they work for a qualified employer, and meet all other PSLF program requirements. To familiarize yourself with the PSLF program, its requirements, and how to enroll, please visit the PSLF Help Tool on studentloans.gov.

Since 2020, the U.S. federal government has awarded postsecondary school students emergency grants through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF). Learn more about HEERF awards to NBSS students.

View our dedicated International Students page for more info.