Understanding MICDS Tuition, Affordability, and Financial Aid

Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School (MICDS) is a co-educational, college-preparatory, independent day school with a dynamic learning environment for intellectually curious and ambitious students. Serving more than 1,200 students from Junior Kindergarten (age 4) through 12th grade, MICDS is committed to preparing young people for higher learning and lives of purpose and service. This article delves into the costs associated with attending MICDS and the financial aid opportunities available to families.

MICDS Overview

MICDS is considered one of the nation's pre-eminent independent schools. MICDS cherishes academic rigor, encourages and praises meaningful individual achievement, and fosters virtue. Grades junior kindergarten through 4 and grades 9 through 12 are co-ed, while Middle School students in grades 5 through 8 learn within a framework of single-gender and co-ed classes. MICDS offers a wide array of programs and opportunities, including over 20 interscholastic sports. MICDS offers 29 different interscholastic sports in grades 9-12. Over the last 10 years, MICDS' athletic teams have claimed 74 state championships. The Arts Department faculty, all professional working artists, offer more than 40 studio and performing arts classes in the Upper School.

Notable Alumni

MICDS has produced many notable alumni, including:

Edna Fischel Gelhorn (1896): An American suffragist and reformer who played a prominent role in founding the National League of Women Voters.
Irma Rombauer Tuffs (1901): An American cookbook author, best known for The Joy of Cooking.
Vincent Price (1929): An American actor known for his performances in horror films.
Harriett Bland Green (1933): An Olympian who won a gold medal in the 4x100m relay at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
William DeWitt (1959): The managing partner and chairman of the St. Louis Cardinals.
Linda Wells (1976): An American journalist and founder of Allure magazine.
Jim Lee (1982): The Co-Publisher and Chief Creative Officer of DC Comics.
Joe Buck (1987): An American sportscaster.
Chrissy Taylor Broughton (1994): President and CEO of Enterprise Mobility.
Sterling K. Brown (1994): An American actor.

Tuition Costs

The cost of tuition is a significant factor for families considering MICDS. For the 2025-2026 school year, tuition is as follows:

Grades 5-6: \$31,460
Grades 7-12: \$37,090

MICDS acknowledges that tuition is a substantial investment and strives to make its education accessible through various financial aid programs.

Additional Expenses

Beyond tuition, families should also budget for additional expenses. These costs can range from \$300 to \$1,500, depending on the student’s grade level and interests. These expenses may include:

Textbooks
Summer reading materials
Extended day services
School supplies
Uniforms (if applicable)
Fees for activities and clubs
Transportation

Tuition Assistance Program

MICDS is committed to enrolling a diverse student body, regardless of a family's financial circumstances. The school offers a robust tuition assistance program to help make education affordable for qualified families.

Need-Based Assistance

MICDS’ tuition assistance program is need-based. Need is defined as the difference between educational expenses and the family’s ability to pay those expenses. The school awards over \$7.4 million in need-based tuition assistance each year to families. About 27% of students receive some amount of financial support.

Factors Considered

Family situations vary widely, and in addition to income, many factors are considered when determining a family’s need for assistance. These factors include:

Household size
Parent age
Number of children in tuition-paying schools
Business and personal assets
Debt

Application Process

To apply for tuition assistance, families must complete the Clarity Application. The application typically takes less than 30 minutes to complete and is mobile-friendly. There is a \$65 fee to submit the application, which can be shared with additional schools that accept the Clarity Application for no additional charge. Ciera Field guides prospective MICDS families step-by-step through completing the Clarity application and navigating the IRS verification process.

Read also: Affording ECU

Deadlines

Applications for tuition assistance should be submitted at the same time as the admission application. Adhering to the submission deadlines is essential for first round consideration. Applications for tuition assistance will be accepted beyond the deadline, though assistance may be limited.

Demonstrated Need

"Demonstrated need" is defined as the difference between the amount a family is expected to contribute to the cost of the student’s education and the amount of annual tuition. All families attending MICDS are expected to contribute toward the cost of their student’s education.

Eligibility

There are a wide range of financial profiles that qualify for assistance, and even a small award may be able to make a critical difference for a family.

Coverage

Tuition assistance is a tuition reduction. Families who receive need-based tuition assistance also receive partial assistance with other essential costs beyond tuition such as textbooks, summer reading, and extended day services.

Decision Timeline

Decisions on tuition assistance are made available at the same time as the admission decision and are included in the student enrollment agreement.

Read also: Withdrawals for College: A Guide

Impact on Admission

Admission decisions are made irrespective of a family’s ability to pay. The admission process and the tuition assistance process are separate and distinct.

Reapplication

Families must reapply for tuition assistance every year because a family’s financial circumstances are subject to change. However, if your family situation remains relatively the same, then you can expect relatively the same percentage of tuition assistance, understanding that tuition and fees are likely to increase each year. Significant changes in household income, either up or down, would likely have an impact on a family’s demonstrated need.

Divorced or Separated Parents

MICDS expects all parents to contribute to their child’s educational costs to the best of their ability. The Tuition Assistance Committee considers the income and assets of both natural parents, regardless of any disclaimers. If a parent has remarried, the stepparent’s financials are also considered. Therefore, both natural parents and their current spouses must complete separate Clarity tuition assistance applications. The enrolling parent is responsible for ensuring the other parent submits their application. Assistance may be denied if this information is not provided. Exceptions are made only if the enrolling parent provides third-party documentation showing the non-contracting parent has had no contact or provided no support for at least two years.

Confidentiality

Tuition assistance applications are reviewed by the Tuition Assistance Committee. All information is secure and held in strict confidence. MICDS takes the privacy and security of your personal information very seriously. Clarity is certified for both GDPR and SOC2 and uses enterprise-level security standards, including end-to-end encryption of all personally identifiable information.

Payment Options

MICDS offers several payment options to accommodate families' diverse financial situations.

10-Pay Plan

A 10-month payment plan (10-Pay Plan) is available. In this plan, monthly payments are automatically withdrawn from an account on a specific day of each month, June through March.

529 Plans

Yes, 529 plans can be accessed to pay tuition fees at MICDS for grades K-12. As of 2018, for federal tax benefit purposes, up to \$10,000 in tuition expenses per student per year is exempt. In addition, Missouri taxpayers can use 529 assets with no state tax consequences. This is not the case with all states, so if you reside outside of Missouri, please consult your tax advisor.

Third-Party Organizations

MICDS does not accept tuition payments on behalf of enrolled students from unrelated third-party organizations.

The MICDS Fund

Gifts to the MICDS Fund help to offset the cost of tuition and the full cost of educating a student at MICDS. All gifts are considered charitable contributions and are fully tax-deductible.

Admission

Application Deadlines

The Lower School application deadline for the 2026-27 school year has passed.
For applications to Middle School and Upper School where the deadline has passed, you are still encouraged to apply, and applications will be considered on a rolling basis, space permitting.
The original application deadline for those applying to grades 10-12 was 1/13/26, but applications received by 2/9/26 may still be considered for the first round of admission.
We are still accepting applications for ninth grade on a rolling basis.
The Junior Kindergarten Family Early Action Option (JK FEAO) is available for siblings of current students as well as children of faculty or staff.

Acceptance Rate

The acceptance rate of MICDS is 53%, which is lower than the national average of 86%.

A Community of Support

MICDS has a diverse, welcoming community. The school community is intentionally diverse, with students practicing different faiths, holding diverse ideologies and racial backgrounds, learning in different ways, and hailing from homes around this city and the world. MICDS strives to help new students connect to the community through programs like the Summer Bridge program for new ninth graders, which includes an orientation to the campus and the MICDS community, a preview of academic expectations and procedures, and the opportunity to begin building relationships with MICDS teachers and students. The advisory system, where students regularly meet throughout the four years of Upper School with their designated group of the same 10-12 students and one faculty member, also provides support and connection.

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