Tuition and Financial Aid

Mercersburg students in a math class using calculators.

An independent school education is a significant investment, and we’re committed to making tuition and fees affordable for all families.

Mercersburg Academy enrolls exceptional students who bring tremendous energy and talent to our community and in return benefit from the Mercersburg experience. Financial barriers should never stand in the way of a gifted young person having access to a Mercersburg education.

Our ability to provide access to a diverse population of students creates an intentional and unique community where students become engaged global citizens, independent and self-directed learners, and creative and discerning thinkers.

This school year, we awarded $9 million in financial aid to students from all demographics. Nearly half of Mercersburg families receive merit- or need-based aid, ranging from a few thousand dollars to the full cost of tuition and fees.

Boarding and Day Tuition

Boarding tuition for the 2022-2023 school year is $66,900; day tuition is $39,650. Tuition covers top-tier academic programming, student activities, campus speakers, school events, and most other aspects of the student experience. (Day tuition covers some meals; boarding tuition covers all meals and dorm lodging.)

When considering the school's operating budget, the true cost of tuition is $78,000 per student. The generosity of Mercersburg's alumni, parents, and friends makes up the difference through the Annual Fund and philanthropic gifts to the school's endowment.

Fees

Other Expenses

Other expenses may include textbooks, transportation for medical appointments, certain health services, private music lessons, and athletic attire. These costs vary by student and will typically appear on the parent/guardian monthly billing statement from the school. Certain expenses, including school store and True Blue Cafe purchases, may be charged home or may be covered with a student’s Blue Card, onto which parents/guardians may load funds.

Applying for Financial Aid

It’s important that you indicate your intention to apply for financial aid on the application for admission. Mercersburg requires that all applicants complete a Parent Financial Statement through School and Student Services if they wish to be considered for need-based aid. This statement is essentially a financial disclosure that School and Student Services will use to estimate the amount a family can contribute to school expenses. This information is then forwarded to Mercersburg for use in the application review process.

Learn More

Merit Scholarships
Named Scholarships

Merit Scholarships

Merit scholarships recognize students with strong academic records, impressive standardized test results, broad extracurricular participation, and exemplary personal character. All incoming domestic applicants are automatically considered for merit scholarships. If identified as a potential candidate, applicants may be provided with an opportunity to further demonstrate their interest in Mercersburg.

Lenfest Legacy Scholarship

Lenfest College Preparatory Scholarship

1893 Scholarships

Named Scholarships

Mercersburg Academy’s named scholarships offer a unique and life-changing opportunity to exceptionally gifted students. These scholarships are among the most prestigious financial aid awards that Mercersburg presents, and their selection process is among the most rigorous and competitive that the school’s Admission Committee engages in. They also reflect Mercersburg’s ongoing commitment to access and affordability to create a truly egalitarian campus community.

Named scholars display character and leadership and have strong academic backgrounds. They are granted full tuition, room, and board each academic year through graduation as well as an annual stipend to cover miscellaneous expenses. Thanks to the generosity of Mercersburg alumni, parents, and friends, these scholarships are fully endowed, ensuring a reliable and perpetual source of funding for this financial aid.

Previous scholars have matriculated to such higher ed institutions as Harvard University, Wellesley College, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Arce Scholarship

Guttman Scholarship

Hale Scholarship

Leslie Scholarship

Witmer Scholarship

Zern Scholarship

The named scholarship that I established is without question the most wonderfully rewarding and humbling thing I’ve ever done in my life. Robust financial aid raises the level of camaraderie at the school, it brings in a higher caliber of student, and it makes it more attractive for the teachers who really want to teach kids the value of the opportunity that they have.Gabriel Hammond ’97, Arce Scholar benefactor

Who’s Eligible
What’s Provided

Who’s Eligible

All domestic boarding applicants who are offered admission and whose families qualify for full need-based financial aid are automatically considered for named scholarships. Candidates must have strong academic records and standardized test results, broad extracurricular participation, and exemplary personal character.

Sometimes named scholarships are offered to students applying through access programs in major metropolitan areas. Other times the recipients are from rural areas and are not working with a consultant or placement agency. In some cases, the recipients live in communities where local schools lack the resources to allow the students to take full advantage of their academic abilities.

In general, named scholarship recipients are:

Academic high-achievers with A or high-B averages and SSAT scores in the 75th-80th percentiles.
Engaged and curious learners and leaders.
Prone to show their interest and commitment to learning as participants in an after-school/extracurricular learning program.
Well-rounded students who will contribute to the Mercersburg Academy community beyond the classroom and who exhibit the school’s principles of “Hard work, fair play, and clean life.”

Applicants who have completed their application by January 31 and been identified by the Admission Committee as a potential candidate for a named scholarship will be notified and may be given an opportunity to further demonstrate their interest in Mercersburg.

What’s Provided

In addition to full tuition, room, and board, named scholars receive $5,000 in funding for such incidental charges as textbooks and school supplies, athletic equipment, music lessons, and transportation to and from home. Below is a list of expenses that the stipend typically covers:

Rutherford Health and Wellness Center charges (including overnight visits)
Tablet or laptop and all required apps
Technology repairs required as a result of normal wear and tear
Cell phone with basic coverage for calling and texting
Required textbooks and miscellaneous supplies (including a graphing calculator)
Private academic tutoring
Required sports equipment, including practice packs
Vocal or instrumental lessons
Transportation to and from home and required off-campus appointments
Mercersburg spirit wear
$20/week cash allowance for use at the school store and student cafe
Standardized test registration fees (ACT, SAT, and SAT Subject Test)
College application fees
New laptop and iPad that will meet the student's needs at the college to which they matriculate
Other expenses as appropriate, including summer enrichment and a study-abroad experience

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