2025 Financial Aid Family Info Night Webinar Dates - all parents are invited to attend any of the info sessions.

• September 23, 7 pm Pacific Time
• September 24, 6 pm Eastern Time
• October 21, 7 pm Pacific Time
• October 22, 6pm Eastern Time
• December 9, 8:30 pm Eastern Time

1. Why did MVC choose Clarity?

   We have chosen Clarity as our financial aid application provider in order to better serve both our current and prospective families. We are confident that this change is going to make the process of applying for financial aid easier for families.

2. How does Clarity make it easier for me to apply for financial aid?

   Clarity offers a streamlined, mobile friendly application that can be completed in as short as 30 minutes. Additionally, Clarity removes the need to upload your personal tax return(s) and W2(s)by transferring them directly from the IRS. When you authorize the IRS to share the documents via your IRS.gov account, the school will receive your tax returns within an hour.   This saves you time so that you aren’t pulling out all of your tax returns and transposing numbers from the returns into the application. It is also more secure because you are not uploading copies of original documents, needing to redact the SSNs, and those copies or PDFs are not sitting on your desktop or in a folder on your computer, or in an email server, etc.

3. Why do I need an IRS.gov account?

   Only US taxpayers will need an IRS.gov account. The IRS.gov site offers a secure, standard method designed to protect your identity and ensure that no one else can access your sensitive information. Clarity’s Enhanced Tax Verification process will allow you to provide authorization for the IRS to share your transcripts with Clarity. Transcripts are the most secure way of sharing your financial data, and they do not include SSNs. In fact, if you plan to use the FAFSA to apply for college financial aid, you will follow a similar process to obtain your tax transcripts just like Clarity does.

4. How do I set up an IRS.gov account?

   • Go to IRS.gov. Click on “Sign in” in the top right corner.
   • Find the box labeled “Individual” and click on “New to individual account? Get started.” Individual is anyone who files their personal taxes single, married filing jointly, married filing separately, head of household, or qualifying widow/widower.
   • Click “Sign in or create an account” to get started. The account creation process will require users to verify their identity by using a form of official identification and taking a selfie. This is a one-time step that is a security measure required by the IRS to protect against identity theft and the compromise of personal information. Once their account is set up, this step will not be required for subsequent logins.   

5. Is my information secure with Clarity?

   MVC 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. For more information, please refer to **Clarity’s Privacy Policy.**

6. How will this impact my award?

   Just as in prior years, if your financial circumstances have not changed, you will not see significant changes to your award. If you have any questions about your individual circumstance, please reach out to us.

7. Will I still need to apply every year?

   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.

8. Can I complete my Clarity application on my phone or tablet?

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

9. When do I need to apply?

   You must submit your full completed application by March 1.

10. I live outside the United States. Can I still apply for financial aid through Clarity?

    Yes, along with the student's application, all families must fill out the Clarity application to the best of their ability including the Non-US Tax Filer Verification upload.

    If you live in Canada, you will be prompted to upload your T1, T4 and Notice of Assessment.

Any family with currently enrolled students may apply for financial aid.

The admissions decision and the financial aid decision are made separately, and all regular financial aid awards are based solely on need shown. You can read more about our financial aid policies here.

Financial Aid is granted on the basis of financial need and requires annual qualification. Eligibility is based in part on income and asset levels during the previous calendar/tax year. Financial Aid Awards are determined on a yearly basis and are not guaranteed to repeat for any subsequent year(s). Therefore, families must submit an application for each year they need financial aid. All financially responsible parties must fill out an application through Clarity Financial Aid in order to determine qualification for aid.

It is important to note that the amount of the award is dependent on the resources available. Not all families who qualify will receive financial assistance. Priority for assistance is highest in grades 9-12.

For the 2026-2027 school year, all families who wish to apply for financial aid must complete the following through Clarity Financial Aid.

1. Complete the application in Clarity Financial Aid. This application should be carefully reviewed for accuracy and completeness. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

2. Submission, through Clarity, of prior year Federal and State Income Tax returns and applicable W2's/1099's. (ex. for 2026-2027 school year, 2024 returns and W2 are required). Important note: In addition, 2024 Federal and State returns and applicable W2's/1099's are also required to be submitted upon completion as per instruction on the Clarity forms. Any significant income changes from the 2023 to the 2024 tax year may result in a modification of offered assistance.

   Describe in the application any specific circumstances that are not reflected in your family’s income tax information.
   For more information on Tax Verification, please see this resource: TAX VERIFICATION FAQ

3. An explanation is required if your reported expenses exceed gross income.

Failure to complete the above checklist by the below deadline will result in your application being placed on a "further information required" list. You may check your application status at any time through Clarity for missing information.
 

Dates for 2025-2026 School Year: 

September 1 - Financial aid applications available

December 15 - Early bird deadline (award notification January 15)

March 1 - Regular deadline (award notification March 15)

Yes. MVC’s Financial Aid budget is limited. Awarded amounts are dependent on the resources available. Not all families who qualify receive financial assistance. Timeliness is important as funds are limited; families who need help affording MVC should apply as soon as possible.

Yes. Financial Aid is available for families with students in all grades (4-12). Priority for assistance is highest in grades 9-12.
 

No. Admission applications and Financial Aid applications are reviewed and processed separately, and submitting an application for Financial Aid has no bearing on an applicant’s admissibility.
 

Boarding families that file a U.S. Tax Return can apply for financial aid.