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Admissions

Beacon Academy offers a 10-year program that prepares students from historically underrepresented and/or economically constrained backgrounds to succeed in competitive high schools, colleges, and careers. Students come to Beacon for a full school year after 8th grade, mastering their academic skills and gaining the confidence to thrive in independent school. We accept between 18 and 25 students each year who receive the tools and resources to apply to private high schools and the potential to receive full scholarships. Beacon continues to support our alumni for 10+ years following the Academy Year as they enter higher education and begin their careers. Beacon is tuition-free for qualifying families. Once accepted, Beacon offers each student support from the beginning of the Academy year through their first career. If this sounds like you or your student, we hope you will apply to Beacon Academy through our easy steps below. Beacon is committed to providing students in the Boston area with support and educational resources, and we hope you will contact our admissions department by email at admission@beaconacademy.org if you have any questions. Our admissions team is excited to meet you!

The Application Process

Step 2


Attend our Open House to learn more about our program.

Step 3


Complete our online application. This includes:

  • Demographic and family/caregiver information
  • Short answer questions (three 200-250 word responses)
  • One long answer question (500-750 words)
  • Recommendations from teachers and school principal/counselor
  • Scheduling an interview

First round applications are due on January 15th of every year. Rolling admissions begin in March and continue through early June. We also accept applications through the SAO application site if you or your student prefer this platform. If so, please ensure ‘Beacon Academy’ is added to their profile and reach out to our admissions team to receive an application fee waiver code. We are aware there may be delays in the acquisition of application materials from schools, teachers, or administrators due to COVID-19. Please let us know if you have any questions, concerns, or delays and we will work together with your family on your application.

Online Application

Step 4


Complete our financial aid application. Beacon Academy uses the Clarity Tuition application* to securely submit your financial aid application. Please see below for instructions:

  1. Visit Clarity and sign up for your account.
  2. Follow the prompts on your screen. The application should take no more than 30 minutes, is mobile-friendly, and is available in English or Spanish.
  3. Contact our admissions team in order to receive a fee waiver code before submitting. No Beacon applicant should pay a fee to submit the financial aid application.

For more information on completing the Clarity Tuition application, please click here. Feel free to contact us with any questions.

*Families who are applying to other independent schools may already be applying for financial aid through the School and Student Services website (PFS). If this is the case for your family, you do not need to complete the Clarity application, and can simply add "Beacon Academy" to your list of schools on the PFS in order to share your application with us.

Step 5


Attend a virtual Interview with our admissions team.

Final Outcomes

Thank you to all of the students who have submitted their applications. The Admissions Committee reviews applications in the order they come in and candidates are reviewed on a regular basis.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Beacon Academy’s tuition is $57,000. Because of our needs-based scholarship program, we are able to provide financial aid grants that meet 100% of our families’ demonstrated need. We will work with you individually to determine a figure that is equitable based on your financial circumstances.

Families will be expected to complete the Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS). The PFS is used by schools across the country to help assess families’ financial aid needs. To access the PFS, visit the National Association of Independent Schools’ (NAIS) School and Student Services (SSS) website. SSS uses the income and asset information in the financial aid application itself to assess the family situation and automatically applies a waiver if the family qualifies.

The financial aid program is open to students of any race, creed, and national or ethnic origin. A candidate’s request for financial aid does not affect his/her chances for admission. Decisions regarding admission and financial aid are made separately. Due to processing times, it is necessary to apply for financial aid at the same time you apply for admission to Beacon Academy. Families will receive notification on financial aid when they receive notification on admission to Beacon Academy.

Contact Us

For all additional questions or further assistance with your application, please contact our Admissions team at admission@beaconacademy.org, call/text 617-4-BEACON (617-423-2266), or fax 617-468-7460. We look forward to hearing from you!