East Woods School provides tuition assistance to families with students in the Lower and Upper Schools who have demonstrated financial need. Assistance is not available for ECC students.

Presently, about 30% of our students in Kindergarten through 8th grade receive grants of varying amounts. While the budget for tuition assistance is generous (about 11% of total expenses) and the School is able to meet the needs of many new families, it is not always possible to offer grants to all who apply. Students receiving tuition assistance must be in good academic standing and display good citizenship.

The amount of each grant varies, based upon each family’s demonstrated financial need and within the confines of the school budget. Average grant amounts range between 40% and 60% of tuition. Tuition assistance is not available for students in the Early Childhood Center (Pre-Nursery, Nursery, and Pre-Kindergarten).

Parents of students entering Kindergarten through 8th grade who are unable to pay full tuition are welcome to apply for assistance. East Woods School believes the primary responsibility for financing a child’s independent education rests with the family, and expects parents to consider all available resources before requesting assistance. Both parents are considered a potential source of income and are responsible for educational expenses once all children are in school full-time.

East Woods School uses School and Students Services by NAIS (SSS) to process applications and help determine a family’s need. Parents must complete the Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS) online at sssbynais.org/parents by January 15. Based upon the information submitted, SSS reports to the School an estimated amount that the family can contribute toward tuition. Supporting IRS documents must be submitted before grants are finalized.

All applications are reviewed in a name-blind (see “Confidential” below) process by the Tuition Assistance Committee, which consists of school administrators and a non-parent member of the Board. The Committee uses the report from SSS as a guideline in deciding the amount of each grant, while also staying within the confines of the available budget. All grants are made on an annual basis, and recipients must reapply for consideration each year. Grant amounts can change if a family’s circumstances change.

The Tuition Assistance process is handled with the utmost confidentiality. The Head of School and the Director of Business Affairs are the only two individuals with access to the SSS reports. Financial information is presented to the Committee with names removed. The School also expects families who receive assistance to maintain confidentiality.

East Woods works with Facts Management Company, a company that partners with families and schools to help make an independent school education more affordable. For more information on this company, please click here.

1. Tuition assistance is granted on the basis of financial need as demonstrated by the information submitted through SSS and in the backup documentation.
2. Grants will be for tuition only and will not include mandatory fees, after school activities, field trips, textbooks, educational testing (in addition to standardized tests administered as part of the academic program) or support, or other additional fees.
3. Grant amounts are based upon demonstrated financial need within the confines of the School’s budget. While individual amounts vary, average awards range between 40% and 60% of tuition.
4. Grants for new students will be determined after a student has been accepted.
5. Students receiving tuition assistance must be in good academic standing and display good citizenship.
6. All tuition assistance grants are awarded for one academic year. Renewal applications will be accepted if all other financial obligations to the School have been met.
7. All application deadlines must be honored (see above). Any applications received after January 15 will be considered if funds remain available.
8. East Woods School admits students of any race, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin in administration of its education policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
9. Tuition assistance information will be kept in strictest confidence.