Any current or prospective student may apply for financial aid, which entails submitting the Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS) and all required supporting documentation to SSS.
The PFS outlines the family’s current financial status. Once the PFS is received by SSS, the data are run through a standard calculation formula. Common factors taken into consideration are family income, assets, debts, family size, age of parents, number of children attending tuition-based institutions, home equity, and certain other expenses. SSS returns the data analysis to the school in the form of a Report of Family Contribution (RFC), which suggests what the family can pay. This amount is not binding and does not imply what kind of financial assistance will be given by the school. Monies do not come from SSS but are awarded directly from the school and other outside scholarship agencies. Families may also request a copy of the RFC directly from SSS. The St. Andrew’s Financial Aid Committee reviews each RFC carefully and reserves the right to adjust the amount of the recommended family contribution based upon school policy and supporting documentation.
Renewal of Financial Aid
Financial aid awards are granted for one year at a time. Current recipients must reapply for financial aid each year and are automatically mailed a reminder letter in the fall to file a new application.
Confidentiality
All applications for financial aid are kept in strict confidence by the Financial Aid Committee. St. Andrew’s is committed to the principle of anonymity, and recipients of financial aid are not generally identified as such. Individuals who are aware of financial aid recipients include the Financial Aid Committee, Admission Office staff, and certain key administrators who have a specific need to know.
Families interested in applying for financial aid should contact the Admission Office in the early fall. Please note carefully the instructions and deadlines given below. In recent years, St. Andrew’s has seen an increase in financial aid applications. Therefore, to be considered, all financial aid application materials must be received by the deadlines listed below. Please be aware that St. Andrew’s does not have sufficient funds to provide financial aid grants to all qualified applicants. We recognize the unfortunate reality that for some families this may adversely affect their ability to accept our enrollment offer.
Families currently receiving financial aid from SAES:
By December 1, 2011, please complete the following:
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Fill out the Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS) online at http://www.sss.nais.org/.
- St. Andrew’s school code is 6266.
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Send to SSS (SSS By NAIS, P.O. Box 449, Randolph, MA 02368)
- Any amended signed 2010 tax return(s), if applicable
By March 1, 2012, please send the following to SSS:
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Signed
2011 tax return(s) and all related schedules
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2011 W2s and/or 1099s
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Any signed 2011 corporate/business tax return(s), if applicable
Families who are new applicants for financial aid from SAES:
By February 1, 2012, please complete the following:
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Fill out the Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS) online at www.sss.nais.org.
- St. Andrew’s school code is 6266. -
Send to SSS (SSS By NAIS, P.O. Box 449, Randolph, MA 02368)
-
Signed
2010 tax return(s) and all related schedules
-
2010 W2s and/or 1099s
-
Any signed 2010 corporate/business tax return(s), if applicable
By March 1, 2012, please send the following to SSS:
-
Signed
2011 tax return(s) and all related schedules
-
2011 W2s and/or 1099s
-
Any signed 2011 corporate/business tax return(s), if applicable
If you are reapplying for financial aid, please note the change that all documents should now be sent to SSS.
We encourage all families to submit the PFS online through the SSS website at sss.nais.org. If you choose to submit the PFS online, you may pay by using eCheck direct debit ACH transfer (funds taken directly out of your bank account), debit or credit card, fee waiver (if eligible), or PayPal. The fee for applying online is $37 regardless of how many children are on the PFS or the number of schools to which they are applying.
For families unable to apply online, copies of the PFS are available upon request from the St. Andrew’s Admission Office. The fee for using the paper PFS is $49, due to the additional processing required.
Online and paper PFS submissions are subject to the same December 1 and February 1 deadlines.
A financial aid file is considered complete when SSS has received the PFS and all required signed tax returns and schedules from the family. The school reserves the right to make any necessary changes to a financial aid award if the 2011 tax information differs substantially from the 2010 tax information.
Families currently receiving financial aid from St. Andrew’s will receive notification regarding next year’s application within a week after receiving their school re-enrollment contracts in late January.
New applicants for financial aid will receive financial aid notification by March 9, 2012. Please remember that admission and financial aid decisions are made in separate processes; an application for financial aid will not affect an admission decision.
For the 2011-2012 academic year, each recipient of financial aid is also entitled to the following benefits. Please be aware that these benefits may vary from year to year.
- A reduced enrollment fee of $200 (applicable to new students only)
- One set of required textbooks at no charge.
- Full credit, for pre-kindergarten and above, toward the cost of the St. Andrew’s morning and afternoon extended day programs. (Preschool will receive 50% coverage of morning and afternoon care charges.)
- Full credit toward the cost of domestic school-sponsored athletic and co-curricular trips
- Reduced rate of $200 for riding the St. Andrew's shuttle bus, if utilized (applicable to Postoak campus students only)
- Financial aid for school-sponsored non-curricular and community service trips, at the same percentage as the student’s tuition grant (applicable to Postoak campus students only)
- Financial aid for all summer programs listed in the Summer Programs Brochure under the headings: Academics for Credit and Academics for Enrichment, at the same percentage as the student’s tuition grant
- Financial aid for all school-sponsored international trips, at the same percentage as the student's tuition grant but not exceeding 50% of the cost of the trip (applicable to Postoak campus students only)
Please be aware of the following conditions on financial aid grants:
- All financial aid recipients must inform us of any income change in excess of $2,000 as we may adjust your grant in accordance with this change.
- All financial aid recipients must notify us of any scholarships or funds received from other sources as your grant from St. Andrew’s may be lowered by an equal amount.
- All financial aid recipients must have a payment plan on file with the business office. If this is a multi-month plan, it must be registered with FACTS Tuition Management and payments made by direct bank debit to FACTS.
- In order to receive a reenrollment contract for the 2012-2013 school year, all financial aid recipients must be current with their payment plans by the point at which reenrollment contracts are issued. If an account is not current, the contract will be held and no future financial aid grants will be considered until payment is made.
- If a new student sibling has been accepted to St. Andrew’s and the family’s current student account is not up to date when new student financial aid grant letters are issued, any potential financial aid award letter for the new student will be held until the current student account(s) are paid. This may jeopardize the opportunity for the new student sibling to receive funding, as the majority of our financial aid funds are expended early each year.
- Any financial aid grant awarded for the 2011-2012 school year will be canceled if the student’s 2010-2011 St. Andrew’s account is not paid in full by May 1, 2011.
- If there is a change in the financial circumstances of a family receiving financial aid, the family should contact Julie Jameson at 301-983-5200, ext. 238, so that the financial status of the family can be reevaluated.
Does applying for financial aid affect my child’s chance of being admitted to St. Andrew’s?
No. Applicants to St. Andrew’s are accepted for admission on a need-blind basis. This statement means that the application for financial aid is confidential and is separate from the admission process.
Does St. Andrew’s offer merit scholarships?
No. All financial aid is based on demonstrated financial need.
What other sources of financial assistance are available to families?
Most financial aid is awarded directly by St. Andrew’s. However, many national and local organizations as well as civic associations offer financial assistance toward the cost of independent school tuition. A listing of scholarship providers is available from the NAIS website (http://www.nais.org/) or may be obtained from the Admission Office. Some examples include the Black Student Fund, Capital Partners for Education, and the Latino Student Fund.
If a student receives financial assistance from another source, would this affect his or her St. Andrew’s financial aid award?
Yes. If the family receives additional funds toward tuition from sources other than St. Andrew’s, the award from St. Andrew’s may be reduced by the amount of the additional funds. This includes assistance received from extended family members and friends.
Based on our income, what can we expect to contribute toward tuition?
Because each family’s financial situation is unique, the amount of family contribution toward tuition can vary greatly within similar income levels and cannot be predicted with any certainty prior to the Financial Aid Committee’s review of the complete application. Regardless of income, we encourage families to apply for financial aid.
What if my financial situation changes?
Families are expected to notify the school if a change in financial circumstances occurs during the school year. The school reserves the right to adjust the award in accordance with the change as necessary, and/or if the budget allows. Families must reapply for financial aid each year; the awards are re-evaluated and are renewed as long as the need for financial assistance is present. If the family’s ability to pay for tuition increases or decreases from one year to the next, the financial aid award will be adjusted accordingly.
How does divorce, separation, or remarriage affect financial aid?
The school considers the assets of both natural parents, if living, before making any award and cannot be bound by the assertion that one parent has disclaimed responsibility for educational expenses. If either parent has remarried, the school also considers the assets of the stepparent, always bearing in mind the obligation of that stepparent to his or her own natural children. It is necessary that both natural parents and their current spouses, if any, fill out a PFS form. It is the responsibility of the custodial parent to ask the non-custodial parent to fill out this form. If this information is not provided, the Financial Aid Committee may be unable to award a grant to the student. An additional PFS form for the non-custodial parent may be filed online or obtained from the Admission Office. Any financial aid information given by one parent is held in confidence and will not be shared with the other parent(s).
What loans and payment plans exist to assist families with tuition cost and payment?
To help families manage school costs, four tuition payment options are offered.
St. Andrew’s offers the following plan:
- 1 Pay Plan (Single Payment). This plan allows families to pay 100% of annual tuition expenses directly to St. Andrew’s in one installment on June 15th.
Through FACTS Tuition Management Company, payment may be made by automatic bank deposit, credit card, or check. Through FACTS, the following two plans are offered:
- 2 Pay Plan (Two Semi-Annual Payments). This plan allows families to pay annual tuition expenses in two installments in June and in December.
- Monthly Plan (Ten Payments). This plan allows families to pay annual tuition expenses in ten installments, beginning in May.
A Tuition Refund Insurance Plan is also made available to families and is required for all new students. Information concerning this program is available from the Business Office.
Black Student Fund - 202-387-1414
http://www.blackstudentfund.org/Capital Partners for Education - 202-682-6020
http://www.cpfe.org/
Latino Student Fund - 202-244-3438 http://www.latinostudentfund.org/
For additional information about these scholarship agencies, contact Jennifer Hansen (jhansen@saes.org).
If you have questions while submitting your PFS online, please feel free to call the SSS customer service line at (800) 344-8328.
For additional information regarding financial aid at St. Andrew’s, please contact Lindsey Bean (
lbean@saes.org) or Jennifer Hansen (
jhansen@saes.org) at 240-477-1700.