Tuition Assistance
We recognize that financing an independent school education
may be a challenge for some applicants.
While Honolulu
Waldorf School
expects families, or extended families, to take primary responsibility for the
cost of a son’s or daughter’s education, we are committed to helping families
afford this choice.
Honolulu
Waldorf School
has a limited amount of tuition assistance that is granted on the basis of
need. While the number of families with
demonstrated need ordinarily exceeds our tuition assistance budget, we attempt
to help as many families as possible. In
addition, we offer a tuition payment plan.
The Tuition Assistance Committee (TAC) services the Honolulu Waldorf School
community by attempting to close the gap between the set tuition and a family's
ability to pay. The TAC is responsible
for granting tuition reductions based on demonstrated financial need in
accordance with the TAC's budget, procedures and policies. The tuition reductions help to support the
economic diversity of the community and economic health of the school.
We use FACTS Grant & Aid Assessment for the initial
determination of each family's financial need.
The information you provide on the FACTS Grant & Aid application
will generate a confidential report by FACTS which will then be sent to our
TAC. The FACTS report will provide a
recommended amount of assistance; however the TAC will make the actual grant
determination. The awards are made in an objective and fair manner.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT TUITION ASSISTANCE
What is the Honolulu Waldorf
School’s tuition
assistance philosophy?
Accessibility to a Waldorf education is a
goal of our school. Tuition Assistance
attempts to close the gap between the set tuition and a family’s ability to
pay; it only considers tuition.
Most families use several strategies to
keep the costs within reach, and it is important to note that the family bears
the primary responsibility for financing a child's education to the extent that
it is able. The basic criterion for a tuition
assistance award is demonstrated financial need, defined as the difference
between the amount a family can be expected to contribute to the cost of the
student's education and the amount of annual tuition.
Are
my children eligible for Tuition Assistance?
For the 2012-13 school year, all full-time students, regardless of age or grade, are eligible to apply.
When
do I need to apply?
For new students applying to the Honolulu Waldorf School: Be sure to mention to our Director of Admissions, Arleen Kohnke, that you are interested in applying for tuition
assistance. We recommend concurrent
applications to our school and tuition assistance. Deadline for new students is 30 days
after acceptance.
For students currently at the Honolulu Waldorf
School: March
1, 2012 is the deadline for completed verified applications to be received online by FACTS
Grant & Aid.
How do I apply and
what is the process?
1. Complete
the "FACTS Grant & Aid Assessment" (online)
or
2. Go
to www.factstuitionaid.com to access the FACTS Tuition
Management web site.
a. Click
on “Applicant Sign In”
b. Go
to "New Users" and set up an account.
3. FACTS will review and confirm all necessary
documentation with the application.If
everything is complete, FACTS will change the status to “Verified.” TIP: Revisit
FACTS on-line after 10 business days to insure that your application has been
VERIFIED.
4. TAC reviews only verified and completed
applications.
FACTS Grant & Aid uses a nationally
accepted formula to analyze need and provide a preliminary estimate of a
family’s ability to contribute to educational expenses. The TAC uses the applicant’s “reported
ability to pay” indicated on the FACTS application as a starting point to
determine the family’s demonstrated need.
The “ability to pay” must be submitted on the application (it may not be
left zero) in order for the application to be considered completed.
Numerous other factors are also considered
- family size, assets, debt, number of children in tuition-charging schools or
colleges, as well as care responsibility for an elderly parent. The TAC also
differentiates between necessary expenses and money spent for lifestyle
choices. The school does not provide tuition assistance to make up for
"lifestyle" expenditures that could have been directed to education. When the TAC finds that a family’s financial
position demonstrates a need for assistance, it then determines the appropriate
tuition assistance grant based on its budget and the number of applicants.
What
is a verified and completed Tuition Assistance application?
-
A complete
Tuition Assistance Application includes the following:
¨
Verified
FACTS Grant & Aid application **
¨
Most recent and
signed 2011 IRS 1040, W2, 1099, and all applicable schedules
¨
Divorce decree or
any court-ordered support document. BOTH
parents must provide financial documentation UNLESS the court-ordered support
document indicates otherwise.
¨
Most recent pay
stub to verify income
¨
Copy of most
recent State unemployment check
¨
Copy of any trust
as it applies to the financial support of the student’s education
¨
Self-employed
applicants:
§
Copy of GE
license
§
Annual summary
and reconciliation submitted to State
§
2-4 months of
Owner Draws made to establish income
¨
Copy of Award
Letter or Documentation about any financial aid received by siblings attending
other schools
¨
A letter
addressed to the TAC that includes any further explanations or considerations
to supplement your application
We
highly recommend that you be pro-active with FACTS regarding checking on the status of your
application and all the necessary documentation prior to the deadline.When all the necessary
documentation is received by FACTS, it takes approximately 10 business days to process
your
application. Then your application status is changed to VERIFIED.
How
do I contact FACTS Grant & Aid?
Office number: 866-315-9262
Fax number: 866-315-9264
E-mail: info@factstuitionaid.com
Web: www.factsmgt.com
Customer Care Reps are available Monday through Thursday
from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central Time and Fridays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time
Do
I need to reapply for financial aid each year?
Yes, unless your family's circumstances
allow you to cover tuition costs in full. If your financial need continues, the school
will continue to try to assist you. Adjustments
will be made each year for tuition increases, changes in your family's
financial picture, availability of tuition assistance budget and the number of applicants.
What does tuition assistance cover?
Tuition assistance covers a portion of the
tuition only. All other fees and incidental
expenses are excluded.
What does it cost to apply for financial
aid?
FACTS Grant & Aid charges a $25 fee
for processing your application.
What happens if I miss the deadline?
Immediately
contact Annalisa Stone in the Finance Office at astone@honoluluwaldorf.org or
792-4566. Generally a written request to
apply must be made to the Tuition Assistance Committee. The letter must include the extenuating
circumstances for missing the deadline.
Please note that funds are limited and may not be available. Also, priority regarding funds availability
is given to applicants who submitted their applications on time.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your application or the tuition assistance process, contact Annalisa Stone.