- A Family Decision
- Total Cost
- Financial Aid
- Additional Sources of Support
For many parents, an independent school education is a sacrifice, though one that can provide enormous benefits and be an important investment in your child’s future. Independent schools have a proven track record of producing graduates who are well-rounded and successful, while offering current students the support of a nurturing community and the benefits of extraordinary teaching.
Independent schools are funded in part or in whole by the tuition they collect from families of enrolled students. However, tuition alone does not comprise the total cost of an independent school education for families. Additional costs include fees, uniforms, meal plans, books, supplies, trips, clubs and sports, and transportation. Therefore, evaluating the true cost of a year of education is critical to families’ financial planning.
Independent Education’s 85 schools serve many different students in many different ways with many different educational philosophies. That is a great strength of the independent private school community in the Washington, D.C., region.
To ensure that the greatest numbers of students are able to take advantage of these educational opportunities, our schools are committed to helping students with financial needs. Some of our schools are located in impoverished neighborhoods and are dedicated to serving economically disadvantaged students and charge families only modest monthly fees. Others are dedicated to helping students of every economic background take advantage of the best education money can buy.
Independent Education’s member schools provided over $104 million in need-based financial aid to 7,563 students in 2010-11. On average, need-based aid accounted for 11.8 percent of the schools’ gross tuition. In addition to need-based financial aid, Independent Education’s members also awarded more than $3 million in merit scholarships in 2010-11.
For parents wishing to learn more about financial aid options, Independent Education recommends contacting schools directly. To find a school, please search the directory of Our Schools.
In addition to direct financing from schools, a number of organizations provide financial aid and scholarship funding to students attending independent schools in the national capital region. The list below provides information on some of these groups:
A Better Chance
Provides scholarships for academically talented students of color to attend independent private schools. The program helps place about 500 scholars annually in participating independent schools. Sixteen members of Independent Education are program participants.
Archdiocese of Washington
Offers financial assistance to students applying to Catholic schools that are part of the Archdiocese—which includes Washington, D.C. and the Maryland counties of Calvert, Charles, St. Mary’s, Montgomery and Prince George’s). Twelve Archdiocese schools are Independent Education members.
Black Student Fund
Has provided financial aid and other support services to low- to moderate-income African-American students from the national capital region since 1964. Forty of Independent Education’s 85 member schools participate in the program.
Capital Partners for Education
Provides scholarships, mentoring, academic support, and enrichment opportunities for low-income high school students attending Washington, D.C.-area independent schools.
The FitzGerald Program
Provides financial assistance to both Catholic and non-Catholic students applying for admission to Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of Washington (see above for more details).
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Young Scholars Program
Annually selects high-achieving students with demonstrated financial need to receive scholarship and educational assistance. Students apply for the program during their 7th-grade year and enter the program during their 8th-grade year.
Latino Student Fund
Provides financial-aid grants and mentoring support to Latino students wishing to attend Washington, D.C.-area independent schools. Many of Independent Education’s 85 member schools participate in the program.
Project Match
Helps students of color navigate the application and financial-aid process for boarding schools.