FAST FACTS
Enrollment: 356
Grants Awarded: 22
Students Receiving Grants: 6.2%
Average Grant Amount: $24,319
Total Amount Awarded: $535,025
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if I will qualify?
St. Thomas School provides financial aid on a need basis. To fairly determine eligibility, each family must submit a Parent Financial Statement (PFS) to School and Student Services (SSS). SSS is a confidential service offered by the National Association of Independent Schools and is used by many K-12 schools to help assess a family’s ability to pay tuition. St. Thomas School uses this information to determine financial aid grants.
What is School and Student Services (SSS)?
SSS is a confidential service offered by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and is used by many K-12 schools nationwide to help assess a family’s ability to pay tuition.
When can I expect a decision regarding financial aid?
Continuing STS students will receive notification of financial aid grants in late February. New students can expect to be notified of financial aid grants with their admissions notification on March 17, 2023.
What if I am divorced or separated?
In the case of divorce or separation, each parent must complete the PFS and provide substantiating financial documentation. If for any reason this is not possible, the parent responsible for signing the enrollment contract should contact the Financial Aid Office in advance of any and all deadlines.
What are the deadlines for applying for aid?
To be included in the initial round of financial aid processing, the deadline for submitting your application and all required forms is February 2, 2023. Applications may be submitted following the deadline. However, our financial aid budget is fixed, so the sooner you apply, the better.
What impact does Financial Aid have on the Admissions process?
Financial Aid and Admissions decisions are made independently of one another. Admissions decisions are based on whether St. Thomas School is best suited to meet a student's educational needs and not on a family’s ability to pay.
Are Financial Aid applications confidential?
Financial Aid applications are only reviewed by the Financial Aid Committee. The information included in Financial Aid applications, as well as decisions, is safeguarded and confidential. In the case of separated and/or divorced parents, no information will be given by the school to either parent regarding the other parent’s financial disclosures. The Financial Aid Committee does not disclose the financial aid status of families to faculty, board members, or other families.
I still have questions, what are my next steps?
You may contact our Admissions and Financial Aid office with direct questions about Financial Aid at St. Thomas School or the application process. Additionally, SSS has prepared an informative webinar introduction to independent school financial aid for families that we highly recommend. You can access a recording of the webinar (“Counting the Costs: An Introduction to Private and Independent School Financial Aid for Families”) and many others on the SSS website.
