Applying for Tuition Assistance

• To ensure timeliness of tuition assistance awards, please submit your application no later than January 13, 2023. This deadline is for returning families, as well as new families.

Late applications will be considered if funds are still available.

No. A common misconception among first-time applicant families is that they should wait to hear about their child’s admission status before applying for tuition assistance. Under no circumstances is it recommended that you wait, due to the timing of the admission notification which falls after the tuition assistance deadline. There is a risk that funds will have already been allocated by this time.

Serra’s Tuition Assistance Committee has mandated that the school must consider the assets of both natural parents, if living, before making any award of tuition assistance. The school cannot be bound by the claim that one parent denies responsibility for educational expenses. In view of this policy, both natural parents are required to complete the Tuition Assistance application form and to provide financial information. In addition, it is the responsibility of the primary custodial parent to ask the non-custodial parent to fill out the additional application.

Until this information is provided, the tuition assistance application will be considered incomplete and the school will be unable to make a decision on the application. If either parent has remarried or is living with another adult who is contributing to the household income, the school will consider the assets of the stepparent or live-in person, always bearing in mind that the primary responsibility for payment rests with the natural parents.

Both parents are expected to make every attempt to contribute financially to the education of their child. If there is a non-working spouse in a family with no children below school age, the school’s policy requires that a statement be provided explaining why.

Our program is designed to help those families who, even with their sacrifices, are unable to afford full tuition. You should expect to pay something as a private school education is a partnership between the school and the family.

Each year, Serra receives more requests for assistance than the budget allows. While we strive to provide assistance to all qualified applicants, unfortunately Serra is not able to fund all students who have demonstrated need. Some applicants may be placed on the tuition assistance waiting list.