Financial Aid

The Philadelphia School seeks a student body that reflects the ethnic, racial, cultural, and socioeconomic diversity of its urban environment. We try to provide assistance to those students who would be unable to attend the school without financial help. Each year, approximately 25% of the students in preschool through eighth grade receive tuition assistance.

We assume that families applying for financial aid consider education for their children a high priority and are willing to make necessary, but not undue, sacrifices to be able to provide their children with a TPS education. To this end, we believe that both (or in some cases, all) parents will try to contribute honestly toward tuition and will seek employment if necessary in order to help defray school costs.

Tuition assistance is awarded confidentially by the Financial Aid Committee each year. All financial aid is determined by the family's demonstrated financial need, and the funds available in the school’s financial aid budget. Families are required to reapply for aid each year. Although financial assistance awarded for one year does not automatically guarantee continued aid, tuition assistance will normally be renewed if a family's economic situation continues to indicate financial need.

In the case of never-married, separated, or divorced parents, it is the school's policy to consider all of the income and assets available to natural or adoptive parents before making any award. In accordance with this policy, both the custodial and non-custodial parents and any spouse or partners must file the Parents' Financial Statement (PFS) with the School and Student Service for Financial Aid (SSS) through the process outlined below.

In addition to financial aid, The Philadelphia School offers four different payment plans to help families spread tuition out over several months: 1-Pay (a single annual payment on August 1), 2-Pay (67% paid on August 1, and 33% paid on December 1), 4-Pay (four equal payments on July 1, October 1, January 1, and April 1), and 10-Pay (ten equal monthly payment from July 1 through April 1).

For a list of scholarship providers by state or tuition loan programs, please access the National Association of Independent Schools website for more information. For information about tuition assistance programs within the city of Philadelphia, please access the Black Alliance for Educational Options website or the Children’s Scholarship Fund of Philadelphia website.

Applying for Financial Aid

We use School and Student Services (SSS) to process financial aid applications. SSS is a service of the National Association of Independent Schools. Based on the financial information you provide, SSS gives us an estimated amount your family can contribute to educational expenses. This helps us make fair and objective financial aid decisions. To begin your financial aid application for the 2010-11 school year, follow the steps below.

Because financial aid funds are limited, it is important that these steps be completed no later than February 3, 2012 for the 2012-2013 academic year. New families will be notified about their financial aid award by February 15, 2012. If you have not heard about your award by that time or if you have any questions or concerns regarding your application for financial aid, please call Frances Hoover, Director of Admission and Tuition Assistance, 215-545-5323, ext. 278.

When completing an application for financial aid, please be sure to include The Philadelphia School code 5752.

You may begin to apply for financial aid starting on November 1, 2011. Here's how:

ONLINE

Starting on November 1, 2011, go to sss.nais.org.
Click on the prompt to begin your Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS). You only have to complete one PFS even if you have several children applying to our school.
You will be given a password that will allow you to return to your PFS at a later date before submitting it.
You will be given instructions about uploading required backup documents to the SSS site. The Philadelphia School requires you to submit a copy of your 2011 tax return and 2011 W-2s by uploading them directly to SSS. If parents own their own business, they are also required to upload a Business Farm Statement. Your documents will be handled with the utmost level of security. To read more about SSS’s document security, go to sss.nais.org. If you have questions or concerns about required documentation, go to sss.nais.org or call TPS at 215-545-5323, x 278.
Mail the required documents to: SSS by NAIS, Application Processing Center, P.O. Box 449, Randolph, MA 02368-0449. (For overnight mail, use this address: SSS by NAIS, Application Processing Center, 437 Turnpike Street, Canton, MA 02021.)

Note: If you apply for financial aid online, your information will be delivered more quickly to our school.

BY MAIL

If you don’t already have a printed Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS), call The Philadelphia School at 215-545-5323, ext. 278.
Complete the PFS and return it and all required backup documents to: SSS by NAIS, Application Processing Center, P.O. Box 449, Randolph, MA 02368-0449 USA. (For overnight mail, use this address: SSS by NAIS, Application Processing Center, 437 Turnpike Street, Canton, MA 02021.) Call (800) 344-8328 with any questions (Mon - Fri: 9am - 8pm EST. Sat: 9am - 4pm EST)

The Philadelphia School does not discriminate in the administration of its financial aid policies because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, or age in violation of existing state or federal law or regulations.