Filing for Financial Aid

By December 1 (form cannot be submitted until September 1)

All families must fill out the Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS) online at School and Student Services.

• A copy of this year’s W-2 and/or 1099 tax forms
  
  
• A copy of this year’s U.S. Individual or Joint Tax Return (Form 1040) including all schedules

Based on the information supplied on the PFS, The School and Student Service for Financial Aid prepares a general recommendation about a family’s ability to pay. It should be noted that it takes SSS a minimum of three weeks to process the report and send it to Spence. Copies of the PFS and the RFC are then sent to the school. The school’s Financial Aid Committee uses the estimate in the RFC as a guideline in making awards, taking into consideration any extenuating circumstances in each family.

• If a family does not file a 1040 Form, the Financial Aid Office should be notified.
  
  
• Parents are asked to keep photocopies of any information submitted to SSS or to Spence so that they will easily be able to answer any questions that might arise.
  
  
• Financial aid cannot be granted unless all the information requested is received on or before the dates given.
  
  
• It is assumed that parents will contribute to their children’s education to the extent that they are able. All parents will be asked to make some contribution; 10% of the parent’s contribution is due with the signed contract.
  
  
• Applications for aid cannot be considered until all past school bills have been paid in full.
  
  
• While the intent is to offer assistance to every enrolled student who demonstrates need, the school’s ability to do so in any year depends on the availability of funds and the number of applicants.
  
  
• The names of recipients of financial aid are not broadly disclosed. Financial aid information is confidential. Only those school departments that process financial aid contracts and budgets have access to the list of grant recipients.