Financial Aid Information
Westside School offers need-based financial aid to families of students in grades kindergarten through 6th. The program exists to help any admitted student, with demonstrated need, have the opportunity to attend the school.
How does a family apply for financial assistance?
Families seeking financial aid must file an application through the Independent School Management Financial Aid for School Tuition (FAST) Program in Wilmington, DE. The deadline for filing for Financial Aid is February 29, 2012. The FAST program is designed to be very responsive to our families. It is flexible in terms of the information it will accommodate, thus allowing families to represent their own particular circumstances more accurately. To ease the online application process, FAST provides 24/7 help desk support.
Financial Aid grants are made for one year only and, therefore, you must reapply each year.
The application is self-guided. You may navigate in and out of the program, taking multiple sessions to complete the application if needed. Online e-mail and a 24/7 helpline is provided. FAST charges $36.00, payable by credit card to process the application. Start the process here.
After completing the online application, you are required to mail copies of your 2009 tax returns for both State and Federal taxes with all schedules and W-2's to:
FAST Processing
ISM
1316 North Union Street
Wilmington DE 19806-2594
Including the School's name on the outside of the envelope will ensure faster processing of your application.
Our goal is to have an award determination made by the time re-enrollment contracts are issued. Because financial aid funds are limited and demand is high, late filing of materials may result in non-renewal of a financial aid grant.
Grants All assistance is awarded as grants and do not require repayment.
Do I have to apply for financial aid before I know my child has been admitted? Yes, because the timelines for admission and financial aid overlap and our goal is to inform you of our tuition assistance decision in time for you to meet the admission acceptance deadlines.
Does applying for financial aid influence the admission decision? No. Financial aid files are reviewed and awards made only after a student is admitted. However, in order to receive a decision on tuition assistance at the time of acceptance, financial assistance requests must be made by February 29, 2012.
If parents are requesting financial aid for more than one student at Westside, are there special instructions? Parents need to file only one Parents’ Financial Statement.
Is financial aid automatically renewed each year? No. We require that families receiving financial aid reapply each year. However, as long as the student remains at our school, financial aid will be renewed each year according to demonstrated need. Changes in such things as income, family status, or the number of children attending tuition charging institutions may result in increases or decreases in an award. Every application is reviewed annually.
What happens if the parents are divorced or separated? In the case of divorce or separation, the Financial Aid Committee will consider the resources of both natural parents, if living, before making any award. Therefore, each parent is required to complete a financial aid application. If either parent has remarried, the committee may take into consideration the income and assets of the new blended family.
How and when will I be notified of my award? Families applying for financial aid will receive a letter or phone call from the Financial Aid Committee informing them of their award. Families will be informed of tuition assistance decisions by March 15, 2012.
What payment plans are available? Westside offers several payment plans that will be more fully described in the admissions packet.
I still have questions. Who can I call? For further information or assistance, please call the school office at 206-932-2511 or the Director of Finance, Julie at juliej@westsideschool.org.