Tuition and Tuition Assistance

Accessing a Westside Education for your Child

Thank you for considering a Westside School education for your child. We are excited to introduce you to our community, our programs, and this amazing campus!

At Westside you will find:

A school where joyful and integrated learning is at the forefront of our philosophy of education.
A school that provides children with strong foundational skills and equips them to become flexible, creative thinkers and engaged citizens.
A school that challenges our students to achieve academic success, and to connect their human spirit and imagination to learning.
A school where outdoor trips, sports, theater, world languages, and more round out an amazing educational experience.

For most families, the choice to invest in an independent school education does not come lightly. As you will learn through our admission process, our families find extraordinary value in the Westside educational experience and the unique ways we help our students know themselves and prepare them for an outstanding future.

Tuition for 2024-2025

Early Learning

Preschool & Pre-Kindergarten

$21,300

Lower School

Kindergarten-4th Grade

$24,200

Middle School

5th-8th Grade

$26,800

Tuition Assistance

Westside School believes in every child having access to the joyful learning and academic challenge at Westside School regardless of their family’s ability to pay the full cost of a Westside education. We believe that diversity of all kinds, including socioeconomic diversity, enriches the educational opportunities for all our families. Families for whom tuition looks initially out of reach are encouraged to visit and apply. Our dedicated team will walk you through our need-based tuition assistance program and help you discover the best options for your family with this important investment.

Tuition Assistance awards range from $2,000 to $24,000 and do not need to be repaid. Approximately 23% of Westside students receive financial support, with an average award of $13,200.

As a single parent, facing challenging new life circumstances, I wanted a place for my children that felt like home. Without tuition assistance, this goal was no more than a dream. My children and I are so very grateful to be a part of a loving, supportive, tenacious, opportunity-filled environment. Westside has given my children learning experiences that we could only dream of; world languages, outdoor education, performing arts, music, visual arts, athletics, a core group of dedicated, passionate educators, supportive administrators, a family of peers and parents, the overwhelming feeling of stability, and a true feeling of being home. - Westside Parent

Applying for Tuition Assistance

As a member of NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools), Westside School uses Clarity to gather the information necessary to determine tuition assistance eligibility. This process produces fair and generous individual results. As we determine each family's financial need, we carefully review all special concerns and circumstances. The Westside School tuition program is designed to make a Westside School education possible for all families based on demonstrated financial need and the availability of funds. Westside School is proud to use the Clarity Application to determine a family's level of financial need based on the information that families share in the application, which includes assets, income, expenses, and debts.

TUITION ASSISTANCE APPLICATION STEPS

TUITION ASSISTANCE APPLICATION STEPS

1. To get started, please go to the Clarity Application and create an account.

2. The application typically takes less than 30 minutes to complete. The Clarity Application is also mobile-friendly, and you can save your progress and return at any time.

3. At the end of the application, there is a $60 fee to submit. You can share your application with additional schools that accept the Clarity Application for no additional charge. Simply use the dropdown menu in the application to select those schools.

Please remember to return to your dashboard after you complete and submit your Clarity Application, as Westside School requires you to upload additional tax documentation, including year-end tax statements and payroll statements. The deadline for completing the financial aid application, including relevant supplemental documents, is February 6, 2025.

If you need support during the process of completing your application, there is in-app support available through the "Help" button in the bottom left of the screen, as well as email and phone support at support@clarityapp.com or (206) 210-3752 in both English and Spanish. The application itself is also fully translatable into Spanish.

Additional Resources

Family Application Guide - English

Application Quick Reference Guide - English

Family Application Guide - Spanish

Application Quick Reference Guide - Spanish

New Families

For new families, award determinations will be communicated in your letter of acceptance (released in March). You will learn the full cost of enrolling your child at Westside at this time. The deadline for new families to apply for Tuition Assistance for the 2025-2026 academic year is February 6, 2025. If you have questions, please contact Westside's Director of Finance and Operations, Laura Anderson.

Current Families

We do our best to communicate the Tuition Assistance award at the time re-enrollment contracts are due. If you are a current family applying for Tuition Assistance for the first time, please let the Business Office know before re-enrollment contracts are distributed. Returning families must re-apply for Tuition Assistance every school year. As both the school's and a family's financial status may change from year to year, an award one year does not guarantee the same award the following year. The deadline for returning families to apply for Tuition Assistance for the 2025-2026 school year is February 6, 2025. Please note that missing this deadline may result in the non-renewal of a Tuition Assistance award.

If you have questions, please contact Laura Anderson.

Making Payments

At Westside, families have the option to make one tuition payment for the year or pay in monthly installments.

Payment Due Dates:

Annual Payment: July 1st

Monthly Payments: May through February on the 5th or 15th of each month.

Monthly Payment Amounts for full tuition payments. *

Early Learning: $1,947
Lower School: $2,208
Middle School: $2,442

*Amounts will vary for families receiving Tuition Assistance.