Tuition & Tuition Assistance
Tuition
Tuition is determined annually by the Board of Trustees in December for the following school year. Tuition for 2012-13 is $16,650. Tuition does not include hot lunches or before- and after-school enrichment.
Tuition Assistance
A Jewish day school education requires a financial commitment from each family. From its inception, SJCS has been committed to providing tuition assistance to families who qualify. All Jewish day schools in the Seattle area use Independent School Management's online Financial Aid for School Tuition (FAST) to determine the "fair share" tuition for families who apply. This process ensures confidentiality and equity. The online part of the application through FAST may only commence on December 1, 2011. You may assemble documents to be sent prior to that date.
Who should apply for Tuition Assessment?
Families who have reviewed their financial situation and feel they need help paying their tuition should apply. Tuition assistance at SJCS is based on demonstrated need. Aid is issued as a grant with no obligation to repay the grant.
How do I apply?
Incoming families applying for admission to SJCS should request a Tuition Assessment Package by calling 206.522.5212, stopping by the SJCS Business Office, or by e-mailing ysachs@sjcs.net.
The application itself is filled in online, and corresponding forms must be mailed in the pre-addressed envelopes included in the Assessment Package by January 20, 2012 directly to the FAST processing center in Wilmington, Delaware. All information is strictly confidential. Applications are processed online when fully completed, and when all the corresponding relevant information (as noted in the Assessment Package Checklist) has been received. Requests for Tuition Assessment will not be reviewed by the Tuition Assessment Committee until SJCS’s receipt of your admissions application. Keep the original copy of your enrollment application for your records, and send copies (rather than originals) of documents to FAST.
How is aid determined?
SJCS is committed to need-based aid. SJCS applications have been customized to reflect the Jewish cost-of-living in Seattle and are analyzed by FAST. These results are then reviewed by the local independent third party (Linda Sullivan of the SAMIS Foundation) and an impartial Tuition Assessment Committee (TAC), which considers all factors presented, and then determines tuition.
When are families notified of the results of tuition assistance decisions?
Current SJCS families are notified of decisions when re-enrollment contracts are mailed. New SJCS families are notified of decisions when offers of admission are made, this year on March 15, 2012.
What if my financial circumstances change?
If you are receiving tuition assistance and your financial situation changes, you may submit new information at any time. If you are not receiving tuition assistance and your financial situation changes, you may initiate an application for tuition assistance at any time.
Will my child receive aid in subsequent years?
A family must reapply for assessment each year. If one's financial situation changes significantly, that change will be reflected in the assessment. In addition, if your financial situation undergoes significant change in the year for which aid was granted, you should notify us immediately.
Questions?
Contact Yael Sachs, Director of Operations, ysachs@sjcs.net, 206.522.5212 x 206