Tuition & Financial Aid

List of 5 items.

• What is need-based financial aid? How is a financial aid award determined?

  The Bush School offers need-based financial aid. This means that financial aid awards are based solely on need or the family’s ability to pay for tuition. The Bush School does not provide academic or merit-based scholarships. In order to determine need, parents and guardians must submit a financial aid application through Clarity Tuition. The application process typically takes approximately twenty minutes to complete.
  
  

  Clarity Tuition uses a specific methodology to assess the financial resources a family has available to contribute towards the educational expenses of their children. Some factors that Clarity Tuition takes into account are: income (both taxable and nontaxable), assets (home equity, savings, bonds, etc.), expenses, indebtedness, family size, and the number of students attending tuition-charging schools. Clarity Tuition uses this information provided in the financial aid application to determine the Suggested Tuition, which the financial aid committee uses as a starting point from which to determine a financial aid award.
  
  

  In the financial aid process, The Bush School does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of gender, religion, creed, national origin, race, color, ethnicity, cultural background, family structure or sexual orientation. Financial aid decisions are made independently of admissions decisions.

• Who is eligible to apply for financial aid? What is the range of award amounts given to families receiving financial aid at Bush?

  All admissions applicants and current Bush students are eligible to apply for financial aid. We recognize the increasing burden tuition places on families, and the financial aid committee works to ensure that The Bush School experience is accessible for all students and families. Financial aid awards range from $5,000 to $50,300. We hope you will take the next step and complete the application at Clarity Tuition.

• Do I have to reapply for financial aid each year?

  Financial aid is a financial partnership between a family and the school. As part of this important partnership and in following best practice, The Bush School requires all families receiving financial aid to complete a financial aid application each year.
  
  

  If there have not been any significant changes to a family’s financial circumstances, their financial aid award percentage will typically remain consistent from year to year. Returning families must also be current in the payment of the current year’s account in order to be eligible for a financial aid award for the coming year.

• If parents are divorced or separated, who fills out the financial aid application?

  The Bush School believes the primary responsibility for paying for a student's education rests with all parents and guardians. Financial aid is awarded based on a family's ability to pay, not the willingness to pay. To assess eligibility accurately, all parents and guardians— including stepparents or partners of remarried parents and guardians—must complete the financial aid application and submit all required documentation.

  
  

  We recognize that every family’s circumstances are unique. If this requirement creates a hardship, please contact the Office of Financial Aid to discuss your situation.

  
  

  Financial aid eligibility is determined using the combined financial resources of both legal parents’ households, regardless of any private legal agreements, including divorce or separation decrees that allocate tuition responsibility. Awards are based on the student’s total demonstrated financial need and are not divided or adjusted to reflect individual parental obligations.

  
  

  The requirement for both parents to submit financial information may be waived if one parent has had no meaningful contact with the child and has not provided financial support for an extended period. Requests for a waiver are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and the Director of Enrollment Management may request supporting documentation.

• When will families learn if they have received a financial aid award?

  Families who apply for financial aid will receive their admissions decision and financial aid decision at the same time. The Bush School will offer admission only to applicants for whom we can provide financial assistance. If we are unable to provide financial aid to an admissible student, we will place that student in our wait pool until financial aid and a space become available.