2020 - 2021 Financial Aid Brochure

FINANCIAL AID PROGRAM ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

MISSION & CORE VALUES MISSION:

To develop courageous leaders who will change their world for the better.

CORE VALUES:

The joy of learning and purposeful effort.

MUTUAL RESPECT AND UNDERSTANDING IN AN INTENTIONALLY INCLUSIVE AND INTERCULTURAL COMMUNITY. Atlanta International School (AIS) is committed to providing financial support to allow students who demonstrate a spirit of curiosity, empathy and passion, the ability to join, and remain a part of our community regardless of their families’ ability to pay full tuition.

In 2020-2021, AIS awarded over $3 Million to families with demonstrated need.

The Atlanta International School Financial Aid Program has two purposes: to provide deserving students access to our rigorous IB education and to provide AIS a well-qualified student body reflecting our values of social and economic inclusion. For these goals to be achieved, it is essential that the ability to pay the full tuition not be a deciding factor in determining whether or not a promising young person may attend the school.

Our financial aid budget provides funds for full and partial tuition assistance. AIS also provides grants for assistance with technology, field trips, and other activities for qualifying families. All families should expect to make some contribution to the total cost of education.

Financial aid decisions are made independently from Admission decisions and in no way affect a candidate’s chances for admission. The Financial Aid Program is open to students of any race, creed, and national or ethnic origin.

POLICIES SELECTION As the number of applicants who qualify for Financial Aid exceeds the number our budget can support, we unfortunately are unable to award aid to all students who qualify.

RENEWALS Every tuition assistance award is made for one year and may be renewed subject to (1) parents completing the annual financial aid application, (2) demonstrating continued documented need, and (3) students maintaining the sound academic and high community citizenship standards expected of them. While financial aid should continue throughout the student’s enrollment, the Financial Aid Committee will not hesitate to reduce or refuse subsequent awards if the student’s academic effort or conduct is deficient - even if such shortcomings do not, in themselves, preclude his/her continued enrollment.

PRIORITIES Consideration for the budgeted dollars is given in the following order: 1. Applications from current recipients who have completed all renewal requirements on time.

2. New applications from currently enrolled students, if completed on time.

3. New applications from candidates for enrollment.

NEW AND RENEWAL APPLICATIONS COMPLETED AFTER MARCH 1, 2021 WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR THE APRIL 3 AWARDS AND MUST GO THROUGH THE APPEALS PROCESS. Appeals are considered as long as funds remain available.

Note: Funds are not reserved for families whose application and requested documentation is received late. All awards are conditional based on full review and audit of the financial information submitted.

COMPUTATION Atlanta International School subscribes to the principles and services of School and Student Services (SSS) by NAIS for Financial Aid, which provides us, at the request of parents, financial analysis based on the confidential statement of need known as the Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS).

SSS reports provide a point of reference for the Atlanta International School Financial Aid Sub-Committee of the Board, which makes all final decisions on financial aid amounts. An application for financial aid is considered in conjunction with enrollment for the coming year. SSS starts processing applications for the following school year in November, but all required forms and supporting documentation must be received by March 1 in order to receive consideration. It may take up to 48 hours for your documents to be processed by SSS and visible to us at AIS. Promptness in meeting deadlines is vital.

FAMILY CONTRIBUTION Our goal is to meet as much of each family’s demonstrated need as we can. However, we expect those requiring our assistance to help extend our resources as widely as possible by contributing as much as they can to their own children’s education. Thus we encourage and utilize parents’ offers of payment beyond amounts calculated within SSS guidelines.

EXTERNAL RESOURCES Any financial support that may be available beyond the parents’ own income and assets should be reported on the PFS for consideration by the school. These include resources that might be expected from grandparents or other relatives, church funds, etc. The committee welcomes parents’ explanations for these potential sources of help, and correspondence with the Financial Aid Manager is encouraged. Since we must turn down qualified applicants each year, we want to take into account every means of stretching our budget to more recipients.

CONFIDENTIALITY Financial information submitted by parents in support of aid applications are held in confidence by the Financial Aid Committee and is retained on file for only a limited time.

Financial aid recipients are not identified at the school, except as necessary to evaluate their performance and to possibly distribute aid for technology and field trip stipends.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE REQUIREMENTS: 1. Submit an online application to sss.nais.org.

2. Upload copies of any 2020 W2s and/or 1099s, Federal IRS Form 1040 with all supporting schedules, as well as all other supporting documents by March 1.

3. First-time applicants must submit copies of their 2019 & 2020 tax returns, W2s and/or 1099s.

4. Upload copies of your November 2020, December 2020 and January 2021 bank statements.

5. Upload copies of your most recent Investment Account statements.

6. If Medical/Dental/Unusual Expenses are indicated on the PFS, supporting documents must be uploaded.

7. Shareholders, investors or partners with 20% or more ownership in a business entity must submit copies of their Forms 1120S and/or Form 1065 with all Schedule K-1s.

8. An official Tuition Statement with proof of payment must be submitted for children in other tuitioncharging schools.

9. IRS Form 1098-T must be submitted if Higher Education expenses have been incurred.

Note: In the case of separation or divorce, EACH PARENT must submit a PFS and supporting documents. In the case of unmarried parents, any parent or partner with custody or regular visitation must submit tax documents.

FINANCIAL AID CALENDAR OCT 1

Families can begin the financial aid application process.

FEB 15

Recommended deadline for families to file 2020 taxes with IRS, complete PFS and upload all supporting documents to SSS.

MARCH 1

Completed PFS and copy of all supporting documents due at SSS. All completed applications must be visible to AIS. Allow 48 hours for SSS to process your documents.

APRIL 3

Decisions on awards emailed to families.

2020 - 2021 AIS FINANCIAL AID PROFILE TOTAL NEED-BASED TUITION ASSISTANCE AWARDED

$3,841,559

STUDENTS RECEIVING FINANCIAL AID Total number of students receiving need-based financial aid funds for 2020-2021

201

PERCENT OF STUDENT BODY RECEIVING AID

16%

AVERAGE NEED-BASED TUITION ASSISTANCE AWARD

19,112

NUMBER OF NEW STUDENTS RECEIVING AID Total number of first-time financial aid recipients

74

For further information or assistance, please address your correspondence to: DEBRA KOPEC

Financial Aid Manager

KIRSTEN GROMATZKY Financial Aid Assistant

OFFICE OF ADMISSION & FINANCIAL AID Atlanta International School 2890 N. Fulton Dr. NE Atlanta, GA 30305

PHONE: 404.841.3840 | FAX: 404.841.3873 FINANCIALAID@AISCHOOL.ORG WWW.AISCHOOL.ORG