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INVESTING IN THE UPREP FINANCIAL AID PROGRAM

INVESTING IN

UPREP FINANCIAL AID PROGRAM

Our philosophy UPrep understands that an independent school education is a significant investment for many families. While families hold the primary responsibility for financing their child’s independent school education, UPrep allocates more than five million dollars annually in needbased financial aid to support nearly 20 percent of the student body. Through its financial aid program, UPrep is deeply committed to fostering a socioeconomically diverse school community that creates an optimal and open-minded environment for students to lead a life of learning. We work to ensure that every student has the tools, access, and community support they need to belong and excel.

$5M

IN NEED-BASED FINANCIAL AID EACH YEAR

~20% OF CURRENT STUDENTS RECEIVE AID

Need-Based Financial Aid

HOW WE WORK WITH

All financial aid at UPrep is need-based. UPrep does not offer merit-based scholarships. Need is defined as the difference between the cost of attendance and the family’s calculated ability to pay. To determine these figures, our office uses Clarity, a third-party provider. Clarity uses information (income, assets, expenses, debts, liabilities, family size, number of students in a tuition-charging school, etc.) from the family to provide UPrep with a suggested tuition (the amount the family can reasonably pay) towards educational expenses. There is no stated maximum income above which a family does not qualify for financial aid, and awards may change from year to year if or as a family’s financial situation changes. Families must apply for financial aid on an annual basis, including when first applying to UPrep. Financial aid and admission decisions are considered separately. If a family does not apply for financial aid for the first year of enrollment at UPrep, it is the expectation that the family will not receive financial assistance at any time during their enrollment at the school. Should financial circumstances change, the family may apply in future years, and the Financial Aid Committee will review the application. The committee ensures that UPrep’s program is equitable with respect to all families. Assistance is not limitless, and awards are always subject to the availability of funds.

Annual Financial Aid Application Process UPrep requires that the Clarity financial aid application and supporting tax documents be submitted annually for all families requesting need-based financial aid. Applications received after the deadline may not be considered. Families who submit applications and supporting tax documents after the deadline also have access to a limited pool of funds. The Financial Aid Committee reviews completed applications, and awards are granted for one academic year only.

100% OF FINANCIAL AID IS NEED-BASED

$40,409 AVERAGE GIFT AWARDED

Appeals Process Families have the right to appeal a financial aid decision. Once aid is awarded to families, parents/guardians may appeal their awards by contacting the associate director of admission and financial aid. The appeal must be in writing and received by the Enrollment Office within 10 calendar days of receiving the original award notification. The Financial Aid Committee will assess the appeal and make a decision on whether or not to change the award. The committee is not obligated to increase any award. Changes to an award are considered only if the family provides the school with additional financial aid information.

79.85% AVERAGE PERCENTAGE OF TUITION COVERED

INVESTING IN A SOCIO-ECONOM

MICALLY DIVERSE COMMUNITY

Family Circumstances DIVORCED AND SEPARATED PARENTS/GUARDIANS Financial aid at UPrep is determined by a family’s ability to meet educational expenses; it is based on need, not on a willingness or unwillingness to pay. No information will be given by the school to either parent/guardian regarding the other home’s finances. Waiving the financial requirement of a noncustodial parent will be considered ONLY if both of the the following circumstances are met: a. The custodial parent completes a Statement of Explanation. b. T he noncustodial parent has provided no support and had no contact with the family for at least two years. A notarized letter/statement from a third party (nonrelative) is required to verify this information. REMARRIED PARENTS/GUARDIANS UPrep will consider the assets of all parents, natural or adoptive, if living, before making any award, and cannot be bound by the assertion that one parent has disclaimed responsibility for educational expenses. As a result, both natural/adoptive parents/guardians and their current spouses, if any, will need to complete a financial aid application. NON-WORKING PARENTS/GUARDIANS If a parent/guardian chooses not to work when all the children in the household are in grade levels above kindergarten, an income based on full-time employment at Washington state’s current minimum wage is imputed in calculating the family’s income. An income will not be imputed for parents/guardians not working because they are caring for non-school age children and/or aging adults, or unable to work due to a documented disability.

Privacy and Security UPrep safeguards the confidentiality of all financial aid information supplied by families that might identify them and discourages making any public announcement of the amount of financial aid awarded to individual families. Only the director of enrollment management and the associate director of admission and financial aid have access to a family’s financial aid documents and the details contained within them. Details of a family’s finances are only shared with other UPrep employees if they are relevant and necessary to providing the best possible support for a student.

“I am so grateful for the support that we’ve received from UPrep. I am blown away that the school has been able to support our student and our family through financial aid grants during his time here.” —CURRENT UPREP PARENT

DID YOU KNOW?

UPrep’s financial aid program is in part supported by the Endowed Financial Aid Fund, which provides reliable funding to ensure more families can fully access a UPrep education.

Costs to Attend

MAKING UPREP POSSIBLE FOR

Ensuring that UPrep remains accessible, diverse, and affordable to families remains an institutional priority, and we recognize that the cost to attend UPrep extends beyond tuition. For expenses outside tuition, UPrep uses a percentage-based model. Families receiving financial aid may apply their financial-aid percentage to the cost of non-tuition expenses including, but not limited to, technology, textbooks, transportation, food, and Global Programs. The UPrep Board of Trustees considers rising costs and continues to increase the financial aid budget annually.

CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES Students who receive financial aid may request additional assistance for sponsored UPrep co-curricular activities. These supplemental awards match the percentage of their initial grant, subject to funding availability. The student’s family must cover any remaining balance. Examples of covered expenses include tickets to school events/dances, Global Link trips, assistance with required equipment for team sports (including one swag item per sports season covered at your financial aid percentage), instrument rentals, and ski bus. For questions about what is covered, please contact the associate director of admission and financial aid.

APPROXIMATE COST

DIVISION

REQUIRED/ OPTIONAL

Textbooks

$250–$450

ALL

Required

$250–$450

Technology

$800–$1600

ALL

Required