Financial Aid

Applying for financial aid is a three-step process:

Step 1 – Submit the online FAST application. For two household families, each parent separately submits a FAST application. FAST will then combine the information to make a recommendation.

Step 2 – Upload copies of your filed tax return, including all schedules such as Schedule A, E, etc, and a signed, undated Form 4506-T to FAST. For two household families, each parent separately provides this information. Do not date Form 4506-T.

Step 3 – Submit your prospective household budget to the Business Office. For two household families, each parent separately submits the budget to the Business Office.

Please refer to 2019-2020 Financial Aid Deadlines listed below.

The average tuition grant awarded is $18,487. Students receiving tuition aid also receive a discount on Learning Skills tuition and Extended Day at the same percentage as the tuition discount, and one after-school club at the same percentage as the tuition discount. Financial aid families also receive a standard reduction in other program fees and costs, such as Carnival.

Click on this link to go to the FAST site. Print out the FAST worksheet and user guide to know and understand what information is needed before starting the application. Complete the worksheet, then use it to complete and submit the FAST application online.

FAST is a service that collects and analyzes financial information in a standard format so that our Financial Aid Committee has the information needed to make its decisions. It also verifies the accuracy of the tax forms you provide to us. Our families tell us that is it simple to use, and FAST provides 24/7 support services to assist you in completing the process. If you find that you need additional assistance beyond what is provided by the FAST toll-free hotline, we are committed to aiding you in any way, including meeting with you one-on-one to assist you in entering your data into the FAST system, if necessary. Please contact Lonnie Herring, Business Manager, at (206) 720-7651 to schedule an appointment.

Epiphany School pays the application fee charged by FAST. When you’ve entered all your information in FAST, you will be directed to an Application Payment screen. You will need to enter your name and address in order to submit your FAST application, but this is only so we can match submitted applications to reports we receive from FAST. You are not asked for credit card or check information.

The Financial Aid Committee will review the analysis provided by FAST, your prospective household budget, and your letter describing your family’s need. (These are provided to the committee with names redacted, to assure confidentiality.) For two household families, each parent enters data separately into FAST and FAST combines the data for a complete analysis. (Financial data for separated or divorced parents is never shared with the other parent.) We may recalculate the family contribution recommended by FAST based on school policy and the availability of funds. The family’s expected contribution will then be subtracted from the tuition to determine your financial need.

No. Financial aid applications will not be considered if the application and required documents are not received by the due dates. If you submit your materials early, we will contact you if any needed documents are missing. We cannot guarantee this service if your materials are submitted just before or on the due date.

Currently enrolled families will receive email notification February 14, 2019. New families will receive email notification of their financial aid award March 15, 2019 after their admission letter is sent earlier that day.

All financial aid recipients are required to notify the school if their financial status changes, so that the school can determine whether or not the new financial information will affect their award. If a family’s financial picture improves substantially, it is possible that the financial aid award will be reduced; if the financial status worsens, the family may consider requesting financial aid (or more aid, in the case of a current recipient), with the understanding that it can be considered only if the family’s ability to pay is affected and there are unallocated financial aid funds available at the time of the request.

Lonnie Herring, Epiphany School’s Business Manager, can answer questions about the process as well as specific questions regarding your individual situation. She can be reached at (206) 720-7651 or lherring@epiphanyschool.org.

No. The Admission Committee evaluates students for admission separately from the financial aid process. Once admission decisions have been made, the Financial Aid Committee will then determine whether a student qualifies for an award and how much he or she will be awarded.

FAST is an independent organization. It processes a family’s financial information, verifies the accuracy of that information, and provides receiving schools with the results of its assessment along with an estimate of the family’s ability to contribute toward the school’s tuition and other expenses. Epiphany School then makes its own determination of what the family is expected to pay. This entire process mirrors that used by colleges and universities in the United States.

No. The Financial Aid Committee awards grants and makes financial aid decisions based on each family’s financial need factoring in reasonable family expenditures and income-generating ability. Currently, the maximum aid award possible is 95 percent of tuition due. For the 2018-2019 school year, the average financial aid award was equivalent to 68 percent of the PreK-5 tuition.