Private schools are known to be expensive to attend and cannot be afforded by everyone especially poor families. However, there are private school scholarships for low-income families who cannot afford the cost of a private school but wish to send their child to one. This blog post includes a curated list of those scholarships and how you can apply for them.
Two general knowledge about private schools are; their academic quality is top tier and they are expensive. Both are common facts and there are absolutely no lies about them. The quality of their academics, small class size, cutting-edge facilities, excellent exam results, a good record of entry to top universities, sporting opportunities, etc. are some of the reasons why every parent wants their child to attend a private school.
Early education (K-12) is very important in the life of a child and truly shapes their future which is why many parents want to give their children the best education at that early age and to do this, they tend to turn towards private schools. But given the cost of private schools not every family can afford them, particularly low-income families and then it seems as if private schools are only for the rich but that is not entirely true.
Today, private schools have become more accessible than ever as they accept a wide range of different backgrounds. The increased accessibility of private schools creates many opportunities that assist low-income families to afford private schools. Many private schools nowadays offer financial assistance to families who cannot afford tuition because the schools themselves believe that having a broad social mix that reflects society is incredibly important.
The financial assistance that private schools provide to low-income families may include scholarships, grants, bursaries, and flexible payment options. Although this funding does not come from private schools alone, it can also come from other sources like the government and charity organizations such as Children’s Scholarship Fund which provides scholarships for K-8 students.
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What is the Cost of K-12 Private Schools?
It is impossible to give an estimated cost for K-12 private schools because of factors such as location and the type of school whether it is a day or boarding school. But I can still give a range of what a private school may cost in a few locations.
The average tuition of K-12 private day school in the US is $16,000 but the average tuition for a boarding school in the US is $37,590. Catholic schools are quite cheaper at an average cost of $4,840. A private elementary school’s average tuition is $7,630 per year according to the US News. Schools in major cities can cost much more. The tuition of private schools in Canada can cost anywhere between 4,000 CAD to 26,000 CAD.
Note that all the figures given above are cost per year.
How to Get a Private School Scholarship
Private school scholarships are provided by the private schools themselves, charity organizations, and the government. You have to identify these available options first before applying and you can apply for all the options. For the private school aspect, you simply need to contact the admissions office or financial aid office of the school you want to enroll your child and enquire if financial aid options are available.
Contacting the school will not just allow you to know the scholarships that the school provides, rather, the school will also point you to other helpful resources which are mostly external.
Most scholarships from charity organizations are not tied to a specific private school. If you meet the requirements and eligibility criteria for a scholarship and claim the award, you can apply the fund to any private school of your choosing.
Private school scholarships for low-income families are provided based on need and to be eligible, your household income will be taken into consideration which means you should be ready to bring your financial statement out in the open as scholarships like this require you to provide financial details of your household.
Depending on your household income, your child may be eligible for a scholarship of $5,000 or lower. It could be higher in some cases. The amount awarded is usually at the discretion of the school.
Private School Scholarships for Low-Income Families
Private schools are significantly expensive compared to public schools but they, private schools, offer a host of advantages over their public counterpart which is why many parents wish to send their children there. However, the cost can be discouraging especially if you don’t know about private school scholarships for low-income families.
In this section, I have listed and discussed a list of private school scholarships for low-income families that you can start applying for. The great thing about them is that they are offered annually so you can’t miss them whether the external or internal scholarships.
- Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Scholarships
- Fulcrum Foundation Grants
- Children’s Scholarship Fund Philadelphia (CSFP)
- The Parent’s Choice Bursary Program
- BASIC Fund
- The Village Scholarship (TVS)
- Educational Choice (EdChoice) Scholarship Programs
- AAA Scholarship Foundation
- BLOCS Scholarships
- ACE Scholarships
1. Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Scholarships
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation was established in 2000 and to date, the foundation has awarded over $250 million in scholarships to over 3,000 students from 8th grade through graduate school. To assist low-income families afford private school for their children, the foundation awards financial aid through its Cooke Young Scholars Program.
This program is a selective five-year, pre-college scholarship for high-performing 7th-grade students with financial need. The funding provided by the Cooke Young Scholars Program also covers art lessons, supplemental academic classes, and technology. Students in the program also benefit from networking opportunities and an annual summer program.
2. Fulcrum Foundation Grants
Fulcrum Foundation is another charity organization that provides financial assistance to children from low-income families. The foundation provides this free funding to increase access to catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Seattle. With tuition assistance grants, students from low-income families can get access to excellent Catholic education.
The foundation disburses these grants annually through its Tuition Assistance Grants and Becraft Scholars Program. Fulcrum Foundation Grants are for students from grades K-12 who are applying for or currently in any catholic school in Seattle.
3. Children’s Scholarship Fund Philadelphia (CSFP)
The CSFP funds the tuition of children from low-income household entering grades K-8 in a private school. Scholarships are awarded based on need and to receive the free funding the children must be from under-resourced families living in Philadelphia. CSFP utilizes a blind lottery to select scholarship recipients.
4. The Parent’s Choice Bursary Program
A bursary is a type of financial assistance offered to students who demonstrate financial need. The Parent’s Choice Bursary Program is sponsored by The Prosser Charitable Foundation, an organization whose mission is to advance community support and funding in education, poverty relief, and other programs. The foundation also partners with many charity organizations in Canada and surrounding areas.
The Parent’s Choice Bursary Program provides financial assistance to students from low-income families in Calgary and other parts of Canada. Through this aid, these students can enroll in a private school of their choice without parents worrying about the financial burden.
5. BASIC Fund
BASIC Fund is a foundation that offers financial assistance to the poorest children from the Bay Area increasing their statistical chance of graduating high school from less than 75% to 98%. The organization started in 1998 and to date they have supported the education of more than 26,000 students.
Scholarships are awarded first-come first-serve based on financial need. It is also based on household size and income. The funding covers between 25% to 75% of a school’s tuition for a particular student. Only students in PreK-8th grade are supported.
6. The Village Scholarship (TVS)
The above-named scholarship is one of the private school scholarships for low-income families of minority groups. Scholarships are awarded to exceptional students with the intent of helping them realize their maximum potential. With this scholarship, Black and Latino/Hispanic families can enroll their children in any private school that suits their child and not worry about the cost of tuition.
7. Educational Choice (EdChoice) Scholarship Programs
The EdChoice Scholarship Program consists of a scholarship program that is offered to students in grades K-12 to attend a private school for little or no cost and an income-based program that offers financial assistance to support the education of children from low-income families, the fund must be used at a private school.
EdChoice Scholarship Programs are tenable at St. Johns Lutheran School and this is the school where scholarship recipients will be attending. The scholarships are renewable provided your child satisfies the requirements for renewal.
8. AAA Scholarship Foundation
AAA Scholarship Foundation is an approved scholarship organization operating in the US states of Arizona, Florida, Georgia, and Nevada. Low-income families in any of these states can claim an income-based scholarship from the foundation to support the education of their child in a private school of their choice.
There are varying laws for each of the states regarding the scholarships, you will have to check the laws in any of the states above – if you reside in one of them – learn about these laws and how they may affect the scholarship.
9. BLOCS Scholarships
Parents who want to enroll their child in a catholic school but cannot afford it may consider turning to BLOCS for financial funding, which, of course, they won’t pay back. BLOCS awards scholarships to families who demonstrate financial need through its partner schools. Families who apply for this scholarship will be required to provide the family’s past returns, proof of household income, and other financial records to determine if a student qualifies and if so, a recommended scholarship amount.
Application for BLOCS Scholarships is available every year. The financial assistance covers funding for students from PreK through 12th grade.
10. ACE Scholarships
Here is another option for private school scholarships for low-income families, ACE Scholarships are based solely on family income. The scholarship is for students in grades K – 12 and it is split into $4,500 per year for K-8 and $5,500 per year for high school. Whatever balance of the tuition remains will be sorted out by the families.
ACE Scholarships are not tied to any specific school, it works across all private schools and it is up to families to choose a befitting private school for their child.
Conclusion
The scholarships here are for low-income families, that is, families who are below the poverty line or don’t earn up to a certain amount per year as regards the scholarship criteria. The scholarships are financial assistance and they are disbursed directly to the private school your child or children are enrolled in.
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