Tuition & Financial Aid

SCH is committed to building an inclusive community from a wide range of backgrounds independent of financial means and gives careful consideration to all financial aid applications. Our financial aid is awarded on the basis of demonstrated need and determined on an annual basis. While we use tax and employment information as a guide to assess each family's need, the amount of aid awarded is also based upon total funds available, the number of applicants, and the timeliness of your application. It is in your best interest to submit a financial aid application as soon as possible; later requests will be considered only if funds are still available.

Step 1 – Submit your Financial Aid Application

• Please complete your financial aid application through Clarity. Please note: to complete your Clarity Application, it can take 30-45 minutes. The Clarity Application is also mobile-friendly so you can complete it from anywhere. You are also able to save your progress and return at any time. Here is a step-by-step walkthrough of Clarity's Application Guide.
• Google Chrome is the recommended browser.
• The application fee for your family is $60 regardless of the number of children or schools you are applying to. 
• Clarity does not need you to upload basic tax documents (i.e. 1040 and W-2 forms). Clarity retrieves them from the IRS on your behalf (making the application process easier).
• If additional tax documentation is needed, you will be prompted by Clarity. You will then need to return to your Clarity dashboard to upload the additional documentation to your application.
• If you need support while completing your application, there is in-app support available through the “Help” button in the bottom left of the screen, as well as email (support@claritytuition.com) and phone support at 206-210-3752, in both English and Spanish. 

Step 2 – What to Expect Next

Once your student's admissions decision has been made by the SCH Admissions Committee, your completed financial aid application will be submitted to the SCH Financial Aid Committee for review. It is in your best interest to submit a financial aid application as soon as possible; later requests will be considered only if funds are still available.

TUITION

Included in Tuition:
At SCH, tuition is inclusive of all required fees, including technology and technology fees (division-specific iPads, chargers, laptops), books and supplies, field trips, athletic uniforms, Parent Association dues, and Tuition Refund Plan. 

Not Included in Tuition:
Lunch, certain athletic and extracurricular team fees, PSAT and SAT testing, private music lessons, and lost items. 

Tuition Payment Plans

Parents may now use money saved in a 529 plan to pay for private school tuition for kindergarten through 12th grade. Grandparents can also open a 529 account and name a grandchild as beneficiary or they can contribute to an already existing 529 account. Please consult with your tax accountant for annual limits and further details.

SCH uses FACTS Management to manage our tuition payment plans and incidental billing. All families are required to enroll with FACTS and select one of the four payment plans:

• Pay in Full.
• Semi-Annual (60%/40%).
• Quarterly.
• Monthly.

A $500 non-refundable enrollment deposit is required within two weeks following the date of acceptance to hold your student(s) place for the upcoming school year. 

Questions? Please contact Diane Ross, Manager of Student Billing, dross@sch.org or call: 215-247-7086.

Tuition Refund Plan

SCH Academy recognizes that students may decide not to attend or to stop attending SCH Academy due to changes in circumstances.

To withdraw your child, you will need to send in a cancellation notice which must be (a) dated, (b) state the student’s name (c) state the undersigned’s intent to terminate, and (d) be signed by the undersigned. Once the cancellation notice is received, the Director of Admissions & Enrollment Management will contact you. The cancellation notice should be sent to the Admissions Office:

SCH Academy
Attn: Director of Admissions and Enrollment Management
500 W. Willow Grove Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19118

All families must contact the Business Office (please email: dross@sch.org) to discuss their final tuition statement and make full payment of any outstanding balance at the time of withdrawal. Any credit balance will be refunded and mailed to you.

Incidental fees such as school store charges and outstanding lunch fees will not be refunded under the Tuition Refund Plan.

The enrollment deposit is retained in all circumstances and the following credit will be applied to the full cost of the annual tuition.

Withdrawals for the Upcoming Academic Year:
February 2 to April 30 – Enrollment deposit only is retained
May 1 to August 31 – 50% 

Withdrawals During the Current Academic Year:
September 1 to November 30 – 50% 
December 1 to 31 – 40% 
January 1 to 31 – 30% 
February 1 to 28 – 20% 
March 1 to 31 – 10% 
April 1 to June 30 – 0%

Questions? Please contact Diane Ross, Manager of Student Billing, dross@sch.org or call: 215-247-7086.

upper School
Scholarship Opportunities

Jordie Maine '79 Scholarship

The Jordie Maine '79 Scholarship is awarded annually to one scholar-athlete who exemplifies the character, talent, and leadership abilities of Jordie Maine, CHA alumnus. All incoming 9th grade students and current SCH 8th graders are eligible to apply to the Jordie Maine '79 Scholarship. 

Deadline to apply: January 3 | SCH will notify named scholars by mid-January for the scholars joining the 9th grade class that fall. 

Jordie Maine '79 Application 

Ellis Trust for Girls Grant Program

Ellis Trust For Girls is an outside tuition assistance grant program that SCH encourages qualified families to apply for. The Ellis Trust application is available beginning January 1 and closes on March 15. Basic qualifications for this grant program include: the applicant must be female, the applicant must live within a Philadelphia zip code, and the applicant must be applying for Upper School (grades 9-12). More details about the Ellis Trust for Girls Grant Program can be found on their website (please click the button below to learn more).

Ellis Trust Information

Lower and Middle School 

At this time, there are no scholarship opportunities for Lower and Middle School students. Families in Lower and Middle School are welcome to apply for financial aid. Please see the "Process" and "Timeline" tabs for more information. 

Criteria used when evaluating Financial Aid Application:  

• Need-blind admission - Financial aid decisions are made independently from admissions decisions once an offer of admission has been made. New students must be accepted first through the admission process, and then are considered for financial aid through a separate process.
• Need-based awards - Financial aid grants are awarded on the basis of a family’s demonstrated financial need. Eligibility for aid is determined by SCH's Financial Aid Committee based on its evaluation of the Financial Aid application hosted by Clarity. 
• Parental responsibility – The primary responsibility for tuition rests with the family. When evaluating family's financial information, SCH's Financial Aid Committee takes into account: the number of children, their ages, additional dependents, assets, and all sources of income. In addition, we consider lifestyle choices, debts, expenses, and spending priorities. Applicants are expected to adhere to all application deadlines. You are responsible for submitting the paperwork on time.
• Priority - Priority for financial aid is given to families who complete the complete the Financial Aid application hosted by Clarity and adhere to all deadlines.   
• Non-working parent – Recognizing that each family bears the primary responsibility for financing education costs, if one parent chooses not to seek employment, SCH imputes an annual income for a non-working parent. Exceptions are made if the parent is caring for a non-school-age child or an elderly parent.
• Confidentiality – Recognizing the sensitivity of personal financial issues, we guarantee the confidentiality of the process and expect families to maintain the confidentiality of any award information, as well.
• Renewal – Financial aid is evaluated each year based the demonstration of continued financial need, as well as evidence that the recipients continue to exhibit satisfactory academic progress, good citizenship and favorable financial standing with the SCH Business Office.
• Awarding – Applying for financial aid does not guarantee that you will be eligible for an award. Nor does being eligible guarantee that there will be financial aid available.

Other Key Policies

• For all families, full participation is expected of both biological parents, stepparents and/or the adults with whom the child lives, has custody or has financial influence and responsibility in the student’s life.
• In the process of evaluating a family’s financial situation, the financial aid process requires the complete documentation of all parties and the full transparency of all those identified in the categories listed above, regardless of divorce, separation or estrangement. A financial aid award will not be issued unless we have the required information from all parties. 
• SCH Academy is not bound by any decrees, agreements or legal documents excusing a parent from financial responsibility for his or her child’s education.
• In situations where couples are living together but not married, we will require financial information from both parties. If the child is from a former marriage of either party, forms will be required of the current family and non-custodial parent and spouse, if applicable. If a child is a part of the family due to adoption or artificial insemination, forms will be required as with two-parent families.