Tuition Assistance

Made Possible by the Austin Waldorf Community

Tuition assistance is made possible by the Austin Waldorf School community. Assistance is awarded to a family based on relative financial need among the financial aid applicants and the available financial aid budget in accordance with the school’s Financial Aid Policy.

Financial Aid Process

The Austin Waldorf School is determined to make an AWS education accessible to families from a wide range of economic backgrounds. Among our families are those who can afford tuition at the highest level and whose philanthropic generosity provides a vital component of annual operating expenses. There are also those families who manage to pay full tuition only by making a substantial sacrifice, those who are able to afford only minimal tuition and a full spectrum in between.

Additionally, circumstances such as loss of employment, new business starts or unusual medical expenses may impact a family’s financial means dramatically from one year to the next. At Austin Waldorf, we understand that change is a part of life and that continuity of your child’s educational environment is critically important during times when other factors may put unusual stress on parents and guardians.

As an ISAS and AWSNA accredited school, it is important that Austin Waldorf follow the best practice guidelines determined by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) School and Student Services for Financial Aid (SSS) program. Please keep in mind that timing and careful compliance with our process is important in receiving financial aid. Qualification for financial aid does not ensure that funding will be available for your student. Financial aid is funded almost completely out of the school’s operating funds, so our budget is limited. Additionally, because assistance is limited to 60% of tuition and does not cover fees, parents must be able to demonstrate the ability to pay the portion of tuition/fees not covered by the assistance offered to them

You must submit your completed application prior to the published deadline or your enrollment contract will automatically be issued at the full-tuition rate. You are required to re-qualify annually, even if you already receive a reduction in your tuition in the current school year and/or past years. Also, you are required to substantiate the information submitted on your Parents’ Financial Statement by providing the school with a copy of your tax return by the school-determined deadline, uploaded to the SSS website with your application. IRS granted return deadline extensions are not acceptable qualification for late tax submission to the school.

Application Deadlines

Applicants should apply online at the School and Student Services (SSS) website here.  For returning AWS families, the deadline to apply is December 15.  For families of students applying for admission to the school for the first time, the deadline to apply for financial aid is February 10.  The Austin Waldorf School code is 2174. The Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS) application is available here and on the SSS page.  The cost to apply for assistance is $55 per Parent Financial Statement submitted. You only need to submit one PFS for all students for which you are requesting tuition assistance – except in the case of divorced parents who should submit one PFS per household.  See the following checklist to confirm all requirements are met: Checklist.  In divorce cases, it is your responsibility to notify the other parent of your intention to apply for assistance and request that they submit their own Parents’ Financial Statement.  The school will only consider an application complete with information from both divorced parents.  If you are a business owner, you must complete the Business/Farm section of the Parents’ Financial Statement.  All financial information submitted as a part of the process is held in strict confidence by the school.

All four requirements must be completed and uploaded before a financial aid award is considered final:

  1. Completion and submission of the SSS online financial aid application no later than December 31 for existing families and February 10 for new families
  2. Uploaded 2020 income tax return and all related schedules in the “Documents” folder on School and Student Services website
  3. Uploaded personal letter providing the details of your family’s financial situation and any extenuating circumstances that may impact a family’s ability to pay tuition, i.e. job loss, loss of parent, change in household, medical expenses, care of aging parent, etc.
  4. Uploaded monthly family budget of income and expenses.

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about the financial aid process are available here, or you may phone the Business Office at 512.288.5942 extension 102, or email scharioui@austinwaldorf.org.

“The well-rounded, considerate, thoughtful people I've seen graduating from this high school have floored me. I'm so honored my family is a part of this school, this community, this village.”