AN INVESTMENT IN YOUR
STUDENT’S FUTURE
Investing in an independent school is a commitment. At The Winston School, we are also committed to helping families navigate tuition and tuition assistance to make Winston a viable option for students regardless of financial circumstances.
Tuition & Fees
When you sign your contract, a tuition deposit of $1,500 is required to complete the enrollment. This deposit is applied to your tuition and fees. The deposit is non-refundable.
*There is an additional matriculation fee of $1,000 for new 1st-12th grade students, and a $500 graduation fee for seniors.
**Students who enroll after the start of the school year will have their tuition and fees prorated based on the date of their enrollment.
- Families who have more than one student attending Winston will receive a 10% discount. If tuition assistance is received, this discount does not apply.
- A $500 discount is provided to full year students when tuition and fees are paid in full by June 30, 2025.
- A $250 discount is provided to 2nd semester students when tuition and fees are paid in full by January 31, 2026.
Monthly payments are paid through VC Pay on the Veracross parent portal on the 12th of each month in 12 monthly installments, July through June. Students enrolled after July 1 will make less than 12 monthly payments through June 12.
All tuition and fees must be paid by the 12th of each month or a late fee is charged. VC Pay gives you the options of automatically paying by bank draft or credit card. Please make all of your payments through VC Pay and not the school office.
Tuition Assistance
Qualified students entering 1st through 12th grade who might not otherwise be able to attend are eligible to apply for tuition assistance. All tuition assistance is granted on the basis of demonstrated family need and the school's availability of funds. PreK and Kindergarten students are not eligible to apply for Tuition Assistance.
In order for us to allocate our resources wisely and fairly, we have enlisted the help of Independent School Management’s Financial Aid for School Tuition (FAST) program.
- FAST does not decide whether tuition assistance will be given or how much to give; rather FAST provides a need-based tuition assistance analysis service which includes a recommendation of what a family should reasonably contribute toward tuition.
- The FAST system will request you report on a series of financial factors (dependent information, real estate, vehicles, assets, liabilities, income, and expenses) and provide documents such as your current year tax return and w-2. All information from FAST is kept confidential.
- We highly recommend that you complete this FAST worksheet in order to prepare your application. It will help ensure you have collected all necessary information in order to apply.
Tuition Assistance Timelines
- February 3, 2025: Tuition Assistance applications open for new families. The link to apply is below and will open on this date.
- Families are typically notified of awards within approximately one week of completing the application and submitting all supplemental documents.
- The tuition assistance application will remain open until funds are exhausted. We recommend families who are in need of assistance apply early.
Please do not apply for tuition assistance until your student has completed their admission shadow visit. Award of tuition assistance is not a guarantee of admission to The Winston School.
- November 1, 2024: Tuition Assistance applications open for current families. You can do so here.
- December 1, 2024: Tuition Assistance application closes for current families.
- All current families must complete the application by this date, including submitting relevant documents, to be considered for assistance. Applications submitted after December 1, 2024, will be processed with new family applications and will be subject to the availability of funds.
- By February 3, 2025: Current families will be notified of their tuition assistance awards for the 2025-2026 school year.
Tuition Assistance Process:
An independent school is an investment, and we ask all families to contribute to the extent they are financially able.
- Fill out the FAST tuition assistance application form.
The application process is self-guided and you may save and return to your application at any time. Should you have questions, FAST provides a 24/7/365 helpline at 1-877-326-3728. A helpful user guide can be found here.
The current family tuition assistance application window for the 25-26 school year is November 1-December 1.
The new family tuition assistance application window opens on February 3, 2025.
- Pay the $53 application fee.
This fee is collected by FAST upon completion of your application and can be paid with a major credit card. If you do not have a credit card, please contact Mario Porro, Business Officer, for assistance at 214-691-6950. - Submit required documents within two weeks of your submission date.
Documents must be submitted for verification purposes and can be uploaded via the FAST system. - Tuition Assistance committee reviews your application.
FAST will produce a report and their recommendations. The committee typically meets once a week in order to promptly review tuition
assistance applications as they are received. - Letter of determination is issued.
A determination of award letter will be sent to families typically within one week of receiving the final FAST documentation.
Families must reapply for financial aid each year. The amount of assistance will vary from year to year based on available funds and the family’s changing financial situation.
FAQs
If a parent of school-age children chooses not to work, The Winston School imputes an annual income of $15,000 for a non-working parent.
When making tuition assistance decisions, the aid committee takes into consideration the financial resources of both parents, regardless of their marital status. Since The Winston School is not bound by court orders as to financial responsibility for a student's education, both parents are required to submit all required financial documentation, including annual tax returns.
Returning Families:
Current families will not be required to submit their 2024 tax return. The business office will utilize documents submitted for the current school year and contact you directly should additional documents be required.
New Families:
Your 2024 tax return is a mandatory component of your financial aid application, and it must be complete in order to apply.
- We understand that our yearly application period starts earlier than the IRS deadline.
- If you are in need of tuition assistance, we highly advise you complete your return as soon as possible in order to apply in a timely manner and have the best chance for an award.
We do not offer admission fee or enrollment waivers at this time. If there are extenuating circumstances, please contact Mario Porro at [email protected].
Tuition assistance funds are always limited and the needs of the community can shift from year to year which means applying early is always in your best interest. Priority consideration is given to on-time applications.
- Students who enroll mid-year may not receive financial aid for the current academic year as the allocated funds will most likely be exhausted. Families are always welcome to inquire about available funds, and if they are not available, they can apply for the following year during the open enrollment period.
- The Winston School does not offer academic, athletic, or arts scholarships.
- Additionally, The Winston School does not offer full-tuition financial aid awards.
When asked on the application how much you will contribute toward your child’s educational expenses, please do not answer $0. Carefully consider what you are able to pay toward tuition, rather than what you would like to pay. An independent school is an investment, and we ask all families to contribute to the investment to the extent they are financially able.
We recognize that families may experience unexpected changes in their financial circumstances due to job loss, illness, or other life events. If your income no longer reflects your current situation, please provide an explanation on your application and expect to schedule a meeting with us to discuss your situation in more detail.
Should other questions arise or you need further assistance,
contact Mario Porro, Business Manager.
Meet our Business Office
The Winston School does not discriminate against individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, age, religion, national and ethnic origin, sexual orientation or disability in its admission of students.