Tuition & Financial Assistance

The purpose of the tuition assistance program is to build an economically diverse community and to fill the gap between the cost of tuition and what a family can realistically be expected to pay toward tuition. WES does not give merit awards or scholarships.

Tuition assistance awards are made without regard to race, nationality, ethnic origin, or student merit, and are determined on the basis of demonstrated need only and within the constraints of the financial aid budget.

After the application has been received, the Tuition Assistance Committee carefully examines the Parents’ Financial Statement and Report of Family Contribution; tax documents; and any new financial developments affecting your family.

The Tuition Assistance Committee also considers and asks that all families pay a portion of tuition, both parents work unless a reason is given as to otherwise, and divorced or separated parents submit all forms unless a special waiver is granted. The other key factors in determining specific awards were: the total number of financial aid applicants, the assessed need per application, and the overall financial aid budget.

WES’s Tuition Assistance Committee uses many items including assets, liabilities, age of parents, family size, and lifestyle choices when determining awards. WES does not provide aid to offset expenses deemed to be “lifestyle” choices. Many WES families sacrifice to send their child(ren) to WES and to contribute to WES’s Annual Fund, which funds a portion of the financial aid budget. These guidelines best ensure that financial awards are as fair as possible.

Families reapply for tuition assistance every year. From year to year, there are variances in all five factors, and these variances may result in recipients being asked to contribute a greater amount towards tuition in future years.

Please do not hesitate to contact the Office of Admission and Tuition Assistance with any questions.

WES partners with Clarity to evaluate applications. Based on a family’s financial information, Clarity provides us with an estimated amount that your family can contribute towards educational expenses.

Click HERE for the financial aid application.

• Currently Enrolled Families
  • Submit the online tuition assistance application to Clarity by November 20, 2023, and submit 2023 W2s to Clarity by January 14, 2024.
• Applicant Families
  • Submit the online financial aid application with all required documentation to Clarity by January 14, 2024.

Complete the online application to Clarity. Please confirm with the Office of Admission and Tuition Assistance that your application was filed by the deadline.

Please note: Clarity will automatically pull a copy of your 2023 tax returns. However, you will need to update your application with your 2024 W2s, once you have received them.

Click HERE for the online application.

Upon admission or re-enrollment to WES, those families who applied for tuition assistance will receive a notification of the tuition assistance award with the enrollment contracts.

Families need to review the tuition assistance award, calculate any required or optional additional fees and expenses , and determine if the award will be sufficient to make WES affordable. Families who would like to accept the tuition assistance award need to sign the enrollment contract, which includes the tuition assistance award, along with paying the enrollment deposit of $100.

If there are questions or concerns about the tuition assistance award, families should contact Director of Admission and Tuition Assistance Kim Bair to discuss further. Periodically, adjustments in awards are made with new information or clarification of the information submitted to Clarity.

WES makes every effort to be fair both to tuition assistance applicants and to the entire WES community.

Never hesitate to schedule a tuition assistance consultation with Director of Admission and Tuition Assistance Kim Bair.

She can answer questions about how to apply for tuition assistance, what additional expenses your family should plan for, and which additional tuition assistance benefits you may qualify for (e.g., reduced prices for Summer@WES and study trip stipends), and more. The more you know, the more confident you will be that the financial investment you are making works for your family and child.

Have a quick or long question about tuition assistance? Email us your question and we will get back to you quickly! You can call us too at 301-652-7878 ext. 201.