Guided Tuition

Detroit Country Day School is committed to attracting a talented, mission-appropriate student body regardless of a family’s ability to afford our tuition. DCDS has a proud history of providing access to our school program, and guided tuition is our need-based financial aid program that realizes our commitment.

DCDS welcomes any family in need of financial assistance to apply for our need-based guided tuition program.

New Family Regular Enrollment Application Deadline by January 31, 2023
Returning Family (Re-enrollment and/or adding a new student) Application Deadline by January 10, 2023

New Family Regular Enrollment Application Deadline by January 31, 2023

FACTS Grant & Aid Assessment will be conducting the financial need analysis for Detroit Country Day School for the upcoming 2023-2024 school year. In order to be considered for a regular award decision deadline, new families must have an application and 2021 1040 Federal Tax Returns along with all supporting business schedules, attachments and your 2022 W-2s for both parents submitted to FACTS by January 31, 2023. Detroit Country Day School will send early award notifications to qualified families beginning in March of 2023.

*After January 31, 2023 applications are considered on a rolling basis, and decisions are based on a variety of factors, including space in our classes.

Families should apply online here Please note: Students at all levels may apply for financial assistance, although aid will be granted in descending order with our Middle and Upper School students receiving priority consideration. Lower School applicants will be considered next. All relevant tax forms must be uploaded to consider an application complete: copies of your 2021 1040 Federal tax forms, including all supporting tax schedules, and your most recent pay stub.

All supporting documentation can be uploaded in pdf format online.

Returning Family (Re-enrollment and/or adding a new student) Application Deadline by January 10, 2023

FACTS Grant & Aid Assessment will be conducting the financial need analysis for Detroit Country Day School for the upcoming 2022-2023 school year. In order to be considered for a regular award decision deadline, new families must have an application and 2020 1040 Federal Tax Returns along with all supporting business schedules and attachments, paystubs with YTD earning in 2021, and your 2021 W-2s for both parents submitted to FACTS by January 10, 2023. Update your record with W2 forms for 2022 for both parent by February 5, 2023. Detroit Country Day School will send early award notifications to qualified families in March 2023.

Families should apply online here. Please note: Students at all levels may apply for financial assistance, although aid will be granted in descending order with our Middle and Upper School students receiving priority consideration. Lower School applicants will be considered next.

All relevant tax forms must be uploaded to consider an application complete: copies of your 2021 1040 Federal tax forms, including all supporting tax schedules, and 2022 W2's for both parents.

All supporting documentation can be uploaded in pdf format online.

The Guided Tuition Program allows all families to apply for reduced tuition, as opposed to applying for a “grant” or an “award”. The Guided Tuition level for each student is governed by our charge, the needs of our families and the budget of the school. While all families may apply, priority is given to students entering the Upper and Middle Schools before considering students entering the Lower School. The Guided Tuition Committee operates separately from the admission process and does not impact your child’s admission to the school. Current students applying for Guided Tuition must be in good standing with the school.

Guided Tuition FAQs

DEADLINE TO APPLY FOR GUIDED TUITION

NOTIFICATION OF POSSIBLE AWARD

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

Families who have submitted a completed applications by the designated due dates and who would like to be considered for reduced tuition are eligible to apply.

The school’s budget for financial assistance is limited, the pool of candidates requesting assistance is competitive and, therefore, we are unable to offer Guided Tuition to every student who qualifies and who is admitted to DCDS. Consequently, a timely request for Guided Tuition is critical. Priority consideration is first given to students entering the Upper and Middle Schools.

WILL GUIDED TUITION CONTINUE THROUGHOUT A STUDENT'S YEARS AT DCDS?

Families will need to re-apply each year by completing the FACTS form in order to be re-considered for Guided Tuition. If the calculation confirms that continued assistance is necessary and the student is in good standing with the school, then the student will remain in the Guided Tuition Program. The student’s Guided Tuition amount may change due to tuition increases, the school’s available budget for Guided Tuition, or a change in the financial situation of the family.

NOT APPLYING FOR AID

TUITION FOR 2022 - 2023

PAYMENT PLANS

QUESTIONS

CONFIDENTIALITY

HOW AID IS DETERMINED

What are the components used by FACTS and the school to calculate the family’s financial need? The formula used to calculate aid is complex and therefore we are unable to provide benchmarks for income level necessary to warrant a reduced tuition. Components used in the calculation are as follows:

Number of Children in Tuition Charging Schools. The formula calculates an amount of income available for tuition. This amount is divided by the number of children in tuition-charging schools to determine the tuition rate for any one student.
Income. Pre-tax income from wages, business or investments is considered. The formula considers various costs against this income in determining the family’s ability to pay. If two parents reside in separate households, the income, and expenses of both households are considered.
Assets. A portion of a family’s major assets, investments, and savings are added to the gross income and considered available for tuition. The income assumed to be generated by assets also takes the parent age into account with respect to the consideration of retirement savings.
Family Size. Living allowance estimates are based on the number of people in the student’s household. Income is adjusted by expenditures for housing, food, or medical needs to obtain the available discretionary income.
Unusual Expenses. Documented expenses such as those for the care of an aging grandparent, parent educational loan payments, or uninsured medical expenses are considered when determining the Guided Tuition amount.
Divorced, Separated or Never Married Parent. Detroit Country Day Schools’ policy in determining the financial need of students from separated or divorced families is derived from the underlying principle on which we base financial aid for all students. That is, parents have an obligation to pay for the educational expenses of their children to the extent that they are able.