Financial Assistance

Westminster Academy has established a Financial Assistance Program to assist Christian families who have a genuine financial need and are unable to afford the full cost of tuition. Westminster Academy encourages families with limited means to apply for assistance. Students must first be accepted into Westminster Academy, and their enrollment fee must be paid in full.

The school expects families who apply to make significant adjustments to the use of discretionary resources and lifestyle choices. The Financial Assistance Committee will require evidence that a family’s commitment to their child’s Christian education is a priority over ancillary lifestyle choices. Financial Assistance Program awards when combined with other sources of financial assistance, will not exceed 75% of tuition.

Financial assistance is offered in the form of annual awards to full-time students entering kindergarten through the twelfth grade. The amount of the awards is determined based on an evaluation of the applicant’s financial need by the Financial Assistance Committee (a sub-committee of the School Board). The school uses a third-party company, FACTS Grant & Aid, to assist in assessing needs. The number of qualified applicants often exceeds the financial assistance resources of the school so early application is encouraged.

Please see our frequently asked questions below. For more information about the Financial Assistance Program, contact Courtney Selbach at selbachc@wa.edu.

Eligibility

New Students

Must have completed the enrollment application and been accepted to Westminster Academy.
The enrollment fee must be paid in full.
Must apply for the State of Florida “Step Up For Students” Scholarship and provide either an Acceptance or Denial letter to substantiate the application.
Must be full-time, entering kindergarten through twelfth grade

Returning Students

The re-enrollment fee must be paid in full.
Financial accounts with Westminster Academy must be current.
Must apply for the State of Florida “Step Up For Students” Scholarship and provide either an Acceptance or Denial letter to substantiate the application.
Must be full-time, entering kindergarten through twelfth grade

If you believe you may be eligible for financial assistance, please follow the application instructions.

Application Instructions

Scholarship Programs

Westminster Academy accepts the State of Florida’s Step Up For Students and the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities scholarship programs. For questions about these scholarship programs, please contact Carmen Rios at riosc@wa.edu.

Step Up For Students Scholarships (SUFS)

Step Up For Students is a state-approved scholarship funding organization that helps administer two scholarships for Florida schoolchildren:

The Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program (FTC) and Family Empowerment Scholarship for Education Options (FES-EO) were created to benefit children whose educational options are limited by household income.

To access the application or for more information, please visit stepupforstudents.org or call 877.735.7837.

Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA)

The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities provides Florida students with special needs the opportunity to attend a participating private school.

For more information on eligibility guidelines and how to apply, please visit stepupforstudents.org or call 877.735.7837.

Folds of Honor

The Folds of Honor Children’s Fund Scholarship subsidizes the costs of tuition, school books, fees, approved educational tutoring, and other approved educational expenses for children of America’s fallen and disabled service-members. .

Scholarships are awarded up to $5,000. The award amount is based on the “unmet need” calculated on the Financial Need page of the application.

The Scholarship application is open from February 1 to March 31 each year.

For information about the Folds of Honor Children’s Fund Scholarship, please visit their website at www.foldsofhonor.org or email: scholarships@foldsofhonor.org.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How are financial assistance awards determined?

The Financial Assistance Committee (a sub-committee of the Westminster Academy School Board) determines the applicant’s need by evaluating total household income, household expenses, assets, liabilities, and financial hardship. The School uses a third party company, FACTS Grant & Aid Assessment, to assist in assessing need. Awards are ultimately determined based on the amount of financial assistance available.

2. Who is FACTS Grant & Aid Assessment?

FACTS Grant & Aid Assessment is an independent, third-party company that conducts a financial analysis to determine a family’s financial need based on information provided in the application and supporting tax documents.

3. Do you offer merit scholarships?

No. Academic, athletic, fine arts, and other merit scholarships are not offered.

4. Do you offer financial assistance for part-time students?

No. Financial assistance is offered to full-time students in grades K-12 only.

5. What is the maximum amount that a family can receive in financial assistance?

Financial assistance from all sources (other WA discounts, Step Up, McKay, local churches, etc.) will be taken into consideration before a WA Financial Assistance award is considered. Generally, WA Financial Assistance when combined with other sources of financial assistance, will not exceed 75% of tuition. If assistance from other sources becomes available after WA awards Financial Assistance, the WA award can, and likely will, be reduced.

6. How does the Committee factor a non-working parent into their need assessment?

The Committee assumes that all adult family members will work to contribute to the investment in a Westminster Academy education. The Committee will impute income for parents or guardians who choose not to work and assess need accordingly. Families with preschool-aged children or extraordinary situations should provide a detailed explanation in the application.

7. What is the deadline to apply for financial assistance?

New families

New families may file an application at any time. There is a limited pool of funds designated for new families and awards will be granted as applications are received. Families are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

Current Families

Applicants have until March 31 to complete all steps of the financial assistance process. There are three major steps to the process:

Complete the FACTS Application (requires a completed tax return).
Apply for the Step Up For Students (SUFS) Scholarship.
Complete the WA Financial Assitance Application.

We encourage applicants to complete steps one and two by March 1 to have responses from FACTS and SUFS by the March 31 deadline. After March 31, all applications will be reviewed together and available funds will be awarded based on need, and prorated to the extent the total needs exceed the funds available.

8. How long will it be before I hear back from the Committee?

We anticipate communicating financial assistance award decisions to current families in April and new families within 30 days.

9. What does financial assistance cover?

Financial assistance applies to tuition only. It does not cover student activity fees, enrollment fees, capital fees, or any miscellaneous fees.

10. Can I submit my financial assistance application before I apply for admission?

No. Your children must first be accepted into Westminster Academy, and the enrollment fee must be paid in full.

11. We haven’t completed our taxes yet. Can we still submit the application?

The FACTs portion of the application process requires a completed tax return. We encourage submitting the FACTS application by March 1. (See Question #7).

12. If I own my own business, do you require my business tax return?

Yes. Parents who own a business will be required to submit current business tax returns with all supporting schedules.

13. How long is the financial assistance award good for?

The financial assistance award is good for one school year only. A new application will need to be submitted and re-evaluated each year.

14. How is the program funded?

The program is primarily funded by donations from those committed to helping families provide Christian schooling for all children. You may donate to the Financial Assistance Program here, or for more information on how you may contribute, please contact Sarah Hajduk at 954.815.7201 or email at hajduks@wa.edu.