Variable Tuition
Think You can’t access Christian Education? Think Again!
King’s Way Christian Schools has a tradition of assisting families of students that hope to attend our schools. We have a desire to serve God by meeting needs within the community, equipping students to impact their culture and create life-long learners who are passionate about Christ. Through our variable tuition program, families can apply for tuition assistance based on their unique financial situation, helping to make Christian education accessible for students who could not otherwise join our school community.
Process & Timeline
- A student must be enrolled or have an enrollment application on file for the upcoming school year to be considered for variable tuition. Admission decisions are made independent of variable tuition, thus the application for Variable Tuition is separate from the Enrollment Application through our Admissions Office.
- The Variable Tuition application fee is $35 (per family) and paid directly to Blackbaud Financial Aid Management, a confidential third-party platform. This fee is non-refundable and cannot be waived or discounted. Only variable tuition applications submitted online through Blackbaud Financial Aid Management can be accepted.
- Variable Tuition is only eligible towards full K-12th grade tuition costs and families must apply annually. Variable tuition cannot be applied towards Learning Center tuition (including 12 month-PreK care, before/after school care, and break care); online class fees; or International Student tuition.
- Variable tuition awards can vary from 5% to 65% off tuition but will not cover the full tuition rate and applicable fees, even if a family demonstrates full financial need. The maximum variable tuition award will be limited depending available funding and the school level, up to 35% off elementary school tuition, up to 50% off middle school tuition, and up to 65% off high school tuition.
For the 2023-24 school year, King’s Way Christian Schools awarded $736,302 in need-based tuition assistance to 167 of our students in grades K-12.
Funding your child’s education
School Code: 14073
Application Instructions
NEW Students
- Awards are offered based on need and available funding through a first-come, first-serve basis.
- New student applications for the 2025-26 school year will be reviewed on an ongoing basis starting January 2025. Applicants are encouraged to complete the application as soon as possible to ensure the most timely review and award notification. Your student must have a separate enrollment application on file to be considered for variable tuition and any awards offered are contingent on enrollment acceptance.
Returning Students
- The priority application deadline for returning students for the 2025-26 school year is January 20, 2025. However, applicants are encouraged to complete the application any time after December 1, 2024 to ensure the most timely review and award notification. Applications submitted after the priority deadline will be accepted however depending on the circumstances, this could result in a reduced award or denial of tuition assistance for your student.
Award Determination
Acceptance Guidelines
- Financial Requirement: Parents/guardians who are recipients of Variable Tuition are responsible for the remaining tuition balance plus any school-related fees such as athletic fees, childcare, school lunches, late fees, etc. Please know Variable Tuition will not cover all tuition and fees; in fact, the maximum award is 65% off current tuition rates for full-need families. Awards are tiered by school level: up to 35% off ES tuition (grades K-5); up to 50% off MS tuition (grades 6-8); and up to 65% off HS tuition (grades 9-12). All monthly tuition payments must be made on time with automatic payments enabled on your tuition account from a valid payment method. In the event of a student withdrawal, any award offered will be prorated accordingly.
- Volunteer Requirement: Families who are recipients of Variable Tuition are required to volunteer 20 hours of service (per family, not per student) to KWCS per school year. The volunteer hour commitment will be outlined in the award letter and volunteer opportunities will be communicated throughout the school year.
Variable Tuition FAQs
Q: How will I know if I qualify for assistance or not?
A: Blackbaud Financial Aid Management calculates a family’s need based on income, expenses, family size, assets, and debt information. The data is kept confidential and we do not disclose info about the results of your application, and we are unable to accommodate in-person meetings. All variable tuition decisions including notification of an award will be made through your portal in Blackbaud Financial Aid Management and/or via email by KWCS’ Variable Tuition Committee. We recognize that families have a range of financial means but unfortunately, it is not possible to estimate qualification without the completion of an application.
If you are unsure if your family will qualify and you are unable to afford the full tuition rate, it’s our recommendation to go through the application process to see if an award can be offered. We work within the resources available to make the Christian education accessible to as many students as possible. A family that does not qualify is welcome to reapply for a subsequent school year.
Q: How much aid is provided?
A: Variable tuition is awarded based on need. Awards vary and are made with economic sustainability in mind, as it is our goal to partner with your family through high school graduation. We ask families to make a financial investment in their child’s education so it is not possible to receive a 100% variable tuition adjustment. In fact, variable tuition is awarded in tiers depending on the school level to ensure families can afford successive tuition costs. The current award criteria is 35% off ES tuition (grades K-5); 50% off MS tuition; and 65% off HS tuition.
Once accepted, Variable Tuition is allocated according to the tuition plan selected by the family. For example, if a family chooses a 10-month payment plan, the award is divided over 10 months and the family pays the remaining tuition due on the selected due date for the 10-month schedule.
Q: What do I include if I have not yet filed my current tax return?
A: Please include the most recently filed tax documentation you have available and be sure to include your entire federal tax return and all schedule attachments. We understand 2024 federal tax returns will not yet be filed when you submit your application for the 2025-26 school year, so you can include your 2023 return with your current pay stub(s) and other requested documentation.
Please keep in mind you need to submit all documents requested to provide an accurate summary of your family’s finances. Eligibility cannot be determined, and your application cannot be considered unless you provide all requested information. You can check the status of your application by logging into Blackbaud Financial Aid Management and make sure your application status is “Verified.” Applications that are “On Hold” or “Submitted” without documentation will not be considered.
Q: Who should complete the variable tuition application?
A: The applicant should be the individual(s) who the student resides with whether it is a parent, grandparent, or legal guardian, and all household members and respective income should be included on the application. There is a section within the application where you can enter contributions from non-custodial parents and relatives. If there are two parent households involved, each parent household would need to apply separately to be considered for Variable Tuition.
Q: What if I want to edit my application?
A: Once an application has been submitted and paid, it can no longer be edited by a parent. However, if changes are necessary, a written statement with the applicable change and application ID can be sent to financialaidsupport@blackbaud.school.