Financial Aid

Investing in Your Child's Future

Frequently Asked Questions

How much financial aid is available?
Bellevue Christian School is blessed to be able to award a million dollars in financial aid each year. Nearly 15% of our students benefit from some level of aid. 

Which costs are covered?
K-12 tuition, SAS tuition, and building fees are considered. Separate scholarships are often available for specific activities such as mission trips, performance group tours, athletics, drama etc.

Who decides how much financial aid is awarded to a family, and based on what?
The BCS Finance Committee awards financial aid on the basis of a family's ability to pay.

How is a family's ability to pay determined?
Parents submit a detailed financial report to School and Student Services (SSS), a service of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). SSS serves the financial aid departments of hundreds of private schools across the country, including BCS. SSS applies a standardized method of evaluation that considers income, assets, extraordinary expenses, and some forms of indebtedness. These are factored in with family size, the number of children attending tuition-charging schools, the  regional Consumer Price Index  and other factors to determine the family's discretionary income. Approximately 3 days after the on-line report is submitted to SSS, a Report of Family Contribution is made available to the school. This report suggests the amount the family should be able to contribute towards a BCS education. The BCS Finance Committee then makes a specific award of financial aid based upon the SSS determination of the family's ability to pay.

Should our family apply?
Each family's set of financial circumstances is unique. The most helpful guideline comes from your own knowledge of your family's finances. A good rule of thumb is: if in doubt, apply.  A number of factors are considered, so there is no workable "filter" for determining in advance who might receive financial aid, or how much.

Will applying for financial aid affect my application for admission?
No. The financial aid process is independent of the admissions process and financial information is never shared with the admissions committee. Student(s) must be admitted and enrolled full time for a family to be eligible to receive financial aid.

Do some applicants have priority?
Yes. BCS faculty and staff receive preferred treatment for financial aid awards. After that, currently enrolled families are given second priority in keeping with our existing commitment to them.

When should we apply? When will we know how much financial aid our family will receive?
New families should apply for financial aid as soon as possible after acceptance of their student(s).