Financial Assistance

Financial Aid

The purpose of need-based financial aid is to enhance the student body of Fort Worth Country Day. The school attracts and retains deserving and talented children whose families qualify for such assistance. The admission decision is based solely on each student’s academic and personal qualities independent of the family’s ability to meet the cost of a Fort Worth Country Day education. Thus, admission to FWCD and the awarding of financial aid are two separate decisions.

List of 5 items.

  • Determining Family Need

    FWCD uses School and Student Service for Financial Aid in determining a family’s need for aid. This service provides the school with information and guidelines for making financial aid awards fairly and equitably on the basis of need. The family includes, but is not limited to, parents (natural or adoptive), stepparents, guardians, grandparents and married or unmarried domestic partners.
    Using the Parents’ Financial statement (PFS) as a guideline, the Financial Aid Committee takes into consideration several financial factors including:

    • Total family income (and if applicable earning potential of non-working parent)
    • Family size and number of children attending tuition-charging schools
    • IRS forms, schedules, W-2’s/1099’s
    • Investments and indebtedness
    • Assets, such as home equity
    • Discretionary expenditures, such as private clubs, vacations
    • Unusual Expenses
    • Awards are reviewed annually

    Keep in mind that the recommendation from School and Student Services by NAIS (SSS), based on information from the PFS, serves only as a guideline. The final decision on aid awards is made by Fort Worth Country Day School’s Financial Aid Committee.

  • Applying for Financial Aid

    Download the 2022-23 Guide to Applying for Financial Aid

    Step 1:     Starting September 1, the Parents' Financial Statement (PFS), the application for financial aid, must be submitted online at https://sssandtadsfa.force.com/familyportal. A Spanish-language version of the PFS is also available. Applications for first-time Kindergarteners are due by February 1. Applications for prospective and returning students grades 1-12 (including returning families with siblings applying for Kindergarten) are due by February 15. 

    • $55 application fee. Solutions by SSS grants fee waivers based on their own criteria regarding a family’s income level and applies it automatically.
    • You must include the FWCD ID number, 3232, on your PFS application.
    • You may find the Family Guide to Financial Aid or Tips for Applying helpful.

    Step 2: Upload the following required documents to SSS between September 1 and February 5 (Kindergarten) February 15 (Prospective & Returning Families).

    • Signed copy of the filed 2020 IRS form 1040 with all applicable schedules and attachments
    • Copies of all 2020 W-2 form(s) and/or 1099(s)
    • Copies of all 2021 W-2 form(s) and/or 1099(s)
    *Note: A signed copy of the filed 2021 IRS form 1040 with all applicable schedules and attachments will be requested at a later date.


    New Applicant additional requirements

    • Signed copy of the filed 2019 IRS form 1040 with all applicable schedules and attachments
    • Copies of all 2019 W-2 form(s) and/or 1099(s)

    If applicable:

    • Current Mortgage/HELOC balance statement(s)for all properties owned
    • Copies of 2020 and 2019 Business Tax Return(s) and or K-1s
    • IRS Form 4506-T ( if requested by Financial Aid Office)
     
    Please note, limited funds may prevent the Financial Aid Committee from offering assistance to all qualified deserving applicants. Therefore, families to whom financial assistance is awarded are expected to accept or decline the award by the due date on their Financial Aid Agreement. In the event the family fails to comply with this and other reasonable requirements, the Financial Aid Committee reserves the right to award the aid to an alternate candidate.
     
    Families may appeal a financial aid decision or an award amount if they can provide supplemental information which would be pertinent to the computation of the award.

  • Requirements for receiving Financial Aid

    To receive aid for the first time, a student must already be enrolled in or be accepted for admission to Fort Worth Country Day. Parents are asked to complete the enrollment process and pay a $100 deposit (per child). In addition, the student must exhibit exemplary citizenship and a positive classroom attitude reflected by above average grades. The student must also have actively participated in the life of the school community. Finally, the Parents' Financial Statement must show demonstrated financial need. To receive aid in subsequent years, the student must continue to meet the above requirements and parents must submit a PFS and include all tax documents each year.

  • Notification of Financial Aid

    New families applying to FWCD: 
    New Families will be notified of their awards upon acceptance.

    Returning FWCD families     (including families with siblings who are first-time applicants offered admission in grades K – 12):
    Returning families will be notified of their awards in late March only if their tuition balance is current for the present school year and the re-enrollment/enrollment contract and deposit are received. Notification will include award decisions for current siblings and siblings who are first-time applicants offered admission in grades K – 12.

  • Payment plan for families receiving Financial Aid

    Ten equal monthly electronic payments, per the financial aid agreement, beginning June 20. (Payment Plan D)

    Please note: PFA fee, tuition refund and accident insurance are all required and part of the financial agreement and monthly payments. An additional allowance for incidental expenses for grades 5-12 is included in the signed agreement and adjustments are applied to the 10th payment.
     
    Financial aid applicants pay a reduced enrollment deposit ($100) with enrollment or re-enrollment contracts. 

Scholarships

Scholarships
Fort Worth Country Day offers merit/need-based named scholarships. Every year we offer need-based financial aid. Please refer to the financial aid section above for more information about the process.  
 
Scholarship available for the 2022-23 school year:

Scholarships not available for the 2022-23 school year:
  • The Edward P. Bass Scholarship at Fort Worth Country Day
  • The Reilly Family Foundation/ Breakthrough Fort Worth Scholarship
  • The Gayle G. and Evan D. Peterson Scholarship

List of 5 items.

  • The Malone Scholars Program

    Funded by a $2 million endowment grant from The Malone Family Foundation, new or returning students entering grades 7–9 who are in the top 5 percent of their class and whose family qualifies for at least 30% tuition assistance as determined by SSS and the PFS report are encouraged to apply to be a Malone Scholar at Fort Worth Country Day.

    Guidelines and Application for the Malone Family Foundation Scholarship

  • The Edward P. Bass Scholarship at Fort Worth Country Day

    The Edward P. Bass Scholarship is a merit/need-based scholarship. Recipients will be selected on the basis of academic merit, potential for community leadership and financial need. Admission candidates for grades 9–12 may apply. (The recipient must be a new FWCD Upper School Student.) - Available for the 2023-2024 school year

  • The Reilly Family Foundation/ Breakthrough Fort Worth Scholarship

    The Reilly Family Foundation/Breakthrough Fort Worth Scholarship is a merit/need-based scholarship that is sourced through the Breakthrough Fort Worth program at Fort Worth Country Day. Recipients will be selected on the basis of academic merit and financial need without regard to race, creed, or any demographic characteristics.

    Admission candidates must be entering 8th or 9th grade and been enrolled in the Breakthrough Fort Worth program in good standing as a rising 7th and/or 8th grade student. The recipient will be a qualified student admitted through the FWCD Admission process. The student’s family must qualify for financial need based on FWCD’s financial aid guidelines and qualification process. - Available for the 2024-2025 school year

  • The Jillian Chandler Thompson Memorial Scholarship

    The Jillian Chandler Thompson Memorial Scholarship is a merit/need-based scholarship. It is designed for African-American students entering grades 4-9 who are currently enrolled at Fort Worth Country Day. Jillian Thompson Scholars are academically talented students who possess strong leadership skills, demonstrate community involvement, and make a commitment to graduate from FWCD.

    Guidelines and Application for the Jillian Chandler Thompson Memorial Scholarship

  • The Gayle G. and Evan D. Peterson Scholarship

    The Gayle G. and Evan D. Peterson Scholarship is a need-based scholarship. It is designed for Lower School families (grades K-4) who qualify for financial need in the area of 50 percent or more based on Fort Worth Country Day’s financial aid guidelines and qualification process.

    Peterson Scholars will be funded through their fourth-grade year, provided they continue to adhere to both the scholarship criteria and the FWCD core values. After fourth-grade, these students are eligible to apply for other FWCD Named Scholarships and/or general financial aid.

    The Peterson Scholarship received initial support from Mike and Beverly Reilly and their family. In addition, each of former Head of School Evan Peterson’s eight Board chairs made a pledge to the fund in appreciation of the Peterson’s service to FWCD. - Available for the 2026-2027 school year

Financial Aid Frequently Asked Questions

List of 8 items.

  • What is tuition assistance?

    Tuition assistance is a grant, not a loan. This grant does not need to be repaid. It is given to qualified families based on financial need to offset the cost of FWCD education.

  • Does FWCD offer Financial Assistance for costs beyond tuition and required fees?

    Students receiving financial aid can also receive funds to offset the cost of expenses such as iPads/laptops for Middle and Upper School, sport fees, musical instruments and community wide events. 
     
    We want to help recipients and their families participate fully in life at FWCD while feeling comfortable in our community. 

  • Do I need to apply for assistance every year?

    Parents must complete the financial aid application each year and submit the required documentation as requested. If a family’s financial picture remains about the same from year to year, a family can expect a similar financial aid award relative to the annual tuition increase.

  • Does FWCD offer a sibling discount?

    No. Families who believe in the benefit of having multiple children with us are encouraged to file an application for tuition assistance.

  • Are wages imputed for a non-working parent/guardian?

    Financial Aid decisions are based on dual incomes for a two-parent household. Exceptions would include families with children younger than kindergarten age or other dependents in the home needing full-time care, or some physical/health limitation that prevents a parent from working. If a parent chooses not to work without having any of these extenuating circumstances, the school will add the equivalent of a 40-hour per week, minimum wage income to the total family income for the year. Childcare costs, as always, will be taken into account.

  • If I am divorced or separated do both parents need to apply for financial aid?

    Because financial aid is based on a family's ability to meet the cost of an education at Fort Worth Country Day, a family will be defined as consisting of both natural parents of the applicant, any step-parent, plus any children from the original marriage along with any children produced by the current marriage. The school will not be bound by the assertion of one parent, including a divorce decree, that he/she is not responsible legally or otherwise for educational expenses. Thus, both parents must provide the information that is requested on the Parents' Financial Statement that is filed each year with the School and Student Services. If this information is not available at the time the application is evaluated, it may cause an arbitrary assessment of financial need to be made by the school. This may or may not result in a lesser award or no award at all. The financial aid contract will be sent to both parents (if contact information is provided), who must decide how to divide the parents' contribution. It will be both parents' responsibility to ensure that Fort Worth Country Day receives payment. If child’s other biological parent cannot be found or contacted, please contact the Financial Aid office at 817-302-3254.

  • Is my financial information confidential?

    Yes, All information is held in strict confidence by SSS and the financial aid committee to protect your privacy. FWCD expects that financial aid recipients and their families will honor this confidentiality.

  • Are Loan Programs available?

    More and more families are using educational loan programs to help them manage the cost of an independent school education. While there are millions of dollars and scholarships available to students for college tuition, funds for independent schools are limited to the endowment and assets of the individual school. Even though we do not endorse or promote any particular lending institution, the following has sent us information about their student loan programs for a K-12 independent school education:
     
    Your Tuition Solution
    (800) 920-9777

Questions?

For general questions, contact the Admission Office at 817.302.3209 or email yolanda.espinoza@fwcd.com.
For questions regarding financial aid, contact Angela Benson, Financial Aid and Support Services Coordinator, at financialaid@fwcd.com.
4200 Country Day Lane, Fort Worth, TX 76109
Phone: 817.732.7718
Fort Worth Country Day (FWCD) is a JK-12 private, independent, coeducational, nondenominational college-preparatory school located on approximately 100 acres in Fort Worth, Texas. The mission of Fort Worth Country Day School is to foster the intellectual, physical, emotional, and ethical development of capable students through an academically rigorous college preparatory program that integrates the arts and athletics.