Tuition Assistance

Dear Families,

At Westside Neighborhood School, we value the diversity of our community, including the range of financial circumstances each family brings. We recognize that tuition is a meaningful investment, and the impact of that investment looks different for everyone.

Tuition assistance is one way we strive to make a WNS education more accessible. Our program is need-based and designed to support families for whom full tuition would be a barrier to enrollment. While we do our best to assist qualifying families, our resources are limited, and grants are not guaranteed.

We understand that the tuition assistance process may feel complex or even vulnerable to navigate. Please know that we’re here to help you through every step — with care, respect, and confidentiality.

If you believe tuition assistance may be right for your family, we encourage you to apply at the same time as your admission application, as our funding decisions are made during the admissions cycle.

We look forward to connecting with you.

Warmly,
Kendra Tolentino
Director of Tuition Assistance
Assistant Director of Admission

We're Here to Support You

We know that navigating tuition and tuition assistance can raise questions, and we want you to feel supported and informed. Many common questions are answered in the FAQ section below.

If you have additional questions or would like help with any part of the process, please feel free to contact:

Kendra Tolentino
Director of Tuition Assistance and Assistant Director of Admission
ktolentino@wns-la.org

Is Tuition Assistance Right for My Family?

WNS is committed to socioeconomic inclusion, and tuition assistance is one way we support access. The WNS Board of Trustees and administration strive to make a WNS education accessible to as many families as possible. Each year, we allocate over $4 million in need-based grants to help bridge the gap between full tuition and what a family can reasonably afford.

We expect families to take primary responsibility for tuition, but we recognize that full tuition may not be feasible for all. These grants supplement, not replace, a family’s investment.

Tuition assistance is awarded based on a holistic review of each family’s financial circumstances and the availability of funds in a given year. Because the tuition assistance budget is finite, meeting eligibility criteria does not guarantee an award.

What Families Should Know Before Applying

Over 80% of families receiving assistance have verified household incomes under $350,000.
Grants are most commonly available for kindergarten through eighth grade.
Grants for Preschool and DK are limited.
If a family enrolls without applying for tuition assistance, future requests for aid will only be considered in the event of a significant and documented change in financial circumstances.

How We Determine Assistance

WNS uses Clarity, a secure and confidential platform, to collect and assess each family's financial profile. Clarity provides a view of your financial circumstances.

All tuition assistance decisions are made by the WNS Tuition Assistance Committee, which conducts a holistic and confidential review of each application, considering both financial data and available funds. If your financial situation changes significantly, you may request a re-evaluation.

Read WNS's Tuition Assistance Mission Statement and Policies

Renewals and Priority Consideration

Families must submit a Clarity application each year.
Returning families who apply on time are given first priority.
New applicants are considered next.
Late applications are reviewed only if funds remain.

Tuition increases incrementally each year, so families receiving assistance should anticipate that their contribution will also increase incrementally. If your financial circumstances change significantly, you may request an adjustment for the following year. Conversely, if family income increases, the amount of assistance may be reduced.

If you applied through the Independent School Alliance or Axis, you must also submit a Clarity application to be considered for tuition assistance at WNS.

How to Apply for Tuition Assistance

Submit your WNS admission application
Complete the Clarity online application for tuition assistance (Clarity opens October 15, 2025).
Upload all required documents

Deadlines:

Current Families: December 22, 2025
Prospective Families: January 30, 2026

Click Here for Tuition Assistance Guidelines & Instructions

Submit Clarity Application

Tuition Assistance FAQs

SECTION 1: Getting Started

What is Clarity?

Who may apply for tuition assistance?

Any applicant may apply for a tuition assistance grant. Awards are based solely on a family’s financial circumstances and the information submitted to the Clarity application, including tax returns, confidential statements, and other information used to help assess need.

Qualified need does not guarantee a grant. WNS’s resources are finite; the school’s inability to grant tuition assistance or meet a family’s need is not a reflection on the validity of the family’s request.

When do I apply for tuition assistance?

Your application for a tuition assistance grant is processed on a parallel timeline as your admission application. Tuition assistance applications are accepted beginning October 15, 2025, and are due by December 22, 2025, for current families and January 30, 2026, for prospective families. Give yourself sufficient time to submit the tuition assistance application and provide the most accurate information possible.

How are tuition grants determined?

WNS reviews each tuition assistance application with care. We use the Clarity platform to assess a family’s full financial picture — including income, assets, household size, and other obligations.

While we do our best to support as many families as possible, awards are based on available funding and are not guaranteed, even for families who qualify.

To support families in understanding whether they might be eligible, we provide estimates based on household income ranges. These guidelines can help families get a general sense of how they may fit within our tuition assistance program. Please reach out to Kendra Tolentino at ktolentino@wns-la.org.

Is my award kept confidential?

Will applying for tuition assistance affect my child’s chances for admission?

The tuition assistance committee makes grant recommendations independently of the admission department decisions.

However, while there is a sizeable tuition assistance budget, there is a finite amount of grants available. Retaining current families is the school’s highest priority; therefore, returning families whose tuition assistance applications are submitted on time are given first priority. Therefore, some applicants will be waitpooled for tuition assistance when funds are depleted.

How will I be notified of the Tuition Assistance Committee’s decision?

SECTION 2: Eligibility

What if we enroll without a tuition assistance grant? Can we apply for tuition assistance in subsequent years?

If a family chooses to enroll at WNS without applying for and receiving tuition assistance, they should do so with the understanding that future requests for assistance will only be considered if there is a significant change in financial circumstances. Even in those cases, assistance is not guaranteed, as funding is limited and not all qualified requests can be met.

Please note that when a family enrolls without a tuition assistance grant, the school budgets accordingly and assumes that the family will be capable of covering all educational costs for the upcoming year and the foreseeable future.

What if our financial situation changes?

If your family experiences unexpected changes, this information should be included on the Clarity application with as much supporting information as possible. A family whose circumstances change after submission of the Clarity application and/or who wishes to request reconsideration of the grant decision may file an appeal through Clarity. If received in a reasonable time frame, we will review it and reply prior to the contract submission due date. While we do our best to support families through temporary emergency assistance, funds are limited and are not guaranteed.

What if my family does not qualify for a tuition assistance grant? Are there other options for financing a WNS education?

SECTION 3: Family Structures & Situations

What if parents are divorced or separated?

Both parents are expected to submit independent financial information as part of a joint family application.

We consider that both parents have an obligation to contribute to the extent they can to their child’s educational expenses. We take into account the assets and income of both parents. We cannot be bound by the assertion that one parent has disclaimed legally or otherwise any responsibility for educational expenses. If either parent has remarried, step-parent income is also considered.

What if I am a single parent, never married, separated or divorced?

Both custodial and non-custodial parents must complete a Clarity application and submit all required documents. We expect both parents to contribute to the education of their child.

If a parent’s whereabouts are unknown or a claim is made stating there is no involvement in the child’s upbringing, a Clarity application from that parent may not be required. However, documentation is required to verify this parent has no contact with the applicant.

What if I have remarried, have a new legal partner, or my child has multiple parents or guardians?

I pay the full tuition for my child at WNS but do not have the resources to pay for a sibling. What should I do?

SECTION 4: Additional Support & Resources

What other expenses are covered by tuition assistance at WNS?

Do I need to reapply for tuition assistance each year and will WNS continue to support me?

Yes. Families must complete a tuition assistance application, including required tax returns, for each school year in advance of re-enrollment time.

Our goal is to support the student’s attendance for the entire time they are enrolled. If your financial circumstances change and your ability to contribute to your child’s educational expenses increases, your grant may be decreased accordingly. We will make every effort to increase the grant if your ability to pay educational expenses decreases.