Financial Aid

Rochester Arts & Sciences Academy - Expanding Opportunities for Rochester Families

Rochester Arts and Sciences Academy extends an invitation to those families whose financial circumstances may not be sufficient but whose children have a strong desire and love of learning, to apply for enrollment under our Tuition Assistance Program. It is the ultimate goal of the Academy to provide all interested families the opportunity to study at RASA.

Rochester Arts and Sciences Academy has a strong commitment to students with diverse economic and social backgrounds. As with most private schools, tuition at RASA covers significantly less than the actual cost of each child’s education, but still can prove to be beyond some parent’s financial abilities.

Our goal is to offer financial assistance awards every year that will be based on a family’s ability to meet the cost of tuition and the amount of financial assistance the school has available at the time of enrollment. Parents interested in financial aid are asked to provide an explanation of their financial situation by supplying the school with their tax returns, wage statements, a parent financial statement and a letter describing their living situation. Decisions are made exclusively by RASA’s Board of Directors. Admission decisions are made independent of the financial aid award process.

ALL FINANCIAL INFORMATION PROVIDED TO RASA IS COMPLETELY CONFIDENTIAL.

FAQs

How do we begin the process?
1) Complete and submit an Enrollment Application for your child in the school

2)Answer “yes” on the RASA application form beside the “Are you applying for Financial Aid?”

3) Request a Parent Financial Statement from the admission office or download from our website.

4) Complete and submit the following:

• The Parents Financial Statement.
• A signed copy of your IRS Form 1040 including all schedules and W-2 forms.
• A letter written to RASA Financial Aid Committee describing your need.

Will my child’s admission be affected if we apply for financial aid?
Admission decisions are not influenced by financial need. The financial aid process is separate from the admission process. All admission decisions are made before financial aid applications are considered. Once a child has been admitted to RASA, the Board of Directors will then determine whether a student qualifies for an award and how much (s)he will be awarded. Information about students receiving aid is confidential and will only be known to the Board of Directors.

What determines whether or not my student qualifies for financial aid?
The Board of Directors reviews the family’s financial information and then makes its own determination of the families tuition responsibility, if any. This entire process mirrors that used by independent schools and colleges/universities in the United States.

Do all financial aid awards cover the full cost of tuition?
No, but the Board of Directors is committed to helping as many families as possible attend RASA.