Affordability

Traditional tuition assistance is available to families of current or newly accepted students from the Montessori 3-6 program through grade 12 who demonstrate financial need. A family’s need depends on many factors such as income, number of dependents, other tuition expenses, unusual medical expenses, taxes, assets, liabilities, etc.

Award amounts are limited to 50 percent for pre-k through grade 8 students. Awards may be combined with merit/endowed scholarships but not the Aspire Family Plan.

Traditional tuition assistance is awarded on an annual basis provided the family continues to demonstrate financial need. Families of returning students must reapply for tuition assistance each year. Tuition assistance awards are typically consistent from year to year, unless the family’s financial circumstances change.

New Families

• Feb. 15: Preschool-grade 8 and grades 10-12
• Dec. 6: Grade 9
• After Feb. 15: Traditional assistance may be awarded on a rolling basis if funds are available.

Current Families

• Dec. 6: Preschool-grade 12
• After Dec. 6: Traditional assistance may be awarded on a rolling basis if funds are available.

New Families

Step 1: Apply for admission. Students must first be accepted for admission before any assistance would be awarded. Apply here.

Step 2: Submit the Parents Financial Statement (PFS) along with your signed 2023 federal income tax return with all applicable schedules by the appropriate deadline. The Summit code is: 7564. By May 1, submit a signed copy of your 2024 federal income tax return with all applicable schedules. Submit here.

Current Families

Step 1: Submit the Parents Financial Statement (PFS) along with a signed 2023 federal income tax return with all applicable schedules. The Summit code is: 7564. By May 1, current families submit a signed copy of their 2024 federal income tax return with all applicable schedules. Submit here.

Key Information

• The Summit believes the obligation for financing an education rests primarily with the family.
• Families applying for traditional tuition assistance are also required to apply for the Ohio EdChoice Scholarship. This includes families living in Ohio with students in kindergarten to grade 12. This requirement applies to both new and current families.
• Failure to submit your tax information for verification on time will result in your assistance award being cancelled. All tuition assistance awards are contingent based upon receipt of these forms.
• The Summit reserves the right to alter, adjust or revoke any tuition assistance award that was based on inaccurate, false or incomplete information.
• For parents who are separated, divorced or never married, The Summit does require that a complete PFS be submitted by each parent/family.
• Late applicants for assistance may receive awards based on remaining funds or may be placed in a waiting pool for assistance.

• Apply for admission.
• Complete the tuition assistance application.

At the heart of this initiative is our mission as a Catholic, independent, school. We are committed to providing access to middle and upper middle income families with multiple children enrolling in kindergarten through grade 8 who may not qualify for traditional need-based tuition assistance.

Aspire has a streamlined application with seven questions. The first two pages of your 2023 tax returns are due at the time of application and 2024 returns are due May 1. These forms must be submitted to The Summit. Families with more complex finances must apply online through School and Student Services (SSS). This includes families that are self-employed business owners, have rental income or any significant income not reflected on the W-2.

Families with more than one child and an adjusted gross income starting at $170,000 are encouraged to apply for Aspire if financing an independent school education long term is a concern. Many factors determine whether a family will qualify such as household income and expenses, assets, and the number of children in a school that requires tuition. Aspire awards may be combined with merit scholarships but not need-based Tailored Tuition Assistance. The maximum Aspire award to those who qualify is up to 50% of tuition.

Aspire is awarded on an annual basis provided the family continues to demonstrate financial need. Families of returning students must reapply for Aspire each year. Aspire awards are typically consistent from year to year, unless the family’s financial circumstances change.

New Families

• Feb. 15: Kindergarten-grade 8
• After Feb. 15: Aspire may be awarded on a rolling basis after Feb. 15 if funds are available.

Current Families

• Dec. 6: Kindergarten-grade 8
• After Dec. 6: Aspire may be awarded on a rolling basis after Feb. 1 if funds are available.

New Families

Step 1: New students apply for admission. Students must first be accepted for admission before any assistance would be awarded. Apply here.

Step 2: Submit the Aspire Family Plan application and non-refundable $51 fee.

Step 3: Submit the first two pages of your 2023 Federal Income Tax Return (IRS form 1040). Mail your tax return to: The Summit Country Day School, Attn. Kevin Lavelle, Director of Enrollment Management, 2161 Grandin Road, Cincinnati, OH 45208. Or scanned documents may be emailed to Kevin Lavelle at lavelle_k@summitcds.org. Your 2023 IRS form is required for your family to be reviewed and considered for Aspire.

Step 4: As soon as possible but no later than May 1, submit the first two pages of your 2024 Federal Income Tax Return (IRS form 1040). Mail your tax return to: The Summit Country Day School, Attn. Kevin Lavelle, Director of Enrollment Management, 2161 Grandin Road, Cincinnati, OH 45208. Or scanned documents may be emailed to Kevin Lavelle at lavelle_k@summitcds.org. Your 2024 IRS form is required to complete the process.

Current Families

Step 1: Current families applying for Aspire for the first time must submit the Aspire Family Plan application and non-refundable $51 fee.

Step 2: Submit the first two pages of your 2023 federal income tax Return (IRS form 1040). Mail your tax return to: The Summit Country Day School, Attn. Kevin Lavelle, Director of Enrollment Management, 2161 Grandin Road, Cincinnati, OH 45208. Or scanned documents may be emailed to Kevin Lavelle at lavelle_k@summitcds.org. Your 2023 IRS form is required for your family to be reviewed and considered for Aspire.

Step 3: As soon as possible but no later than May 1, submit the first two pages of your 2024 Federal Income Tax Return (IRS form 1040). Mail your tax return to: The Summit Country Day School, Attn. Kevin Lavelle, Director of Enrollment Management, 2161 Grandin Road, Cincinnati, OH 45208. Or scanned documents may be emailed to Kevin Lavelle at lavelle_k@summitcds.org. Your 2024 IRS form is required to complete the process.

Key Information

• The Summit believes the obligation for financing an education rests primarily with the family.
• Families applying for the Aspire Family Plan are also required to apply for the Ohio EdChoice Scholarship. This includes families living in Ohio with students in kindergarten to grade 8. This requirement applies to both new and current families.
• The Summit reserves the right to alter, adjust or revoke any Aspire award that was based on inaccurate, false or incomplete information.
• For parents who are separated, divorced or never married, The Summit does require that a complete Aspire application be submitted by each parent/family.
• Late applicants for Aspire will receive awards based on remaining funds or may be placed in a waiting pool.

Merit scholarships will be awarded annually to highly motivated students applying for grades 4-9 who embody the values and ideals of The Summit mission.

New Students Applying  to Grades 4-8

Merit scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 are awarded to select new students applying to grades 4-8 who demonstrate intellectual promise, outstanding character and motivation to succeed. With limited scholarships available, selection is competitive. These scholarships are renewable through grade 8, providing the recipient maintains solid academic performance and strong character.

Students Applying to Grade 9

Merit-based scholarships ranging from $3,000-$15,000 are awarded to select Summit 8th grade students and new students applying to grade 9 who demonstrate intellectual promise, outstanding character and the motivation to succeed. With the limited number of merit scholarships available, the selection is competitive. These scholarships are renewable through grade 12, providing the recipient maintains solid academic performance and demonstrates strong character.

• Dec. 6: Grade 9
• April 1: Grades 4-8
• After April 1: Scholarships may be awarded on a rolling basis to candidates applying to grades 4-8 if funds are available.

Grades 4-8 Application Procedures

• Applicants must complete the application for admission. Apply here.
• Applicants for grade 4 are required to take an internal assessment which will be scheduled through the Admission Office.
• Applicants for grades 5-8 are required to take the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE). Learn more here.
• Applicants for grades 4-8 are required to shadow and interview with a member of the scholarship committee.
• Applicants for grades 5-8 are required to complete the scholarship essay. The merit scholarship application is submitted through the Knight Hub account during the admission process.

Grade 9 Application Procedures

• New applicants are required to complete the application for admission. Apply here.
• New applicants are required to shadow and interview with a member of the scholarship committee.
• Summit 8th graders and new applicants are required to complete the scholarship essay. The merit scholarship application is submitted through the Knight Hub account during the admission process.

• New applicants grades 4-9, submit admission application here.
• Find grades 5-8 Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) here.
• Submit grades 5-8 merit scholarship application through the Knight Hub account during the admission process.
• Current Summit 8th graders and new applicants are required to complete the scholarship essay. The merit scholarship application is submitted through the Knight Hub account during the admission process.

Varying in size, endowed scholarships are primarily need-based and awarded to new applicants in preschool through grade 9. Current students may also be considered and must submit the tuition assistance application through SSS.

• Dec. 6: Grade 9
• Feb. 15: Preschool through grade 8
• After Feb. 15: Scholarships may be awarded on a rolling basis for candidates applying to preschool through grade 8 if funds are available.

• All new applicants and current Summit students are required to complete the financial assistance application. Find form here.
• All new applicants are required to complete the application for admission. Apply here.
• All new applicants for grades 4-9 are required to shadow.

• Submit admission application.
• Complete the financial assistance application.