Financial Assistance

List of 12 items.

• How Does Financial Assistance Work?

  The Benjamin School strives to admit students with varied interests, talents, and ethnic backgrounds. We offer a financial aid program that helps students for which tuition is a burden. Approximately 19% of the current student body receives some level of financial assistance and all parents are eligible to apply for this need-based aid.
  
  

  All information pertaining to financial assistance is kept confidential and all families receiving financial assistance are expected to contribute to tuition expenses. Students who will be considered for a financial aid award must be free of academic or citizenship probationary status during that current school year. If the School places a student on academic or citizenship probation, the discussion of future financial aid awards will be postponed until sustained improvement is noted and the student is removed from probationary status.

• How to Apply

  To be considered for financial assistance families must complete a Blackbaud Financial Aid Management application and pay the non-refundable fee of $35. Blackbaud Financial Aid Management’s online application and instructions will be available beginning in November for the following school year.  Parents may apply online by going to the Blackbaud Financial Aid Management website. For assistance please contact Pam Didio in the Benjamin School Business Office at 561.472.3474 or pamela.didio@thebenjaminschool.org.

• What factors may be considered in the family's financial aid determination?

  • Family income and expenses (both natural parents and stepparents)
  • Family size
  • Assets and indebtedness
  • Unusual income or expenses in a given year
  • Discretionary expenditures
  • Any unique circumstances
  • Other scholarships
  • Availability of funds

• Does a request for financial assistance influence the admission decision?

  All admission decisions are need blind and are not affected by a request for financial assistance.

• Does the school provide athletic scholarships?

  We do not provide athletic scholarships. All financial assistance must be need based.

• Does the amount of assistance change in future years?

  Every effort is made to provide ongoing aid for a student until they graduate unless the family’s financial situation has changed. On average, each student is expected to contribute an additional 10% each year to cover the increased costs of tuition. All assistance is provided from the school so we reserve the right to limit assistance in the future. If your child is on a Florida Tax Credit Scholarship or a Florida Empowerment Scholarship, that program is not a part of The Benjamin School and may change at any time.

• Can my student lose financial assistance in future years?

  If the School places a student on academic or citizenship probation, future financial assistance awards will be postponed until sustained improvement is noted and the student is removed from probationary status.

• What if the parents of the child are divorced/separated or never married?

  The Benjamin School expects that both parents will contribute to the educational expenses of their children regardless of legal or other agreements between them. If either parent has remarried we will also consider the income, expenses and assets of the stepparent bearing in mind the obligation that the stepparent has to his or her own natural children. It is the responsibility of the custodial parent to ask the non-custodial parent to provide the needed information to Blackbaud Financial Aid Management. The school may also consider the assets and income of any other adults living in the same household as the parents.

• What if one of the parents does not currently have an income producing job?

  For families with no children under the age of six, the school may impute a salary for the non-income producing family member. This may be waived if the adult is taking care of a disabled child or parents.

• What if my current year tax return is not yet available?

  We require the prior year’s tax return, but the current year’s w-2 and 1099 information. We will require you to provide the current year tax return for verification of information once it is completed, but it will not hold up the financial assistance process. Any large discrepancies between the information submitted on the tax return and the application may require a reevaluation of the assistance amount that was awarded.

• Are there any other outside programs available for financial assistance?

  The Florida Tax Credit Scholarship (FTCS) and the Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES) are income based programs that currently provide scholarships of up to $8,301 to individual students. The scholarships are administered by state approved nonprofit funding organizations called Step Up for Students and AAA Scholarships. Qualification is based upon family size and household income. These programs may be used in conjunction with financial assistance from The Benjamin School (TBS) for students in grades 6-12.. All families will be required to pay the difference between any money that is awarded to the student and the amount of tuition owed, as well as other school expenses. If assistance from these scholarships becomes available after TBS awards financial assistance, the TBS award can, and likely will, be reduced. Funding for these scholarships is limited, so you are encouraged to click HERE and sign-up to be notified when applications will be accepted. Apply as early as possible. New families may typically apply beginning March 1. Renewal families must apply each year and must typically complete the renewal process by February 28 to have priority over new applicants.

  
  

  Once a student qualifies for a scholarship, the student’s household income does not need to be reevaluated as long as the student continues to reside in Florida, or until he/she graduates from high school or turns 21, whichever occurs first.

  
  

  The Family Empowerment Scholarship also may be available for dependent children of a member of the United States Armed Forces, foster children, and siblings of children receiving the Family Empowerment Scholarship-Unique Abilities (formerly Gardiner). The Benjamin School does not currently accept the Family Empowerment Scholarship-Unique Abilities or McKay Scholarships.

  
  

  2022-2023 Income Guidelines

  Household Size          Annual Household Gross Income Cap

  Two                                 $73,240

  Three                              $92,120

  Four                                $111,000

  Five                                 $129,880

   

  You may apply with both organizations listed below, but you may only accept one scholarship.

   

            https://www.stepupforstudents.org/

   

            https://www.aaascholarships.org/

   

• Are There Any Merit-Based Scholarships?

  All current 8th grade Benjamin students are eligible to apply for the Marshall Benjamin Scholarship, which is awarded to students who demonstrate a strong academic record in addition to leadership and participation in activities on and off campus.
  
  Two groups of students will be recognized as Marshall Benjamin Scholars.  Students in one category will receive $4,000 annually through graduation from The Benjamin School. Students in the other category will receive honorary Marshall Benjamin Scholarships and will receive a one-time award of $1,000.