Financial Aid
Financial Aid
Lancaster Mennonite School wants as many students as possible to benefit from quality Christ-centered education. As an expression of Christian mutual aid, the school offers several options to make tuition more affordable. Many congregations also have programs to financially support the decision to extend Christian nurture through LMS.
How much is aid is granted?
Approximately 37% of LMS students receive some financial aid. For the 2010-11 school year, LMS awarded approximately $2 million in financial aid.
What types of aid are offered?
- Multiple Tuition Discount: Discounts are given for additional children enrolled at any campus of Lancaster Mennonite School.
- PA Mennonite Scholarship Organization Scholarship (Act 4 Scholarship or EITC Scholarship): Families with incomes of $50,000 or less (plus $10,000 for each student) are eligible (under state guidelines) to apply for some reduction in tuition under this program.
- Partner Church Scholarships and other forms of financial assistance are provided to students from partnership congregations that financially support Lancaster Mennonite School. Contact your pastor to see what financial assistance may be available from your congregation.
- Work Aid (grades 9-12): Students who need additional aid can arrange to work for the school during one period of the eight periods in the school day.
Who qualifies for scholarships?
Need-based scholarships are distributed on a sliding scale based on family size and income. The amount of scholarship requests usually exceeds the amount of available funding, so:
(1) not every family can receive the full amount for which they may be eligible and
(2) families with greater financial need are given priority for available dollars.
Who determines the amount of the scholarship?
Financial assistance is based on a professional, confidential online financial assessment of all applicants by FAST, an outside agency.
How do I apply for financial aid?
FAST provides a need-based financial aid analysis service which includes a recommendation of what a family should reasonably contribute toward tuition. All information from FAST is kept confidential. Upon approval by the school, financial aid offers are then sent to families. You must reapply each year. Click here for Financial Assistance Policy.
- The online application process is self-guided. You can partially complete an application and go back to it at another time. Please do not call the school with questions: FAST provides online e-mail and a 24/7 help line in Spanish and English: 1-877-326-FAST.
- Once you are in the program, click the GET STARTED button at the bottom of the first page. All your financial information should be entered directly through the secure server. Click here for information you need to complete the application.
- The charge for the application is $36. This fee will need to be paid by credit card at the end of the session. If you do not have a credit card, please call Lancaster Mennonite School (299-0436 ext. 309) for assistance.
- Hard copies of your tax forms will still be needed in order to comply with state regulations. After completing the online application you will be required to mail your signed 2010 tax returns for both state and federal taxes with all schedules, W-2’s, and the signed EITC application. Special self-addressed envelopes are available from all campus offices. Submit these forms to FAST immediately after using them to complete your online application for financial aid.
- To get most favorable consideration, please apply on or before April 30.
Scholarships through the Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program (EITC)
For scholarships through the Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program, a qualified Scholarship Organization, monitored by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, must review the financial information provided by families seeking grants. The Scholarship Organization releases funds only for those who meet the Commonwealth's eligibility criteria (see "Who qualifies for scholarships?" above). The amount of the EITC scholarship cannot exceed the Commonwealth guidelines, but may be less than what is allowed by law. The state government requires Social Security numbers for students who receive EITC Scholarships.
Click here for an EITC Scholarship Application (print one per student )
Lancaster Mennonite School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, nationality or ethnic origin in the administration of its programs and policies for admissions and financial aid.
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