Tuition, Fees, and Discounts
2024-2025 full tuition
$20,500.00
First-time family fee
Paid one time upon enrollment of first child in family.
$1,500.00
Field trip fee
$100.00
Sibling discount
Per sibling if multiple siblings are enrolled.
-3.5%
Single payment discount
If tuition for the school year is paid in full by August 1.
-$500.00
Chicago Friends School is dedicated to keeping access to our education as affordable as possible. Because of this, we do not leverage additional charges for the regular school program beyond those listed above. Before-school and after-school care and programs are available for additional fees.
Tuition Assistance and Scholarship
Chicago Friends School recognizes that students of all income levels enrich a diverse and vibrant community. We work to make a Chicago Friends School education affordable for all applicants. Our individualized tuition is based on need, which is calculated based on family income. Chicago Friends School assesses individualized tuition and offers payment options through a third-party vendor called FACTS.
Signing up for FACTS
You must register for a FACTS account if:
- You have a child or children enrolled at CFS and have chosen to make monthly tuition payments
- You are interested in applying for individualized tuition
- You are interested in applying for the Bayard Rustin Scholarship⭑
Applying for Individualized Tuition
Families who think they may be eligible for individualized tuition are encouraged to apply. Because tax documentation is required for the process, we ask that families applying for individualized tuition complete their taxes in time to meet the school’s April 19 application deadline.
Once you complete your application, CFS will be notified within 7-10 business days of your eligibility and individualized tuition amount. You will be notified directly by Karen Carney, Head of School, about the amount of tuition in the following week.
FACTS offers a brief video about what to expect from the application process.
Application Fee
In order to receive a FACTS assessment, there is a one-time non-refundable application fee of $40.00 per household. Fee waivers are available through CFS if the family is unable to pay. FACTS accepts all major credit cards (Visa, Master Card, American Express, Discover).
Navigation
If you are applying for financial assistance through FACTS for the first time, the first step is creating an account here.
FACTS will ask you to provide information about your adjusted gross income, savings, expenses, and assets.
Please note: FACTS asks you to provide information about your retirement savings. This factor will be removed from consideration by CFS staff. The policy of Chicago Friends School is that retirement savings should be exempt from consideration in formulating your individualized tuition package.
You will see the progress of your application on the left (desktop) or top (mobile) of your screen. The form is automatically saved as you progress through by clicking the “Previous”, “Save & Continue”, or “Save & Exit” buttons.
Required Documentation
Depending on your application some or all of the following documents may be required.
- Copies of U.S. Individual Income Tax Return.
- 2022 IRS Federal Form 1040 and supporting schedules (Schedule 1, Schedule 3)
- 2021 IRS Federal Form 1040 and supporting schedules (Schedule 1, Schedule 3)
- Dependent Statement if claiming more than 4 dependents
- Copies of W-2 Wage and Tax Statements.
- Copies of supporting documentation for household Nontaxable Income.
A complete list of required documents will be available once you have submitted your application along with instructions on how to upload your documents.
If you do not have the documents needed to complete the FACTS application process, please contact Karen Carney, Head of School, to discuss options: karen.carney@chicagofriendsschool.org.
Individualized Tuition Examples
FACTS considers eligible total family resources, including income and some savings and investments, and core expenses in making a determination of how much a family can pay. Using that data, FACTS determines what resources are left after core expenses. Then, on a sliding scale based on the amount of resource after expenses, FACTS makes a determination of what percentage of the family’s resources after expenses should be devoted to tuition.
The following are four examples of tuition expenses given this model given a maximum tuition amount of $20,500/child:
Example one: Family pays no tuition
Income
Eligible Savings and Investment
Total Eligible Family Resources
$28,092
$0
$28,092
Core Expenses
Family Resources After Core Expenses
Eligible Resources for tuition
-0% of above
$31,835
-$3,743
$0.00
Individualized Tuition
$0.00
Example two: Family pays full tuition
Income
EligibleSavings and Investment
Total Eligible Family Resources
$259,488
$4,000
$249,488
Core Expenses
Family Resources After Core Expenses
Eligible Resources for tuition
– 50% of above
$108,112
$141,376
$70,688
Individualized Tuition
Income
EligibleSavings and Investment
Total Eligible Family Resources
$58,918
$1,932
$59,050
Core Expenses
Family Resources After Core Expenses
Eligible Resources for tuition
– 35% of above
$50,391
$8,659
$3,031
Individualized Tuition
Income
EligibleSavings and Investment
Total Eligible Family Resources
$98,050
$20,022
$118,072
Core Expenses
Family Resources After Core Expenses
Eligible Resources for tuition
– 50% of above
$78,205
$39,867
$19,934
Individualized tuition per child
Bayard Rustin Scholarship.
This is a scholarship supported by the local Quaker community and other social-justice-inclined donors, and named for the civil rights leader who championed gay rights and the nonviolent struggle for racial justice. In honoring Bayard Rustin, this scholarship is part of our strategic plan to increase the representation of traditionally underrepresented populations in independent schools. Preference is given to families with demonstrated financial need, or families for whom paying tuition presents a hardship. Completing the FACTS application process establishes eligibility for these special funds.
Questions?
If you have questions not answered here, or experience difficulty navigating the application process, please contact Karen Carney, Head of School, at karen.carney@chicagofriendsschool.org.