Affording Albuquerque Academy

Tuition Assistance

Albuquerque Academy partners with families to provide need-based tuition assistance, making an Academy education accessible to students from diverse backgrounds, at a wide variety of income levels. If you think your family might be unable to pay for the full cost of attending Albuquerque Academy, we encourage you to apply for assistance.

We also welcome you to schedule a virtual consultation with the financial assistance staff in Fall 2020.

Awards by Total Family Income

< $75k/yr = 36%
$75k/yr-$100k/yr = 17%
$100k/yr-$125k/yr = 17%
> $125k/yr = 30%

We award tuition assistance to a wide range of family income levels. Most recipients in the higher range (>$100K) come from larger families with multiple children at tuition-based schools. Grants are need-based and range from $400 to the full tuition amount..

For the 2020-21 school year, tuition is $25,390; this includes lunch. 24% of students receive tuition assistance.

Our assistance budget is generous, but the total need of the applicant pool exceeds available resources. For that reason, some families who qualify for assistance unfortunately will not receive it. Albuquerque Academy endeavors to provide tuition assistance to the strongest applicants who qualify for assistance.

START HERE to apply for tuition assistance,

FAQs

Printable Guide

How to Apply

Step 1: Submit

Submit your application by the deadline.

Early Decision Applicants: December 7, 2020
Regular Decision Applicants: February 22, 2021
Returning Families: February 22, 2021

Create an account at School and Student Services (SSS).

Complete the Parent Financial Statement (PFS) and submit it along with the $60 application fee to School and Student Services (SSS) by the deadline. SSS opens in early October.

Before completing the application, carefully read all instructions. Any omission on the application could result in a delay in awarding financial aid.

There is a $60 fee to submit your application. In certain cases, the fee may be waived automatically. If you feel you cannot afford the fee but were not automatically granted a fee waiver, please email kienzle@aa.edu or call (505) 828-3352.

Albuquerque Academy school code for SSS is 1180.

Step 2: Upload

Upload tax documents to School and Student Services (SSS) by the deadline.

Early Decision Applicants: 2019 W2s, tax returns and schedules by December 7, 2020
Regular Decision Applicants: 2019 and 2020 W2s, tax returns and schedules by February 22, 2021
Returning Families: 2020 W2s, tax returns and schedules by February 22, 2021

Step 3: Confirm

Confirm on the School and Student Services (SSS) website that all required materials have been received.

If required documents are not available, notify Emily Kienzle or Noella Gonzales before the deadline and provide an explanation.

Applications with missing documents are incomplete and will not be considered when awards are allocated. Check your email frequently to ensure you comply with all requirements and requests.

Step 4: Review (Early Decision)

Final review for Early Decision students admitted with tuition assistance: Upload 2020 W2s, upload signed and filed tax returns and all required schedules to SSS by April 15, 2021.

Notification

Tuition assistance decisions for new applicant families will arrive via email on the same day you receive your child’s admission decision. Most returning families will receive an email notification of your family’s award for 2021-22 in mid to late April.

Because Albuquerque Academy believes enrolling students from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds, with diverse perspectives and experiences, is essential to our mission of creating a caring, inclusive, and just community, we devote a substantial amount of our resources to providing need-based tuition assistance.

$17,074

average tuition assistance award

$4.75 million

total tuition assistance budget

$670,000

average assistance budget per grade

$400-$25,390

range of tuition assistance awards

With the support of the generous donors who help fund tuition grants and as resources allow, we provide full tuition awards that cover 100% of the cost of attendance to as many students as possible with high financial need. We are the only independent school in Albuquerque offering full tuition grants.