Tuition Fees and Financial Assistance

We would like to welcome promising and qualified students to join SJS. Funded through philanthropic support, the program is intended to enrol new applicants and current students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 whose families might not otherwise be able to afford the full cost of tuition at SJS. Students who are eager to participate in our school community and exemplify the SJS mission are encouraged to apply for financial aid.

Financial assistance at SJS is offered as a bursary that does not need to be repaid, and may cover up to 98% of the cost of tuition. All assistance applications are confidential. The School determines need on a case-by-case basis through analysis of the information provided through Apple Financial Services and the School’s own tuition assistance review.

New students applying to SJS

Financial assistance is available to new students applying to SJS from Kindergarten through Grade 12. Applicants must first apply for admissions to SJS before submitting a financial assistance application. Applicants to financial assistance must meet the following criteria:

• SJS admission requirements: We welcome applicants who are committed to being a confident, life-long learner who make a difference in their communities and demonstrate alignment to the SJS values—courage, curiosity, integrity, respect, and wellness.
• Demonstrate financial need: All tuition assistance applications are submitted through Apple Financial Services, an unbiased third party service provider, who provides a thorough and in-depth analysis of each application and makes a recommendation regarding financial assistance to the school. The school reviews the recommendation, and along with its own analysis, determines the level of support that may be offered. For separated or divorced parents where both parents bear financial responsibility to the student, both parents must complete a confidential application.

Admissions decisions and tuition assistance decisions are made independently of each other. Tuition assistance awards are not merit-based.

Current families

Financial assistance is available to currently enrolled students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 whose family financial circumstances change significantly while they are attending SJS. The purpose of tuition assistance to current families is to temporarily support currently enrolled students to maintain the continuity of their SJS education during the occurrence of unexpected events impacting financial stability. Applicants to financial assistance must demonstrate financial need.

All financial assistance applications are submitted through Apple Financial Services, an unbiased third party service provider, who provides a thorough and in-depth analysis of each application and makes a recommendation regarding financial assistance to the school. The school reviews the recommendation, and along with our own analysis, determines the level of support that may be offered. For separated or divorced parents where both parents bear financial responsibility to the student, both parents must complete a confidential application.

New and current families must submit their application for financial assistance by December 1 for the 2024–2025 school year. Families will be notified if they qualify for financial assistance by February 2024.

Step by step instructions

• Apply for admission into SJS (New families only)
• Apply for financial assistance: Families wishing to apply for financial assistance are required to complete and submit their applications through Apple Financial Services.
• Pay application fee of $130 to Apple Financial Services. Candidates applying for financial assistance may submit a waiver request to have financial aid application fee waived by St. John’s School. Please send your request to Ms. Catriona Cheng, Director of Finance and Human Resources at ccheng@sjs.ca

Expectations of families applying for financial assistance

• To apply for financial assistance only after it has been determined that the family’s own resources are insufficient to cover school costs and has exhausted the potential resources and options available
• Be proactive in seeking information and answers to questions related to the tuition assistance process directly from the school and through Apple Financial Services’ application portal.
• Submit accurate and true documentation as required in the application process.
• Meet application deadlines and document submission requirements
• Respond on a timely basis, to additional information requests in support of the financial assistance application, from the school and/or from Apple Financial Services.
• Understand that financial assistance is not guaranteed, and the school is not obligated to offer financial assistance.
• Understand that the amount of tuition assistance may change from year to year.
• Maintain confidentiality of tuition assistance awarded.
• To the best of the family’s ability to pay the determined family contribution in the timeline prescribed by the school.
• Inform the school immediately of any significant improvements to financial circumstance that reduces or eliminates the need for tuition assistance.
• Understand that the school will take into consideration of the following areas in its decision to award financial assistance: unreasonable expenditures on extracurricular activities and vacations, purchase of new or luxury vehicles, investments, equity, non-principal residence properties, and lifestyle choices; families are responsible for supporting their children’s education, occasionally at the expense of other discretionary expenditures.