Looking for ways to save money on your child’s tuition? You’re not alone.
Tuition for Toronto private high schools can be very costly, averaging anywhere between $4,000 and $40,000 depending on where it’s located and the specialized programming they provide. And that typically doesn’t even cover the cost of living expenses, textbooks, extracurricular activities, or field trips.
While the price tag can be intimidating for many families, thankfully there are a number of scholarships and financial assistance programs available that can help you save money and get your child enrolled in the school that you want. So what options do you have? Let’s break it down.
There’s a common stereotype and misconception that private institutions are reserved for wealthier people, but that’s simply not the case. Contrary to popular belief, private high schools in Toronto actually do offer forms of financial aid and payment plans to help families afford the ability to send their children to private schools. During the enrollment process, don’t be afraid to inquire at your school of interest about their financial aid programs to see what they offer and if they can potentially break down tuition into more manageable monthly installments.
While these methods of government support aren’t specifically directed towards your child’s private education, they’re definitely something to consider as you look for ways to help support those expenses. Be sure to look into: Newcomer Settlement Program, Ontario Child Benefit, Canada Child Tax Benefit and Child Care Expenses Deduction to see if you qualify for any of these programs and get the extra cash flow you need to help alleviate some of your tuition costs.
It’s very common for families to have generations of their family and/or kids attend private schools. Because of this many schools actually offer special sibling discounts to those who already have a brother or sister enrolled at the school. If this is the case for you and your family, don’t forget to bring it up when you enroll your next child.
Many private high schools in Toronto offer scholarships or bursaries for their students, so make sure you ask about it or take a look at the school’s website to see what the application requirements are for them. Cestar High School for example, proudly offers extrance scholarships to domestic students worth up to $4000. Their scholarship is granted to those who have an academic average of 85% or above. In addition to that, applicants are encouraged to submit transcripts as well as letters of recommendation, where an awards committee will later vett through all worthy candidates.
Another way you can help finance your child’s private high school tuition is through non-academic scholarships. Unlike regular ones, non-academic scholarships are not based on marks, but more so the interests and extracurricular activities your child participates in. These scholarships can come from the school themselves, companies or interest groups — so be sure to ask around. These extracurricular activities can take in the form of community involvement, participation in team sports and creative endeavours such as music or drama.
The best way for your child to secure non-academic scholarships is through meaningful involvement in groups they’re actually interested in. If you spread them out too thin amongst multiple groups and activities, not only will you tire them out, but you’ll limit their ability to make a proper impact within these groups. Focus on the ones they’re interested in so they can put their efforts towards those extracurriculars and actually increase their chances of getting noticed within that group.
A commonly underutilized resource is checking in with local organizations that you, your friends or family are involved in. There are many local organizations, churches and companies that offer scholarships that you can use to help finance your child’s high school tuition. It’s simply a matter of looking into it ahead of time to help ensure you make their application deadline.
Tuition fees vary from school to school, which is why you’ll want to shop around to see where you’ll get the best value for your money. Apart from tuition fees, don’t forget to weigh other important factors when picking out a high school such as the quality of the programs they offer, extra curricular activities they have, their at-school resources and facilities, as well as the quality of the instructors.
If you’re unsure whether or not a particular school will be the right fit, don’t hesitate to contact them and coordinate a campus tour to see the full range of their facilities and what they have to offer.
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