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Rawson-Saunders is committed to assisting families in need, and financial aid is awarded based on the financial need of the family. Awards will range from 5% to 50% of annual tuition. Financial aid awards are considered and granted by April 1. The Financial Aid Committee will consider all pertinent information made available to it and make awards within the financial aid budget of the school.

To assist applicants for financial aid, a checklist is available. View a copy of the financial aid checklist.

Financial need will be assessed using the following documents:

• The FACTS Financial Need Assessment. View the FACTS Financial Needs Assessment form or request via mail at P.O. Box 82524, Lincoln, NE 68501-2524.
  • Complete the FACTS assessment as soon as possible after January 1, making payment directly to FACTS for this service.
  • Keep a copy of the FACTS assessment application for your records.
• Current and prior two years’ IRS forms 1040, all W-2 forms, and 1099 statements (and all schedules).
  • The current (2009) tax forms must be submitted to Rawson-Saunders Financial Aid office by April 21st.
• IRS form 4506, if applicable.

Applicants may submit a one-page letter providing additional information if it would help the Financial Aid Committee better understand the family's financial situation.

Financial aid will be awarded in the following order of priority:

• Currently enrolled Rawson-Saunders students
• Already accepted new students
• Students accepted during the 2009-2010 academic year

Financial Aid Policies:

• Rawson-Saunders relies on FACTS Financial Aid Management instruments to assess families' assistance needs.  All required documents must be received by FACTS and the Rawson-SAunders Financial Aid Committee before the application will be reviewed.
• A standing Financial Aid Committee, responsible for reviewing and approving financial aid awards recommended by the Financial Aid Officer, will include the Admissions Director, the Head of School, the office manager, and one or two Board members (non-parents). Other members as appointed by the Head of School may be included. The committee will operate according to the NAIS best practices for financial aid administration, and will review and revise Rawson-Saunders’ financial aid policies and procedures annually.
  
  The Financial Aid Committee will endeavor to keep applicant information confidential. Rawson-Saunders recognizes that some information may need to be shared with certain school employees, and in that event, it will be handled with discretion and reminders of the need for confidentiality.
• The Head of School may serve as the school’s Financial Aid Officer.
• The Head of School is not empowered to grant financial aid without Financial Aid Committee review and approval.
• All information submitted to the committee shall be kept confidential and will consist only of that information pertinent to the award decision. Only the financial committee will know the applicant’s identity.
• All grants are for one year, and must be reapplied for each year, following the procedures outlined above.
• Financial aid students will be held to the same academic and behavioral standards as the rest of the student body.
• In cases of parents’ divorce or separation, the school will not be bound by any divorce agreement specifying a parent’s responsibility for education expenses. It is expected that both parents will participate in the financial aid application and in the financial support of the student’s education. If a parent has remarried, it is expected that the new spouse will participate in the financial aid application and in the financial support of the student’s education.
• It is expected that both parents will provide income in support of the student’s educational expenses unless a parent is disabled or is caring for a pre-school child, a disabled child, or a disabled relative. If a parent does not meet the criteria of these exemptions and is not providing income, the school reserves the right to impute income for that parent.
  
  If a parent chooses not to work and all children in the household are in grade levels from kindergarten and above, a minimum of $25,000 of income, or the last reported earnings, if higher, is imputed in calculating the family’s gross income figure for the year. The Financial Aid Committee, at its sole discretion, may decide to impute a higher level of income to calculate gross income. Factors such as prior employment, training, and education degrees may be used to evaluate the imputation of income. The committee may also review and re-evaluate award calculations taking into consideration family choices regarding work and ability to work. Both adults’ assets, whether married, living together or separated, will be used to determine the family’s need for aid.
• It is expected that the family will provide for financial support of the student’s education before making charitable contributions to other institutions or organizations.
• It is expected that a family’s financial support of the student’s education is a greater priority than owning and maintaining a second home.
• Business losses and expenses that do not affect cash flow (such as depreciation and home office write-offs) may be disallowed when computing financial need.
• College and/or other private school tuition will be taken into account when computing financial need. It is assumed that the other institutions will provide financial aid at least to the extent provided by Rawson-Saunders School.
• It is expected that applicants for financial aid will notify the school of contributions toward the student’s expense from sources other than the immediate family. Contributions made by grandparents must be reported to the committee, and will be taken into account for the determination of financial need.

Rawson-Saunders School reserves the right to update these policies as needed.