Financial Assistance Policy
 

1. Limited financial assistance is available at Eagle Cove School (formerly GICS). The amount of the budget is set yearly by the Board of Trustees and all assistance comes directly from the School. Every family requesting financial assistance is required, each year, to fill out the Parents' Financial Statement (PFS) to be obtained from the Eagle Cove School (formerly GICS) Admissions Office. By January 30, at the latest, parents will send the form to the School and to the Student Services for Financial Aid (SSS) in Princeton, NJ, an organization which helps independent schools calculate need. All actual assistance comes from the individual schools. The School and the family receive a written report within four to six weeks documenting a family’s need. Due to budget restrictions, it is rare for the School to meet a family’s full need.
    

2. Once the report is received and need documented, the ECS Financial Assistance Committee meets to determine the amount of the grant, if any, and the family is notified of the committee’s decision. At maximum, ECS can only offer up to one- half the tuition owed.
    

3. Families applying for financial assistance will do so by January 30 for the following year. Preference is given to students already enrolled, and to those applying by the deadline. Once the budgeted financial assistance money is used up, there is no more.
    

4. Should there be extenuating circumstances, such as changes in job, family or health status, the Head and Financial Assistance Committee will make every effort to assist the family, again dictated by budget constraints.
    

5. After Jan 30th, parents wishing financial assistance may still apply. For those applying late, the family will photocopy the SSS application and bring it to ECS before sending it to Princeton, so that the Committee will have preliminary information available.
    

6. When original student contracts are mailed out to families with a stated tuition amount, that amount can be changed and superseded by a later contract, following notification of a financial assistance grant from the School.