Tuition Assistance

List of 14 frequently asked questions.

• What are Bellarmine’s tuition and fees?

  Tuition for the 2024-2025 school year is $20,634*. The Board of Directors will set the tuition for the 2025-2026 school year in January, 2025.

• Are there additional fees and costs*?

  Textbooks - approximately $200-$600, however the overall textbook expenditure can be reduced significantly by purchasing digital or used textbooks
  iPad - for the 2024-2025 school year, iPads purchased through Bellarmine cost $700, which included tax and 4 years of AppleCare+ Insurance. 
  Technology Fee - $75, billed to your tuition account in July
  Campus Ministry Retreats - $0-$140, depending upon location and duration of the retreat
  Dual Credit Program - $60-$65/per credit

  Yearbook - $75, Billed to your tuition account in January
  ASB/Activity Fee - $65
  Lunch (drink and entrée) - Many students bring their lunch, however, food is available for purchase daily in the campus center.
  See School Lunch Menu

  
  *Additional expenses may arise dependent on what athletics, clubs or programs your student is involved in at Bellarmine.

• What are the tuition payment options?

  The Board of Directors’ policy is to have tuition prepaid. The first 10% of tuition is due by March 15 for existing students and by February 28 for incoming students and is non-refundable. Tuition payment options are as follows:                       

  • Full payment before August 5, 2024; $100 discount
  • Two payment plan, August 5, 2024 and January 5, 2025; $50 discount
  • 10-month payment plan, July 5, 2023 through April 5, 2025

  All payment plan options are available through your FACTS account. Bellarmine accepts cash, checks, and credit cards for tuition payments. All payments by credit card will be assessed a 2.95% surcharge.

• How much assistance is available?

  Bellarmine strives to be affordable and accessible to all families interested in joining the Lion community. Over 43% of our families receive tuition assistance and the average grant for the 2023-2024 school year was $7,621. Bellarmine’s tuition assistance budget of over $2.9 million ranks in the top 5% of Jesuit schools nationwide.

• What other grants are available?

  Each year, Fulcrum gives hope to many families throughout Western Washington who understand the value of a Catholic education. The Fulcrum Foundation also offers a $1,500 (2023-24) grant to our families of greatest need. Through the tuition assistance program, Fulcrum provided grants of $1,500 to nearly 1,000 students in the Seattle Archdiocese for the 2023-24 school year. Applications are due December 31, 2023.
  Click Here to Apply

   

  Please Note: Fulcrum is partnering with FACTS to manage the collection and processing of Hossfeld Tuition Assistance (TAP) applications. Award decisions will be made by Fulcrum based on financial need. Each family will pay a $35 fee to FACTS to apply for Fulcrum tuition assistance. Bellarmine and the Fulcrum Foundation share an application, so you only need to complete one application. 

• Should our family apply for tuition assistance?

  We encourage all families that are concerned about the accessibility of Bellarmine to apply for tuition assistance.

• How do we apply for assistance?

  All 2025-26 tuition assistance applications must be done online. FACTS Grant & Aid Assessment will be conducting the financial need analysis for Bellarmine Preparatory School for the upcoming 2025-26 school year. Applications are available as of October 1, 2024. Families applying for tuition assistance will need to complete an online application and submit the necessary supporting documentation to FACTS Grant & Aid Assessment by January 17, 2025. Although you will be able to apply for assistance after this date, please remember the need for assistance in our community is great, and although we do have a strong tuition assistance budget of $2.9 million, we are not able to guarantee assistance if you submit your application after the deadline.

• Are there athletic scholarships at Bellarmine?

  In compliance with WIAA regulations, we do not offer athletic scholarships.

• What costs are covered by tuition assistance?

  Only the cost of tuition is covered. Assistance is available for other programs on campus. Please speak to the Program Coordinator or Mary Graves, Director of Student Accounts and Tuition Assistance.

• Who decides my ability to pay?

  Parents submit a tuition assistance application through FACTS, an organization serving the tuition assistant departments of many private schools, including Bellarmine.

   

  FACTS applies a standardized method of evaluation which considers income, assets, extraordinary expenses, and some forms of indebtedness. These are factored in with family size, the number of children attending tuition-based schools and the years remaining to parent’s retirement, to determine the family’s discretionary income. FACTS sends the confidential evaluation back to the school. This report suggests the amount the family should be able to contribute to their child’s education. The Bellarmine Tuition Assistance Committee reviews these reports along with the application and makes a specific award of tuition assistance.

• Will applying for tuition assistance affect my application for admission?

  Tuition assistance decisions are made independently of admission decisions. A student’s eligibility for admission is determined first. Following the admissions decision, the Tuition Assistance Committee determines grant allocations.

• What happens if the assistance is not enough for my family?

  Parents should contact Mary Graves, Director of Student Accounts and Tuition Assistance, requesting a review of their tuition assistance award. At this point, you will be asked to submit a letter, or an email, explaining why you would like a review, along with a monthly budget for your family. Other documents may be requested at this time.

• How do I begin the process?

  See the content above for information on how to apply for tuition assistance.

• How can I get information and assistance if I need it?

  If you need help assessing your circumstances as you decide whether or not to apply for assistance, or with any part of the tuition assistance process, please contact Mary Graves, Director of Student Accounts and Tuition Assistance.