The Flexible Tuition program ensures access and socioeconomic diversity at LWHS.
Thanks to its 125 year history of being accessible to students from all walks of life, including 77 years of being tuition free, Lick-Wilmerding High School enjoys the legacy, the resources, and the strategic resolve to push the limits on what it can mean to be a truly accessible independent school.
Full tuition for the 2022-2023 school year is $54,800. Today, 28 percent of LWHS’ operating budget is devoted to Flexible Tuition, 33% of our students are enrolled through the school’s Flexible Tuition Program.
One thing we have learned is that language of discourse really matters—especially when talking about accessibility. Rather than use the term "financial aid", LWHS has chosen to use "Flexible Tuition" for more than three decades. The definition of Flexible Tuition is: the amount of tuition paid by LWHS families who participate in the Flexible Tuition Program
Income is only one of the factors that goes into determining Flexible Tuition. Each student’s Flexible Tuition is determined on a case-by-case basis because every family is unique. For more information about how Flexible Tuition is calculated, please click here.
New Families: Flexible Tuition Application Process
List of 4 items.
Step 1: Start preparing your 2021 & 2022 Tax Returns as soon as possible.
Complete and submit the Parents' Financial Statement (PFS) to School & Student Services (SSS). For full instructions and help click here. The PFS must be completed online and families with more than one student applying only need to submit one PFS. The fee to submit is $60 and fee waivers are automatically granted to qualifying families. (Note: Parents/Guardians living in separate households must submit separate PFS forms.)
SSS Code for LWHS: 4630
Step 3: Submit 2021 and 2022 tax information and LWHS Supplemental Information Form by Monday, February 13, 2023
Submit 2021 and 2022 IRS Tax form 1040, W-2 and all schedules to the SSS website. Click here for a full checklist of documents. (please check back in November 2022 for a full list of documents)
We recognize that many families who might not expect to be eligible for “financial aid” still qualify for a tuition break. The Flexible Tuition Program allows families to apply for reduced tuition, which ranges from $700 to $46,200. Full tuition for this year is $54,800. The school encourages families to apply if they think they may qualify. LWHS is determined to keep the school accessible to families from a wide range of economic backgrounds, so we offer a wide tuition range that include books, course materials, daily lunch, yearbook, athletic uniforms, co-curricular activities, and grade-level retreats. Currently, $7 million is dedicated to the Flexible Tuition program and more than 33% of students attend LWHS on Flexible Tuition.
There is a wide range of families who qualify, from those who can afford only minimal tuition to those who can afford almost full tuition. In calculating each family’s ability to pay, the school considers many factors. The complex formula used to calculate the exact Flexible Tuition level considers many factors that affect a family’s ability to pay. It is impossible for the school, or for a family, to determine the level of tuition for which they qualify unless the entire Parents' Financial Statement (PFS) application is completed.
Lick-Wilmerding high school uses School and Student Services (SSS) to assist with determining a family’s Flexible Tuition. After families submit their required financial information, SSS analyzes and recommends an amount a family should expect to pay. This is called the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). The LWHS Flexible Tuition Committee uses the EFC as a baseline to further calculate tuition amounts for each family.
Admission acceptance letters sent in mid-March, will include a separate response regarding Flexible Tuition. Responses to families will fall into two categories: an offer of Flexible Tuition or notification that the family does not qualify for Flexible Tuition.
LWHS' Flexible Tuition program is determined by the demonstrated need of each individual family. We encourage each Flexible Tuition applicant to disclose as much information as possible so that we can find the tuition amount that works for your family.
To continue in the program, the family must reapply each year. Families' tuition amounts are subject to any changes that have occurred in their economic circumstances (change in job, number of students in tuition paying schools, etc). Provided family circumstances remain the same and the school’s resources can continue to support the program to the same extent, the school intends to fund the student for four years.
Although a family is welcome to reapply or apply for the first time for Flexible Tuition in any year, the school is seldom able to accept families into the program after ninth grade.
Yes, each parent/guardian household must submit a Parents' Financial Statement (PFS) along with two years tax documents (1040, W-2, any relevant schedules) to be considered for Flexible Tuition. LWHS determines ability to pay by factoring in all available resources from both parents and step-parents, regardless of custody or other legal issues.
If there is additional information that addresses your financial situation not taken into account by the Parent Financial Statement or the LWHS Supplemental Information Form, please upload a supplemental letter to the “Additional Documents” section of SSS.
In most cases, we will ask you to upload a draft of your taxes if you are unable to complete and upload them to SSS by the deadline, however please contact us at admissions@lwhs.org to discuss your specific circumstances.
Please contact us as soon as possible if your financial circumstances change between January and March. You can reach us via email at admissions@lwhs.org or by calling (415) 337-9990.
Absolutely. LWHS maintains strict confidentiality regarding the financial circumstances of our families. No one outside of the Flexible Tuition Committee sees these documents or is aware of what families pay for Flexible Tuition.
If your family is faced with economic hardship due to an income change, please contact Emily Fung, Financial Aid Officer, at efung@lwhs.org to discuss your financial situation and determine next steps. LWHS is committed to doing our best to support our families through difficult periods.
SSS stands for School and Student Services. It is a safe and confidential program used by many schools in the Bay Area to collect sensitive information regarding a family's financial circumstances. You can login or create an account by clicking here. If you have trouble logging in or creating an account, contact SSS customer service by calling 800-344-8328 or emailing sssandtadsfa@communitybrands.com.
755 Ocean Avenue | San Francisco, CA 94112 | 415.333.4021
A private school with public purpose, Lick-Wilmerding High School develops the head, heart, and hands of highly motivated students from all walks of life, inspiring them to become lifelong learners who contribute to the world with confidence and compassion.