How to Apply for Financial Aid:

1. To apply, request the Parent Financial Statement (PFS) from the Admission Office when you apply for admission.

2. Complete the PFS immediately and mail it to the School and Student Service for Financial Aid (SSS) in the envelope provided.

3. Send a photocopy of the PFS directly to the Financial Aid Office at Dana Hall School.  Include a signed copy of your current federal tax return (Form 1040) with all supporting schedules and W-2’s.

4. If you receive income from a trade or business, please also submit a Business/Farm Statement to the Financial Aid Office at Dana Hall School.

Parents who are separated or divorced:

With regard to financial aid, the matter of separation or divorce of parents can be a difficult one, but our school policy is firm and clear.The Financial Aid Committee will consider the net assets and earnings of both natural parents before making any award and may not be bound by the assertion that one parent disclaims responsibility for education expenses.  The custodial parent and noncustodial parent are both required to complete the PFS.  If the custodial parent has remarried, we will consider also the assets of the stepparent, always bearing in mind the obligations of the stepparent to his or her natural children.

Non-Working Parents:

In instances where one parent chooses not to work and has children who are in the school full time, the Financial Aid Committee will recalculate need using an imputed, minimum income for the non-working parent.  Note that this policy does not require the parent to work, it only attempts to adjust the level of need by accounting for the minimum income that the parent could earn if he or she chose to return to work. If a parent can document that they are disabled or otherwise unable to work (caring for an aged parent themselves, for example), this policy would obviously not apply.

Trust and/or “College Funds:”

Trust funds and/or funds or accounts earmarked “For College” are considered student assets and are treated accordingly. While it may not be possible for a family to top the principal of such funds, the existence of the funds means that more of the family’s current income is available for tuition.

How it Works

Once the Financial Aid Office receives all financial materials, the Committee will review each family’s request.  Consideration for aid is made only after a student has been offered a place at Dana Hall. All financial aid is awarded on the basis of need as determined by SSS and the Financial Aid Committee.

FAQs 

When do I apply for Financial Aid?

Complete the PFS at the same time that you are completing the Application for Admission, or as early as possible in the year in which you are applying.  The SSS requires approximately three weeks to process a PFS from you.  Financial aid decisions are mailed to families of newly admitted students by mid-March.

As a current family on Financial Aid, when do we reapply?

The deadline for the PFS is February 1.  For more information, contact the Admission Office.The Financial Aid Committee wants to remind all returning families that although funds have been set-aside for them delays after April 15 in returning all required information may jeopardize renewal. Also, funds will not be considered or made if the student is on academic or financial hold or if the family has not paid the contracted amount for the current year.

Will my child receive Financial Aid in subsequent years?

Families must reapply for Financial Aid each year.  Financial aid is awarded based on a family’s particular circumstances in each year.

Financial Aid Terminology

SSS = School and Student Service for Financial Aid

SSS PFS (ETS)
P.O. Box 371478
Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7478
Helpline: 866-387-3601            
www.nais.org/financialaid/sss           
e-mail: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

PFS = Parents’ Financial Statement

RFC = Report of Financial Contribution  

Payment Plan Options for you at Dana Hall School

Plan I – Full payment due July 15  

Plan II – 60% due July 15, 40% due December 1

Plan III – Monthly Payment Plan
Low-Cost Interest Free
10 Monthly Payments
$80 Administration Fee
No Credit Review

Families with aid electing the 10-month payment plan are billed the third week of April.   

Financing Options from Other Sources   

K-12 Family Education Loan
SLM Financial, A Sallie Mae Company
P.O. Box 470
Marlton, NJ 08053
Ph: 888-2-Sallie
Fax 317-806-4871                                                               
www.slmfinancial.comAchieverLoan                        

AchieverLoan
Key Education Resources
P.O. Box 55569
Boston, MA 02205-5569
Ph: 800-Key-Lend   
Fax 617-426-3089                                                                        
www.Key.com/achieverloan   

prepGATE k-12 Education Loan       
Ph: 888-353-GATE                                                                                                      
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it                                                                      
www.prepgate.com

Financial Aid Policies

In an effort to be as consistent as possible in assessing a family’s need for financial assistance, the Financial Aid Committee has drawn up the following policies, which govern financial aid at Dana Hall.

1. Financial aid awards are based solely upon the family’s demonstrated need as determined by the Financial Aid Committee; parents are expected to support their student to the extent they are able as determined by SSS and Dana Hall School.

2. Two-parent families are expected to be employed, if home and health situation permit.

3. For parents who are separated or divorced, Dana Hall requires the noncustodial parent to also complete a PFS and submit it to SSS.  A copy of the IRS 1040 and all attached schedules need to be sent to the Financial Aid Office of Dana Hall.

4. Families who have been awarded financial aid must reapply each year.  Awards may be adjusted if family financial circumstances change significantly.

5. It cannot be assumed that because one student in the family has received aid from Dana Hall another sibling new to the School is guaranteed assistance.

6. Dana Hall’s financial aid packet does not cover such items as private music instruction, riding lessons, exchange trips, or the like. There is a small amount of discretionary funding available to students on aid for counseling or tutoring, upon approval of the Director of the Upper School or Director of the Middle School. Families are expected to adhere strictly to all financial aid deadlines.  Failure to do so can jeopardize a student’s award.

Dana Hall admits students of any race, color, nationality, and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school.  It does not discriminate on the basis of color, race, national or ethnic origin, or sexual orientation in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, financial aid program, athletic and other school-administered programs.