Welcome from the Financial Aid Office

Tamra D. Honegger, Director of Financial Aid

Need-Based Grants
at Tampa Preparatory School

Mission
Tampa Preparatory School's Need-Based Grants program exists to (1) provide students who may otherwise not have the funds to cover tuition the opportunity to attend the school; and (2) provide the school with a broad social and economic mix of students. Need-Based Grants are open to students of any race, color, religion, nationality or ethnic origin.

Financial Need-Based Grants 

No family who is seriously interested in having a child attend Tampa Preparatory School should hesitate to apply for admission because of inadequate finances. A student's application is not affected by his/her application for a Need-Based Grant. Financial assistance is provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note: Priority is given to returning students who are currently receiving financial Need-Based Grants.

Steps for Applying for Financial Need-Based Grants (Click for details)

Should you have any questions regarding financial the Need-Based Grant Progam, please do not hesitate to call Tammy Honegger, Associate Director of Admissions and Director of Financial Aid, in the Admissions Office at 813-251-8481.

Financial Need-Based Guidelines and Policy

Tampa Preparatory School is committed to meeting the demonstrated financial need of all families whose children are offered admission. To enable us to do this, with finite resources available, the following policies and guidelines have been adopted. Tampa Prep reviews all applicants on a case by case basis.

• Financial Need-Based Grants are annual. A family must reapply for financial assistance each year.
• Current families applying for assistance for the first time must provide the Financial Aid Office with a letter explaining the changes in their family's financial situation. We will do all we can to make it possible for students to continue at Tampa Preparatory School. We expect a family in this situation to make other adjustments to their family expenditures, in addition to seeking financial aid, to help cover the costs of private education. When a family's financial situation improves greatly the annual grant will be adjusted to reflect the positive gain.
• All parents must complete the Parents' Financial Statement (PFS) and submit it to School and Student Service for Financial Aid (SSS), a service of the National Association of Independent Schools, for processing. Forms will be available by mail and on-line after November 1.
• All parents will furnish the Financial Aid Office with a copy of their current and previous year tax return (1040 with all schedules) and copies of W-2's, before awards are given.
• If parents are separated or divorced, all paperwork, including PFS and tax documentation, is requested from both parents.
• If the non-custodial parent refuses to submit the necessary paperwork to the Financial Aid Office, the application for financial aid may not be processed. If the custodial parent has not heard from the non-custodial parent in a period of time, a letter of verification from a disinterested party (minister, attorney, etc.) will be required. A copy of the divorce decree will be required.
• If there are stepparents, the Committee will consider all partners' assets and liabilities as we review the student's financial situation.
• All parents who own a business/farm will be required to submit a copy of their current business tax return including cash flow statements, balance sheets, and any other information relevant to the business.
• All tax documents must be signed. Parents should submit a complete tax return, not an electronic return.
• All parents must sign a release to allow Tampa Preparatory School to obtain a copy of their tax return from the IRS (Form 4506).
• Tampa Preparatory School will not consider ordinary business or rental depreciation or loss in calculating financial need.
• In the interest of equity, if one parent elects to stay at home and not seek employment, the Committee will impute a basic income of $20,000 for the non-working parent. An exception is made if the parent is at home caring for a preschool age child or an elderly parent.
• If a parent elects to return to school or to change jobs resulting in a decrease in a family's financial resources, Tampa Preparatory School cannot underwrite this family choice with greater financial assistance.
• If multiple children attend tuition-charging schools or colleges, it is expected that the family will be applying for financial aid at all schools. Tampa Preparatory School should not be expected to implicitly subsidize tuition at other schools or colleges.
• International students are not eligible for financial aid due to the difficulty in determining financial need in a different currency and tax structure.
• Families must submit all forms including PFS and tax returns by the specified deadlines or the request for financial aid cannot be processed.
• Tampa Preparatory School reserves the right to request additional information or withdraw financial assistance from families at anytime should discrepancies be discovered in the information provided.