Affording ND

Note: The school code for The Academy of Notre Dame de Namur is 1044.

1. Beginning September 2022, go to the SSS Family Portal.
2. Create your PFS online account with your email address and a password.
3. Begin a PFS for Academic Year 2023-2024 You can log out of the PFS at any time, then return later to complete it.
4. Once you press Submit, you will be brought to a payment screen (the fee to apply is $60).
5. After you submit your PFS, you’ll have access to a section called “My Documents.” You can upload the additional documents we require there.

How to Submit Additional Required Documents

1. Prepare your documents to be uploaded. Make sure the documents are on your computer, each saved as a separate file. Remove any security or password protection from your document files.
2. Return to the SSS Family Portal and login.
3. Select the Academic Year 2023-2024 button.
4. From the PFS Online, click on the “My Documents” tab.
5. On the “My Documents” page, you will see an upload button or a hyperlink next to a specific document name in the "Required Documents" section of the PFS. Clicking either the upload button or a hyperlink will lead you through a series of steps allowing you to name, locate, and save the file.
6. Once you have uploaded a document, the date will appear in the “Date Uploaded” column within minutes of the upload. Please note that some tax documents go through a verification process that can take up to 48 hours to complete.

Returning families receiving financial assistance must reapply for aid each year by submitting:

• 2021 tax returns and W2
• 2022 tax returns and W2
• Short questionnaire

All must be submitted by January 6, 2023 to financialaid@ndapa.org

The financial aid program at the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur is designed to assist qualified students who are unable to pay full tuition and to promote socio-economic diversity among the student body. Students are accepted for admission to the Academy on a "need-blind" basis, meaning that financial aid requests do not impact the decisions made by the Admissions Committee.

Applicants for financial aid are referred to the Financial Aid Committee only after the student has been admitted. Financial aid is awarded based on a family's financial need; assistance is offered in the form of a grant which does not require repayment. As funds are limited, the Academy is not able to meet 100% of demonstrated need for admitted students.

Once the Parents' Financial Statement (PFS) has been submitted, SSS prepares a need analysis report, which suggests the amount a family can contribute for educational costs. Since not all families' financial circumstances are equal, the Committee uses the SSS evaluation as means of standardizing applicants. Applicants must submit copies of their federal tax returns with all schedules and W-2s.

Families who are awarded financial grants must reapply for aid each year by submitting the required documents. The student must also be in good social and academic standing to remain eligible to receive need-based funding as determined by the Academy.

Past-Due Tuition Balances
Notre Dame requires that eighth-grade student tuition accounts be reconciled in full in order to begin studies at the upper school level. No student with a tuition balance remaining from grades 6-8 may begin ninth grade in the fall. Families with questions or concerns are asked to contact the Director of Finance directly. 

Notre Dame offers multiple options for tuition payment through TADS.

Tuition payment options include:

1. Annual Plan (payable in July)
2. Semester Plan (payable in July and November)
3. Quarterly Plan (payable in four installments: June, September, December, March)
4. Monthly Plan (payable in ten installments: June through March)

Questions? Contact Mary Beth McNichol, Associate Director of Finance, at mbmcnichol@ndapa.org or 610-971-1509 ext. 2.

1. Who is eligible to apply for financial aid?
Applicants for any grade may apply for financial aid. For the 2021-2022 academic year, the Academy of Notre Dame awarded $1.5 million in financial aid to 162 students.

2. Will applying for financial aid affect my child’s chances for admission?
Admissions applications are read on a "need-blind" basis (without regard to a family’s financial need). Therefore, applying for financial assistance does not affect an applicant's chances for admission.

3. I am completing my Parents' Financial Statement (PFS) through SSS. What is the school code for Notre Dame?
The school code for The Academy of Notre Dame de Namur is 1044.

4. Must I re-apply for aid next year?
Families are required to re-apply for financial aid each year by submitting the questionnaire, current year’s tax returns, and W-2s.

5. What is the policy for divorced, separated, or never married parents?
Both natural parents should complete the PFS and submit their own completed tax forms to SSS.

6. What if one or both parents are self-employed or own a business?
Families who own businesses should complete the PFS and include all necessary documents in addition to the tax returns.

7. What happens if we are late to submit the financial aid application?
If you are unable to meet your appropriate financial aid application deadline, please contact Lori Wooten, Director of Finance, at lwooten@ndapa.org or 610-971-1509 (ext. 1) as soon as possible. Our Financial Aid Committee primarily evaluates aid requests from January through March. Following our stated deadlines, applicants are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis, and decisions are based upon availability of space and funds.

8. How are financial aid decisions made?
The Financial Aid Committee utilizes the information provided by SSS as a guideline in determining financial aid awards. In determining eligibility, we use the information from the Parents' Financial Statement (PFS) as a starting point, then consider our available budget and school policies.

9. If my child gets admitted but we do not receive aid, can we reapply next year?
Typically, all need-based aid is awarded at the time of admission. It is unlikely that a student enrolling without aid would be awarded funds in any subsequent year—unless there are significant changes to the family's financial circumstances.

10. Does Notre Dame offer scholarships in addition to need-based financial aid?
The Academy of Notre Dame offers a variety of scholarship opportunities to qualified applicants. Learn more here.