banner image

Tuition & Affordability

Invest today in your child’s tomorrow.  TJ’s world-class education is now more accessible than ever.  For the 2022-2023 school year, TJ reset full-price tuition to $11,000, while continuing to provide tuition assistance to qualifying families.  More than 55% of TJ families receive Tuition Assistance and/or Scholarships.

Request More Information

Invest in Your Child’s Future

By investing in Thomas Jefferson’s classical, liberal arts, college preparatory education, you give your child the absolute best chance to achieve his or her hopes and dreams.

From payment plans to tuition assistance and scholarships, there are many ways to make a TJ education affordable. More than 55 percent of TJ families receive some level of tuition assistance and/or scholarships.  Contact our Admissions Office today to discuss your options.

TJ is a place where students flourish academically and socially. Our goal is to develop well-rounded adults who are happy, healthy, and contribute positively to society.

On a practical level, a TJ education is a smart investment. The tuition you pay now is a gift that no one can ever take away. Over the past five years, TJ’s graduating seniors have been offered more than $27 million in merit-based scholarships by colleges and universities across the country.

To ensure TJ is affordable for all families, we offer need-based tuition assistance and scholarships. In fact, more than half of all of our families receive some type of assistance. You may apply for tuition assistance and scholarships when you apply for admission.

Tuition

Thanks to a very generous multi-million-dollar legacy fund gift from Debra and David Humphreys, TJ’s world-class education is even more accessible to students and families in our four-state region. We are continuing to provide scholarships and tuition assistance to qualifying families. Contact us about enrollment today.  Read more about the legacy fund gift and how it makes TJ more accessible.

Tuition Assistance

The amount of tuition assistance available to your child is based on your family’s financial need and your child’s academic performance. No awards are available based on athletic, artistic, or leadership aptitude alone.

See the tabs below to learn more about tuition assistance and scholarships at TJ.  You may also contact us to discuss the options available to your family.

Tuition Assistance

The School determines tuition assistance awards on a case-by-case basis. All financial information and decisions are kept strictly confidential. You can expect to receive a response to your completed tuition assistance application within two to four weeks.

Award decisions are determined on a basis similar to college financial aid. We also take into account all relevant circumstances, including academic achievement. Though tuition assistance is available, all Thomas Jefferson families are required to pay some portion of tuition, fees, and expenses. Families receiving assistance reapply annually.

Applying for Tuition Assistance

You may apply for tuition assistance when you apply for enrollment by following these steps:

  1. Complete the Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS) and submit it with copies of your most recent W2 and 1040 forms. Review the PFS instructions for more in-depth information.
  2. Call us at (417) 781-5124 if you have questions or need help.
  3. Submit the PFS and all documentation with your enrollment application.

New Student Scholarships

Scholarships for new students are based on financial need and academic performance. They are awarded separately from financial assistance. Since the number of scholarships is limited, they are awarded to top applicants. TJ offers the following scholarships to new students:

    • E.L. Craig Scholarship
      These merit-based scholarships cover up to 100 percent of tuition. They are awarded to families of new students in grades 7-12 who exhibit academic merit and have a demonstrated financial need.
    • Henry & Gonzales Families Scholarship
      Through the generosity of the Henry and Gonzales families, TJ is the recipient of annual scholarship funds which can be used to make a TJ education more accessible for students who demonstrate financial need and outstanding academic promise.  These funds are meant to supplement tuition assistance awards and are available to all new students in grades 1-12.
    • Carlin-Bandy Family Foundation
      Through the generosity of the Carlin-Bandy family, TJ is the recipient of scholarship funds which can be used to make a TJ education more accessible for students who demonstrate financial need and outstanding academic promise.  These funds are meant to supplement tuition assistance awards and are available to all new students in grades 1-12.
    • Missouri Walnut Scholarship
      Through the generosity of Missouri Walnut, LLC, TJ is the recipient of five renewable scholarships available for new students entering grades 6‐12. These half‐tuition scholarships are reserved for students who identify with the mission of the school, strive for excellence in the classroom and extracurricular activities, and who display strong character as outlined by the school’s Honor Code. Application requirements include teacher and Dean of Students references from the student’s current school, school transcripts, TJ’s entrance exam, and completion of a candidate questionnaire and an essay. Contact the admissions office for additional details.

 

Applying for New Student Scholarships

The following items are required when applying for scholarships. Many of these forms are also required for the general admission process:

  1. Excellent teacher and/or administrator references from your child’s current school.
  2. School transcripts or report cards reflecting strong academic performance.
  3. Qualifying scores on TJ’s admissions assessment.
  4. A well-written admissions essay (completed at TJ for students in grades 5-12).
  5. A completed Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS) and supporting documents.
  6. Optional: A letter from parents to the TJ Board Finance Committee outlining the desire to apply for scholarship.

Scholarships for current students are based on financial need and academic performance. They are awarded separately from financial assistance. Since the number of scholarships is limited, they are awarded to top applicants. TJ offers the following scholarships to current students:

The Mel Hancock Freedom Award
The Freedom Award scholarship is awarded to a rising senior, and is named for The Honorable Mel Hancock (Sept. 14, 1929 – Nov. 6, 2011), and his generous endowment which has provided scholarships for TJ students for years. Mr. Hancock, who represented Southwest Missouri as a member of Congress from 1989 to 1997, is better known to most Missourians as the author of the “Hancock Amendment” to our state Constitution. This amendment aligned growth of state tax collection with income growth of the people and has put tax money back in the pockets of millions of Missourians since voters approved it in 1980. Following his years of public service, Mr. Hancock endowed TJ with the scholarship awards that provide significant financial support for parents with children at TJ, and for students who plan to attend a private college or university. The essays for these awards are judged by a committee composed of a Board member, two faculty members, and a member of the community.

Ready for the Next Step?

Apply Now
Ready for the Next Step?
Quote

“The TJ program was transformational for my children. I can’t think of a better way to spend my money.”

Alumni Parent

55%

TJ students receive need-based financial assistance and/or scholarships

100%

TJ seniors are accepted to 4-year colleges and universities upon graduation

More than $21 million

Merit-based scholarships offered to graduating seniors over the past 5 years

THOMAS JEFFERSON

PREPARATION FOR A MORE REMARKABLE JOURNEY

Thomas Jefferson Independent Day School delivers a rigorous liberal arts college preparatory curriculum in a supportive and nurturing environment.