Tuition and Financial Assistance

Financial assistance awards are determined on a case by case basis by the TJ Board Finance Committee. All financial information and decisions are kept strictly confidential, and you can expect to receive a response to your application for financial assistance within two to four weeks. Awards are determined on a basis similar to college financial aid (fasfa.org) and also take account of all relevant circumstances, including academic achievement. Though financial assistance is available, all Thomas Jefferson families are required to pay some portion of tuition, fees, and expenses. Families receiving assistance must reapply annually.

 

Apply for Financial Assistance when you Apply for Enrollment:
(Review the Family Guide to Financial Assistance for general information about financial assistance at independent schools.)

1. Complete the Parents' Financial Statement(PFS) and submit it with copies of the most recent year's W2 and 1040 forms.
2. Review the PFS instructions for additional information on completing the form.
3. Call us at (417) 781-5124 if you require additional assistance completing the form.
4. Submit the PFS and the supporting documentation with your enrollment application.

These merit-based scholarships cover up to 50 percent of the tuition, and are awarded to families of new students in grades 1-12 who demonstrate academic merit and have a demonstrated financial need.

These merit-based scholarships cover up to 100 percent of the tuition, and are awarded to families of new students in grades 7-12 who demonstrate academic merit and have a demonstrated financial need.

Through the generosity of Missouri Walnut, LLC, Thomas Jefferson Independent Day School is the recipient of five renewable scholarships available for new students entering grades 1-12. 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. Contact the admissions office for additional details.

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 the student’s current school.
2. School transcripts or report cards reflecting strong academic performance.
3. Qualifying scores on TJ’s admission assessment.
4. A well written admission essay (completed at Thomas Jefferson for students in grades 5-12).
5. A completed Parents' Financial Statement (PFS) and supporting documents.
6. A letter from parents to the TJ Board Finance Committee outlining the desire to apply for scholarship.

Two half-tuition Mel Hancock Freedom Awards are presented to a rising junior and rising senior based on academic merit, school spirit and citizenship, demonstrated interest in conservative politics, and a meritorious essay addressing the "proper role of government in a free society." These students are recognized at TJ's annual Honors Day.

The Mel Hancock College Award is presented at Honors Day to a graduating senior who demonstrates qualities similar to those of the Freedom award recipients and submits a cogent essay dealing with the "meaning of the Thomas Jefferson Mission Statement in a free society." The recipient must attend a private college or university. This $1,000 award is paid directly to the college when recipient begins matriculation.