Tuition and Financial Aid
2023-2024 Tuition
Grades 1-5: $43,990
Grades 6-8: $45,850 (includes the use of a MacBook for each student)
Grades 6-8: $45,850 (includes the use of a MacBook for each student)
Tuition covers all fees. The only additional fee a family may incur is if their child participates in After-School Guided Study, where for a nominal fee students can work on homework in a quiet setting with Benchmark teachers providing supervision.
Benchmark School offers our families three payment plans:
- Payment in full
- Two installments plan
- Eleven installments plan
Financial Aid
Benchmark believes that access to educational excellence should be available to all qualified students, regardless of financial means. Therefore, we are proud to offer need-based financial aid in hopes that no family will be discouraged from applying.
Application for financial aid is managed through SSS (School and Student Services). The SSS forms provide Benchmark with an objective means of helping to determine each family’s level of need. Benchmark School's SSS code is 1062.
Families who intend to apply for financial aid are encouraged to do so when they apply for admission. Decisions on admission and financial aid are separate. While Benchmark has a generous financial aid program, the budget is limited and we receive far more requests for aid than we can meet. It is possible that a student who is accepted may be denied financial aid due to limited funds.
Returning families are required to apply annually. Grants are not guaranteed from year to year, as families are required to demonstrate need annually. However, assuming there has not been significant change in the family’s needs assessments as determined by the Financial Aid Committee, families can reasonably assume that Benchmark’s financial support will continue at a similar level annually.
Should there be an unanticipated significant change in financial circumstances that may have an impact on the future enrollment status of the student, families should contact the Financial Aid Committee at financialaid@benchmarkschool.org as soon as possible to discuss options.
What better investment in your children’s future than giving them the best option to love school early? It may make all the difference in their lives.
Financial Aid FAQs
Will returning students receive the same financial aid packages year to year?
Eligibility is determined annually. Benchmark’s first commitment is to returning students. Every family must complete a financial aid application for each year of attendance to determine eligibility. Changes in income, expenses, and assets will have an impact on your estimated family contribution. It is important to request a copy of the report of Estimated Family Contribution each year to better understand your eligibility to receive aid.
Do the financial assistance awards need to be repaid?
No, the awards are grants,not loans, and do not have to be repaid.
Will my application for financial assistance influence my child’s application for admission?
Decisions on admission and financial aid are separate. While Benchmark has a generous financial aid program, the budget is limited and we receive far more requests for aid than we can meet. It is possible that a student who is accepted may be denied financial aid due to limited funds.
Based on the information I filled out on the SSS website, my family qualifies for financial aid. If my child is offered acceptance into Benchmark will they automatically receive an award based on our Estimated Family Contribution (EFC)?
Although SSS provides Benchmark School with a calculation of an EFC, the Financial Aid Committee makes the final determination. The methodology used to determine the EFC considers many items, including assets, liabilities, income, expenses, family size, and the number of students in tuition-charging schools. As the Financial Aid Committee looks at financial assistance applications, it differentiates between necessary expenses and money spent for lifestyle choices. With respect to the latter, we will not provide assistance to offset “lifestyles” expenditures that could have been directed to education. Thus, the EFC calculated by the school might differ from the amount suggested by SSS.
What if my family’s financial situation is complicated?
Please submit a detailed letter to financialaid@benchmarkschool.org about any circumstances that Benchmark should consider when determining your financial need. Be as specific as possible with dates, figures, and any supporting documentation.
Confidentiality
Grants of financial assistance and the associated documentation are held in confidence between the Benchmark School Financial Aid Committee and the family. Benchmark will not disclose details of application or grants, and asks families to maintain that same confidentiality.
Divorced or Separated Parents
Benchmark School’s Financial Aid Committee assumes that an applicant’s natural parents or legal guardians have the primary responsibility for supporting their children throughout their Benchmark education. Applicants whose parents are divorced, separated, or never married are required to provide financial data for both parents. In the event that parents discontinue or deny support of the students, Benchmark will not assume the parents’ financial responsibility for the support of the student.
Benchmark School will not be bound by any divorce or separation agreement which delineates tuition responsibility between parents.
Benchmark School is licensed by the Pennsylvania State Board of Private Academic Schools and has been accorded 501(c)(3) status by the Internal Revenue Service. A not-for-profit, independent school, Benchmark relies on tuition and charitable gifts for its operation. Accredited by Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools, which is a member in good standing of the National Association of Independent Schools’ Commission on Accreditation.
Benchmark School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, gender and sexuality diversity, age, or against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability, in its admissions and financial program, in the administration of its educational program, or in its employment policies.
We are proud to offer need-based financial assistance in hopes that no family will be discouraged from applying due to financial need.
Richard and I often spoke about Benchmark as being an investment. We could have put our money in the stock market, but the return on that investment couldn't be guaranteed. On the other hand, our investment in Benchmark is sure to give Blake lifelong returns.
Tina Isen Fox, Alumni Parent
"Nothing is more important than giving your child a good start in school. And there is nothing worse than your child having a poor experience – you want your child to love school, not hate it. Studies show a child’s early school experience determines how he or she will succeed in later grades. As a parent, you want to be sure that your child is being served by a school environment that will help him her not just succeed, but thrive, now, in high school, in college, and in life." - Association of Delaware Valley Schools.org