Vanguard Tuition and Financial Aid Information

Tuition and Fees 2023-2024

For Returning Students, please check FACTS Announcements for information. 

International Students who need an I20, please contact Mrs. VanDyke about international tuition- Email Hannah VanDyke.

Below is a list of information about the 2023-2024 Tuition and Fees for Vanguard Day students:

  • A non-refundable application fee of $100 is due with the online application for new students. 
  • Annual Tuition for the 2023-2024 school year is $16,550. 
    • Additional Fees may apply
  • See below for information on paying with 529 Plans.

 

Tuition Assistance

Finding the best school to academically nurture and challenge your children is critical to their success.

For many families, paying for that academic investment in their children is a major stressor. Vanguard College Preparatory School offers tuition assistance to assist Waco and Central Texas families.  This is in keeping with our desire to maintain a student body with high academic potential from across Central Texas.

Financial barriers should not prevent you from making the best decision for your children’s futures. Here at Vanguard, we offer tuition assistance to help make education more affordable for families. In fact, 60% of our students receive some form of tuition assistance.

Applying for tuition assistance is simple and streamlined to remove as much stress as possible for parents.  Vanguard uses FACTS to assist with determining levels of tuition assistance for its families.

  • A completed FACTS application should be submitted by with the online application. A 2022 W2 and other tax forms will need to be submitted online to FACTS to complete the application.
  • Tuition assistance can be applied for through FACTS after May 2022. However, the majority of tuition assistance money will be awarded to those families that meet deadline and the earlier you apply the better chance of assistance. 
  • FACTs charges a fee of $35/application submitted.
Click here to apply

 

Prospective Family? Please take note:

The admission decision is based solely on each student’s academic and personal qualities independent of the family’s ability to meet the cost of a Vanguard education. Thus, admission to Vanguard and the awarding of financial aid are two separate decisions.

The first step in applying for Grant and Aid is to apply for admission. Please complete the Admission Application online in the Admissions Application section of the website.

New families may desire to know a tuition assistance amount early in the application process and prior to the completion of their taxes. Conditional tuition assistance awards can be granted as soon as possible to new students who apply with FACTS.

A FACTS application can be submitted with a 2020 tax return at any time. Vanguard reserves the right to change the tuition assistance award due to a change in the financial situation of the family from 2020 to 2021.

  • Requirements for Financial Aid

    To receive aid for the first time, a student must be accepted for admission to Vanguard College Preparatory School. Parents are asked to complete the online application and take our entrance exam. This holds the student’s place while financial aid awards are being processed.  In addition, the student must exhibit exemplary citizenship and a positive classroom attitude reflected by good grades. The student must also have actively participated in the life of the school community. Finally, the Parents’ Financial Statement must show demonstrated financial need. To receive aid in subsequent years, the student must continue to meet the above requirements and parents must submit to Facts each year.

  • Divorced Parents

    Because financial aid is based on a family’s ability to meet the cost of an education at Vanguard, a family will be defined as consisting of both natural parents of the applicant, any step-parent, plus any children from the original marriage along with any children produced by the current marriage. The school will not be bound by the assertion of one parent, including a divorce decree, that he/she is not responsible legally or otherwise for educational expenses. Thus, both parents must provide the information that is requested on the Parents’ Financial Statement that is filed each year with the School and Student Services. If this information is not available at the time the application is evaluated, it may cause an arbitrary assessment of the financial need to be made by the school. This may result in a lesser award or no award at all.

For questions about tuition assistance or help applying for FACTS, please send an email to Email Tuition Assistance If you have questions or concerns about the application process, you may speak with a FACTS Customer Care Representative at 1-866-441-4637..

 How to Use a 529 Plan for Private School

 

A 529 plan isn’t just for college. Find out below how to use the funds for your children’s private elementary and high school education.

  • A 529 plan is a tax-advantaged investment account similar to an IRA. It lets you save money for higher education expenses. But now, you can also use it for private elementary and high schools.  Most plans let you set it and forget it. Automatic deposits can be set up from your checking account or via a payroll deduction.  The money in the account is managed by an outside investment firm hired by the program manager or the state treasurer’s office. These plans are a very hands-off way to save for college.
  • Using your 529 account is simple. You withdraw funds and transfer them to your checking account. From there, it’s cash you can put toward your children’s education. But what’s actually covered? It depends on whether you use it for elementary/high school or college. As a college savings account, the 529 plan is eligible for a relatively wide range of qualified expenses.
  • For primary or secondary education expenses, you can only use your 529 money to pay for tuition—nothing else. The plan won’t cover any other expenses like field trips, school supplies, or books.  The limit for withdrawals is $10,000 per year. Withdrawals used for any expense other than tuition will be hit with a 10% penalty. And you’ll also be required to pay ordinary income tax on earnings.