Understanding the Tuition Landscape at The Episcopal Academy
The Episcopal Academy, since its founding in 1785, has been committed to providing a holistic education, nurturing the mind, body, and spirit of its students. Serving approximately 1,200 students from Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade, the academy fosters a challenging yet supportive environment enriched by a strong community, dedicated educators and coaches, and exceptional resources. Recognizing that investing in this unique educational experience is a significant decision for families, Episcopal Academy offers various financial options to make the school accessible to talented and motivated students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds.
Comprehensive Tuition and Fees
Understanding the full cost of education at The Episcopal Academy involves considering several components beyond the base tuition. For instance, Episcopal High School's Comprehensive Fee for the 2026-27 school year is $77,700. This fee encompasses tuition, room and board, basic health center expenses, and most school-sponsored academic, athletic, and recreational activities. Notably, this all-inclusive fee eliminates additional charges for technology, course-related supplies and equipment, outdoor education, local special events, and most weekend activities, as well as all meals provided daily through the dining hall, which could amount to significant extra expenses at some other schools.
However, families should also budget for personal expenses, which can vary. A one-time laptop purchase, for example, may cost approximately $1,400 to $1,900, depending on the model.
Financial Aid and Tuition Assistance Programs
The Episcopal Academy is dedicated to enrolling talented, motivated students and is committed to minimizing any financial barriers to enrollment. Financial aid is a cornerstone of Episcopal's commitment to socio-economic diversity, enriching the learning environment with a variety of perspectives. The academy awards more than $10 million annually in need-based financial aid. Approximately 35 percent of the student body receives financial assistance. In 2025-26, approximately 35 percent of the student body received financial assistance, with the average need-based grant equaling about $56,143. Awards to qualified students are made in the form of grants and are based upon a demonstration of financial need, coupled with a student’s individual merit.
Episcopal Collegiate School also offers a Tuition Assistance Program for families who would otherwise be unable to consider Episcopal as an option. Last year, Episcopal awarded over $2.6 million in assistance to 33% of students in PreK-4 through 12th grade.
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Determining Financial Need
Financial need is determined through a careful evaluation of a family's financial resources. The academy works with Clarity to assess financial need, utilizing a secure and streamlined approach to data and tax collection. Families complete an application within Clarity, answering a variety of questions and authorizing the IRS to provide the academy with their 1040 Federal Tax return and W-2. Upon completion of Internal Revenue Services Form 4506-C, IVES Request for Transcript of Tax Return, Clarity gains access to the requisite 2023 tax documentation for assessing your application.
The Financial Aid for School Tuition (FAST) system is also used to process tuition assistance applications. FAST provides the School with a general assessment of a family’s ability to pay for education. Major factors in determining financial need include, but are not limited to, income, assets (including home equity, college funds, investment accounts, and trust funds), family size, and the number of children attending tuition-charging institutions. There is no preset income figure that qualifies a family for assistance.
Merit Scholarships
In addition to need-based aid, Episcopal High School awards between five and 10 merit scholarships to new students each year on the basis of academic and extracurricular merit. These scholarships range in value from $5,000 to $15,000 and are renewed annually.
Application Process and Important Dates
Families interested in financial aid or tuition assistance must complete the necessary applications. The tuition assistance application process for each school year opens in early October. Families should apply concurrently for Episcopal admission and Tuition Assistance so that financial awards are given at the time of admission offers. Both returning students and admissions candidates are notified of financial aid decisions in March. The financial aid decision is communicated to parents along with the invitation for enrollment. Tuition grants are made for one year. Families must complete the Clarity application each year in order to be considered for financial aid. The application typically takes less than 30 minutes to complete. It is mobile friendly so you can complete it from anywhere. You are also able to save your progress and return to it at any time.
The Financial Aid Committee, chaired by the Financial Aid Director and reporting to the Admissions Director, keeps all financial information confidential. Episcopal's dedicated, full time Director of Tuition Assistance is available to counsel privately with interested families regarding tuition assistance. A family’s interest in tuition assistance and any award granted is considered strictly confidential.
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Arkansas LEARNS Act and Education Freedom Accounts
Families in Arkansas may also benefit from the Arkansas LEARNS Act, enacted in 2023, which introduced and authorized Education Freedom Accounts (EFA). These accounts enable families to use state-provided funds to help pay for private school tuition. Episcopal Collegiate School is a participating school with the Arkansas Department of Education in the EFA program. Applications for an EFA Account are made through the Arkansas Department of Education.
Payment Options and Discounts
To further ease the financial burden, The Episcopal Academy offers several payment options and discounts:
- Payment Plan: We offer a FACTS Tuition monthly payment plan with payments budgeted over a 10 or 11-month period from July through April or May. Payments are automatically withdrawn from your checking account on the 10th or 20th of the month. There is a one-time annual charge of $50 to use this service. FACTS accounts are set up when enrolling.
- Sibling Discount: A 5% sibling discount is given to families that have multiple siblings enrolled concurrently at the school. The discount only applies to tuition and not to any other fees.
- Discounts for Payment Frequency: Receive a discount on your tuition if you pay annually or in two semester payments: $100 discount for semester payments; $200 discount for annual payments.
- Multi-child discount: Multi-child discount applies to household siblings only.
An Enrollment Deposit of $7,800 (prorated for financial aid recipients) is required when a student enrolls for the year. The Comprehensive Fee is payable in either two or six installments. A non-refundable deposit of five percent of the net tuition is required to secure enrollment for the 2026-2027 school year. Tuition rate is based on 10 monthly payments.
Please note, all credit card payments will be charged a surcharge.
Additional Considerations
- PK-4 - VPK program: Students that turn 4 before Sept 1st are eligible to participate.
- Step Up For Students (SUFS): Scholarship information can be found online at www.stepupforstudents.org.
- International Students: In special situations, it is possible for international students to receive financial assistance.
- School-Sponsored Activities: School-sponsored activities are made available to everyone.
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