Tuition may be paid through a monthly or quarterly installment plan, August through May. Individual and flexible plans are available. Tuition is pro-rated for all mid-year admissions.
2023-2024 Tuition and Fees
Grades
- Grades 1-8
Kindergarten
- 5 Full Day
- 5 Half Day
- 4 Full Day
- 4 Half Day
Preschool
- 5 Full Day
- 5 Half Day
- 4 Full Day
- 4 Half Day
- 3 Full Day
- 3 Half Day
Nursery
- 4 Day Program
- 3 Day Program
Tuition
- $12,850
Tuition
- $11,700
- $9,450
- $10,500
- $8,450
Tuition
- $11,200
- $8,550
- $10,050
- $8,000
- $9,000
- $7,250
Tuition
- $8,450
- $7,800
Supply Fee
- $400
Supply Fee
- $400
- $400
- $400
- $400
Supply Fee
- $400
- $400
- $400
- $400
- $400
- $400
Supply Fee
- $400
- $400
Activity Fee
- 1st: $250
- 2nd: $250
- 3rd: $250
- 4th: $450
- 5th: $450
- 6th: $450
- 7th: $450*
- 8th: $450*
- No activities fees are charged in our Early Childhood programs
Discounts
A 1.5% discount is given for tuition paid in full by August 1st, prior to each school year.
Supply and Activity Fees
Our supply fees cover the materials or “consumables” used throughout the school year. The activity fees covers the costs of field trips and flutes in First and Third Grades, and enables our students to participate in regional activities with other Waldorf Schools starting from Grade Three. An additional $100 for each grade was added in 2019 to be applied towards the culminating Eighth Grade trip. Any surplus or overages of activity fees are carried forward with each class.
*This does not completely cover the expenses of the Seventh Grade Adventuress trip or the Eighth Grade end-of-year class trip; the cost for these trips varies and is paid by fundraising and family contributions.
Financial Aid
Our school strives for an economically diverse community and has historically offered one of the highest percentages of financial support amongst Independent schools in Whatcom County. Financial Aid enables qualified students to receive the benefits of a Waldorf education when their families are unable to pay full tuition. Although we are not able to award any full scholarships, most awards range between 10% to 30% of full tuition. Assistance is available for Kindergarten through Eighth Grade. Approximately one third of the families in our school receive tuition assistance, although paying tuition should be a priority within the family budget. Both parents are expected to contribute to tuition through employment and other sources of income. We do not offer any “work exchange” arrangements.
In cases of severe financial hardship, Financial Aid up to 40% of full tuition may be offered. Parents are expected to contribute according to their means, taking into account total income, assets, number of dependents and other appropriate information. In order to assure objectivity, fairness and confidentiality, a standard approach has been adopted by Whatcom Hills Waldorf School to determine a family’s need. We use the financial needs evaluation process of Tuition Aid Data Services (TADS). It is used by hundreds of independent schools across the country including a great number of Waldorf schools like our own. We also ask each financial aid applicant to complete our own form to describe your personal situation.
We encourage families to apply early for Financial Aid. The priority deadline for applying for financial aid for new and returning families is March 15th. There is a fee, paid by the applicant, for each financial aid application submitted to TADS for evaluation. We are confident that this method of ascertaining the needs of our families results in our ability to benefit the greatest number of students and make Waldorf education available to families in Whatcom County. If you have further questions please contact Kathy Payne, our Administrative Director at (360) 733-3164.
TADS Website (you will need our Partner Code to apply: 200949)
Financial Terms
Monthly tuition payments are due by the 10th of each month unless other arrangements have been made. The non-refundable deposits are due at the time of enrollment. A $25 late fee will be applied for each monthly payment received after the 20th of the month. If a payment is not made by the end of the month, the parent/guardian must contact the Administrative Director to discuss a plan for payments. Our policy does not allow continued enrollment for accounts more than two months past due without a payment plan in place. Tuition payments are due regardless of attendance, school closures or holidays.
When families enroll, they are committing to a full school year. Parents of students withdrawn from school (other than for reasons of dismissal by the class teacher) are responsible for tuition payments for the full term during which the student was last enrolled in the school. Fall term is August 1 to November 30, winter term is December 1 to February 28 and spring term is March 1 through the end of the school year. If a family needs to withdraw their child/ren before the end of the school year for any reason, we require a written notice addressed to the Administrative Director at least 30 days in advance of withdrawal that includes the date of notice, date of withdrawal and the reason for withdrawal. There is no refund of student supply fees and that annual activity fee refunds are prorated based on actual usage.
For questions regarding tuition and financial aid:
Jess Berry | Registrar
Email | W: 360-733-3164 Ext. 1103
Waldorf Education in Bellingham since 1986!