Financial Aid Process

List of 18 frequently asked questions.

• Q. Who may apply for financial aid?

  Any currently enrolled student or applicant to Trinity School, Kindergarten through Grade 12, may apply for financial aid.

• Q. Does applying for financial aid influence the admission decision?

  No. Financial aid files are reviewed and awards are made only after a student is admitted. However, financial aid applications must be complete by the March deadline in order for an award to be considered. Application for financial aid completed after the deadline will be considered only if funds remain.

• Q. How do I apply for financial aid?

  Trinity School requires families to submit an application through Clarity. Supporting documents including tax 1040 and W2s are also required. All information related to a family’s financial circumstances is treated in a confidential manner. These forms are used only to arrive at a fair determination of financial need.

• Q. Do I have to apply for financial aid before I know whether my child has been admitted?

  Yes. While admission and financial aid decisions are made separately, funds may not be available for applicants who file after the March deadline.

• Q. How does the School determine financial need?

  Financial need is defined as the difference between the cost to attend Trinity School and a family’s ability to pay. Trinity School receives a report from Clarity which 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 aid. As the School reviews applications, it differentiates between necessary expenses and lifestyle choices. With respect to the latter, beyond a certain point, we will not provide aid to offset lifestyle expenditures that could have been directed to education.

• Q. Is financial aid automatically renewed each year?

  Trinity School requires families receiving financial aid to reapply each year. However, as long as the student remains at Trinity School, financial aid will be renewed every year according to demonstrated need. A change in income, family status, and the number of children attending private institutions may result in increases or decreases in an award providing funds are available. Every application is reviewed annually.

• Q. If I am applying for aid for multiple students, are there special instructions?

  Parents need to file only one financial aid application, which will include all students.

• Q. What if I have children at other tuition-charging schools?

  Other tuitions you pay are figured into our calculations of need, but in order to receive aid from Trinity School you must apply for aid at all schools your children attend.

• Q. Will a change in my family financial circumstances during the school year change the financial aid award?

  If your circumstances change after you submit your application, please call the Financial Aid Office and submit new information. The Financial Aid Committee will review the new information, and awards will be based on your need and our remaining resources.

• Q. What happens if parents are divorced, separated, or have never married?

  Trinity School endorses the practice that parents have an obligation to pay for the expenses of their children to the extent that they are able. This parental obligation takes precedence over the School’s generosity in providing financial assistance. Separation, divorce, or remarriage does not relieve either parent of this obligation. The Financial Aid Committee considers assets of both natural parents, if living, before making any award and cannot be bound by the assertion that one parent has disclaimed legally or otherwise any responsibility for educational expenses. If either parent has remarried, the Committee also considers the income and assets of the stepparent, always keeping in mind the obligation of the stepparent to his or her own natural children. If either parent lives in a household with another adult, the Committee may consider the income and assets of that individual, depending on the circumstances. In view of this policy, it is necessary that both natural parents and their current spouses, if any, must comply with the following:

  • Complete the financial aid application by the March Deadline.
  • Submit prior year tax 1040 and W-2s, and if applicable, partnership/sole proprietorship, and/or corporate returns.
  • Submit through Clarity IRS form 4506c, giving Clarity permission to access previous year returns.  

  If this information is not provided, the Financial Committee will not be able to properly assess a family’s demonstrated need and will not be able to make an award to the student. Each parent’s financial information will be held the strictest confidence.

• Q. Are there exceptions to the non-custodial parent policy?

  The School will consider waiving the requirement of the non-custodial parent only in one or both of the following circumstances:

  • Documented information is provided stating that the location of the non-custodial parent is unknown
  • Documented information is provided that the non-custodial parent has given no support and has no contact with the family for at least two years.
  • Documentation will be accepted from a doctor, lawyer, minster, or any such person outside the immediate family. If there are other extenuating circumstances that might warrant waiving this requirement, a written request should be sent to: Financial Aid Office, Trinity School, 3500 Wadley Avenue, Midland, TX 79707.

• Q. What is the deadline for applying for financial aid?

  Trinity School asks that parents complete their online application with Clarity by March 15. A copy of your prior year's signed IRS Form 1040 tax returns with all schedules , W-2’s , and, if applicable, partnership/sole proprietorship and/or corporate returns should be uploaded online to Clarity by March 15. No financial aid award will be made until a student has been admitted into the School and all necessary documentation has been received.

• Q. Does the School expect both parents to work outside the home? Will a non-working parent affect our financial aid award calculation?

  In the view of the School, families bear the primary responsibility for financing the education of their children. Therefore, our policy is to expect both parents to contribute financially. If one parent chooses not to work, then an adjustment will be made to income calculations for evaluation. Some circumstances, such as caring for a disabled or elderly parent or a preschool child, would exempt a family from this policy. Each application is evaluated individually.

• Q. I never do my taxes until close to the April 15 IRS deadline. How will this affect my student’s financial aid award?

  You will need to complete your taxes early enough to meet the March deadline in order to receive a financial aid award.  Late applications will be considered if funds remain. 

• Q. If my family cannot afford the Clarity application fee, how can we apply for financial aid?

  Clarity uses the income and asset information in the financial aid application itself to assess the family situation and automatically applies a waiver if the family qualifies. Qualifying families will simply bypass the payment screen when their application is complete. For a family of four, the income threshold is around $43,000. In addition to the income threshold, a family also has to have below $25,000 in assets for the auto waiver to kick in.

• Q. When will I be notified of my award?

  The awards process usually extends from the beginning of April through the middle of May.

• Q. Can I find out what my award would have been if my student had been admitted?

  No. The Financial Aid Committee reviews files and makes awards only after a student has been admitted. Files of students not admitted are destroyed at the end of the financial aid season.

• Q. What should I do if I have additional questions about financial aid?

  Please contact Cheryl Spotts at 432-697-3281, ext. 201.