Tuition & Financial Aid
Committed to Excellence & Access
We are excited to announce an enhanced tuition model for the 2025-2026 academic year that elevates the CSS experience for every student. These updates reflect our commitment to providing exceptional opportunities and ensuring the continued growth and excellence of our school community.
The Colorado Springs School (CSS) uses Clarity as our system for calculating need-based Financial Aid.
Our goal is to make the Financial Aid application process as easy as possible for your family. The Financial Aid program is designed to make a CSS education possible for all families based on demonstrated financial need and the availability of funds.
How to Apply for Financial Aid
External Scholarship Opportunities
How to Apply for Financial Aid
Learn more about our Financial Aid Program
Clarity Applications
The Colorado Springs School (CSS) partners with Clarity as our need-based Financial Aid platform. PreK families are now eligible for Need-based Financial Aid. Qualifying families can receive up to 25% coverage of tuition costs.
The program is designed to make a CSS education possible for all families based on demonstrated financial need and the availability of funds. The Colorado Springs School is proud to use the Clarity Application to determine a family’s level of financial need based on the information that families share in the application which includes assets, income, expenses, and debts.
To get started, please go to the Clarity Application and create an account. The application typically takes less than 30 minutes to complete. The Clarity Application is also mobile-friendly so you can complete it from anywhere. You are also able to save your progress and return at any time. At the end of the application, there is a $60 fee to submit, and you can share your application with additional schools that accept the Clarity Application for no additional charge. Simply use the dropdown menu in the application to select those schools.
Please remember to return to your dashboard after you complete and submit your Clarity Application to review all documents.
If you need support during the process of completing your application, there is in-app support available through the “Help” button in the bottom left of the screen, as well as email and phone support at support@clarityapp.com or (206) 210-3752, in both English and Spanish. The application itself is also fully translated into Spanish.
- Family Application Guide (English version)
- Family Application Guide (Spanish version)
- How to Apply - Quick Reference Guide (English version)
- How to Apply - Quick Reference Guide (Spanish version)
Click here to apply:
External Scholarship Opportunities
Families are encouraged to apply for external scholarships to assist their students in completing their journey with The Colorado Springs School. The following are among the many philanthropic organizations that partner with CSS to offer need-based scholarships for students in Colorado Springs.
Enrichment Opportunities for Private School & Homeschool Families
No parent should have to choose between their school of choice and extracurricular activities. Inspired Learning has been created for that purpose - to help your student reach their own personal goals by giving them access to reduced / no cost sports and activities. Follow the link and click on our Sports Support or PEP course to learn more about how Inspired Learning can help your student thrive at The Colorado Springs School.
Learn more about Inspired Learning
To be eligible for financial aid from Parents Challenge, you must:
- Be a resident of El Paso County, Colorado
- Meet federal income guidelines based on your total family income and the number of people in your household.
For those choosing to attend a private school like CSS, scholarships (up to $2,100 per year) are paid directly to CSS as partial payment for your annual tuition. (Checks are issued to the school with the parent verifying acceptance of scholarship.) Parent(s) are responsible for the remainder of the tuition and any other fees, materials, and transportation that may be required for enrollment in the private school.
MILITARY FAMILIES
Folds of Honor
Mission: We the people have found what unites us. It’s our honor to empower people from every walk of life through education and the opportunities it creates. Forty-one percent of Folds of Honor scholarships are awarded to minorities, making our recipient family as diverse as the country we call home.
Learn more about scholarship types and deadlines.
For eligible children in grades K-12, The Folded Flag Foundation provides scholarships and educational grants to cover private school tuition and fees, tutoring, after-school programs, summer camps, and other related educational expenses.
Learn more about application requirements and the application process.
2025-2026 All-Inclusive Tuition Pricing
The Board of Trustees has announced the below all-inclusive tuition model for families beginning with the 2025-2026 academic year. The Tuition Working Group conducted a comprehensive review and referenced the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and Association of Colorado Independent Schools (ACIS) data for best practices.
Note: A non-refundable deposit of $2,000 is due at time of enrollment.
2025-2026 Academic Year: Tuition now includes fees for most experiential education programs: Fall Adventure and Colorado Expedition (Lower School); Seminars I, II, III/Walkabout (Middle School); Mountain Caravan (Upper School); and field trips (all divisions). Experience-Centered Seminars (Upper School) are not included.
Tuition also covers CSS athletic fees, school supplies and other curricular consumables, transportation, yearbooks, and our new Sage dining program.
This all-inclusive tuition model simplifies the CSS experience by covering most educational materials, activities, and supplies in one straightforward, predictable payment.
Payment Plan:
• Annual (2.9% credit/debit card convenience fee for this payment method,* plus optional 2.5% Tuition Insurance Plan) - Due May 1
• Monthly (1% admin fee and 2.9% credit/debit card convenience fee for this payment method,* plus 2.5% Tuition Insurance Plan) - 11 Payments beginning July 1
*This is a pass-through fee charged to CSS by credit card companies; CSS does not benefit from this fee.
Tuition Obligation Policy: The School’s expenses are fixed well in advance of the academic year. Pre-payments of tuition are payable to the School as liquidated damages and are subject to the following penalties given withdrawal or dismissal from the School within the timeframe below:
- At the time of enrollment, prior to April 15, 0%, of the scheduled tuition and fees owed, less enrollment deposit
- On or after April 15, 100% of the scheduled tuition and fees owed, including forfeiture of the enrollment deposit
Parents' obligation to pay the charges for tuition and fees for the entire year is unconditional, and no portion of such charges so paid or outstanding will be refunded or canceled, notwithstanding the subsequent absence, withdrawal, or dismissal from the School of the named student. The School cannot refund tuition or cancel unpaid obligations if a child chooses or is forced to withdraw during the academic year. Read more about Tuition Insurance.
Experience-Centered Seminars: Experience-Centered Seminars (ECSs) will be billed per student in installments through FACTS from November through April. For questions, please contact the Business Office.
