Merit Scholarships
Merit Scholarships are granted in the amounts of $4,000 or $5,000 to those applicants who demonstrate unusual excellence through their audition or portfolio. Students should indicate on the application for admission if they would like to be considered for merit scholarship. A separate application is not required.
Need-Based Financial Aid
Interlochen is committed to enrolling a diverse, talented, and highly motivated student body. The Arts Academy welcomes families from all walks of life who believe in their children and their ability to succeed. We encourage every family that believes Interlochen is the right place for their young artist to apply for admission regardless of financial circumstances. Interlochen granted nearly $9 million in financial aid to over 75% of the 2012-13 Academy student body.
Please see the Tuition and Fee Structure for a detailed cost of attendance.
Determining Financial Aid Eligibility
Interlochen Arts Academy uses TADS (Tuition Aid Data Services) to process applications for financial aid. TADS provides Interlochen with comprehensive analyses of families' financial situations, which serve as guidelines in determining financial aid allocation to students. The vast majority of Academy financial aid is awarded to students whose TADS information indicates their families are not capable of paying the total cost of attendance without financial assistance.
To be eligible for financial aid a family must demonstrate through the TADS analysis that its resources are insufficient to cover tuition and maintain an average standard of living. In the administration of its need-based financial aid program, Interlochen expects all parents/guardians requesting financial assistance to be employed unless there are health or household circumstances preventing employment. In the event parents are divorced, separated, or were never married, each biological parent must complete an application for financial aid.
How to Apply for Financial Aid
Families from the US and Canada who are seeking need-based financial aid must complete the following steps. (Other international students: click here for special instructions).
1. Complete the TADS Application for Financial Aid. Please use the Financial Aid Worksheet to gather and organize your information. Then submit the application online. The TADS Financial Aid Application and Worksheet are available by clicking the links below.
2. Submit 2012 federal income tax return including all W-2s and/or 1099s to TADS. TADS will provide submission instructions at the end of the online application.
Interlochen's financial aid committee will not consider requests for financial aid until a full TADS application and complete 2012 income tax documentation are submitted to TADS. Families seeking financial aid are requested to file their tax returns as early as possible. All financial aid application materials must be submitted directly to TADS using the instructions they provide during the application process. Do not send documents to Interlochen.
Timeline
Please allow at least two weeks for TADS to process your application. Interlochen's financial aid committee will review applications for financial aid on a rolling basis beginning March, 2013. Financial aid decisions are made after students are accepted for admission and are communicated under separate cover.
Other Sources of Funding
While Interlochen is committed to making the Arts Academy accessible to all admitted students, available funding is finite, and we are unable to meet the full demonstrated financial aid eligibility of all families. Full-tuition scholarships are not available. Many Arts Academy families seek and secure additional funding to supplement what they pay and what Interlochen provides in financial aid. Some funding options include:
- Support from grandparents or other family members.
- Scholarships granted through churches, local arts and community organizations.
- Student/community-organized fundraising events
For general information about financing a private school education, including a list of national scholarship resources, visit the National Association of Independent Schools.
Financing Options
- Interlochen uses Tuition Management Systems to administer an interest-free, monthly payment plan that allows families to spread tuition payments over the school year.
- Low-interest educational loans are available from lenders such as Your Tuition Solution and prepGATE (must reside in the United States).