Admissions

Tuition Assistance

Arizona offers two excellent School Choice programs to help families afford a Christian education: the Private School Tax Credit and the Universal ESA. These valuable options are widely used by families at Northwest Christian School to make a quality Christian education more accessible. Explore the details of both programs here, and find the resources you need to determine which one is the best fit for your family.

Private School Tax Credit

List of 6 items.

Overview

The Arizona School Tuition Organization (STO) program is a school choice option that allows Arizona taxpayers to redirect a portion of their state income tax liability to support private school tuition for eligible students. This initiative provides financial assistance to students who attend private schools by using tax credits rather than state funds. The Arizona tax credit system incentivizes taxpayers to contribute to private school tuition funds. By donating to an STO, individuals or corporations can reduce their Arizona state tax bill. This allows taxpayers to effectively "redirect" their tax dollars to support educational opportunities that align with their preferences, without spending extra money out of pocket.
Eligibility

Eligibility varies for each type of Private School Tax Credit. Scroll down to learn more about the different types and eligibility criteria for each type.
Funding Amount

There is potential for the full cost of tuition to be covered through the Private School Tax Credit program. Students can receive a combination of different types of tax credits in order to fully cover the tuition amount.
Considerations

You cannot use both ESA and receive money from STO’s, you must choose one option or the other.

Your total, combined award amount is unlimited meaning you can combine awards from multiple STO sources. This means you have the potential to get the full tuition amount covered.

Unused individual tax credits can carry over to future years if your results exceed the cost of tuition for the year.

You can "Bank" tax credits (not corporate) for future use while using ESA.

You can switch off every other year using ESA and then Tax Credits in order to allow your "Bank" of tax credits to build up.
Types of Tax Credits

1. Individual Private School Tax Credits (Original and Switcher)
2. Corporate Low Income Tax Credit Scholarships
3. Displaced/Disabled Tax Credit Scholarships

For a more detailed breakdown of the different types of Tax Credits, please see the information below.
Using Private School Tax Credits for Tuition and Fees at NCS

Family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, etc allocate their state tax liability to your student through an STO in return the funds can be applied to your students tuition

Applications for the upcoming school year begin opening in January. Each STO has their own timeline.

If you are corporate qualifying we highly recommend you apply to all of the STO's on our list

AAA & AOA are great corporate options as they typically award at the corporate maximum each year (currently $6,300 K-8, $8,100 9-12) and can be stacked with other corporate awards and tax credits

Families are responsible for the balance of tuition not covered by STO/Tax credit funds

List of 3 items.

1. Individual Private School Tax Credits (Original or Switcher)

All children attending a qualifying Arizona private school qualify for an Individual Private School Tax Credit! There are two Individual Private School Tax Credits: Original and Switcher and students can qualify for both!
Read More
2. Corporate Low Income Tax Credit Scholarships

Students qualify for a Low-Income Corporate Scholarship based on their household income. Many families are surprised that they qualify for Low-Income Corporate Scholarships, so we encourage you to double check and see if you qualify!
Read More
3. Displaced / Disabled Tax Credit Scholarhips

To learn more about eligibility for the Displaced / Disabled Tax Credit Scholarship, read more below.
Read More

Universal Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESA)

List of 5 items.

Overview

The Arizona Universal Education Savings Account (ESA) program, which was implemented in 2022, is a school choice initiative that allows all Arizona K-12 students, regardless of income or disability status, to receive state funds to use for a variety of educational expenses. These funds can be used for private school tuition, tutoring, special education services, online learning, college savings, and other approved educational costs.
Eligibility

The Universal ESA program is open to all Arizona students, including those currently enrolled in public, private, charter, or homeschool settings. Students who are currently enrolled in public schools can apply to receive an ESA, which provides them with funds to attend a private school or to pursue alternative educational options. There are no income restrictions, and any student who is a resident of Arizona is eligible to apply.
Funding Amount

The amount of funding available to each student is based on the state's per-pupil funding for public schools. The funds are deposited into an individual education savings account (ESA) for each student, which can be accessed through a designated online portal.
Students may receive on average, anywhere between $7,000-$7,500 annually. Kindergarten students receive $4,000.
Considerations

You cannot use both ESA and receive money from STO’s, you must choose one option or the other.

If you choose to use ESA, you are guaranteed to receive money, however in most cases, it will not cover the full cost of tuition.

You can switch off every other year using ESA and then Tax Credits in order to allow your "Bank" of tax credits to build up.
Using ESA for Tuition and Fees at NCS

First, apply for the Universal ESA by visiting the website and filling out the application. It currently takes approximately 60 days to receive an approval from the state and determine how much you are eligible to receive. Once approved, monies will be dispersed in your ESA account quarterly: May, April, June, July. You will be expected to pay monthly tuition at NCS, so you must be on top of your payments.
To pay NCS, you must login to your ESA portal and distribute the funds to NCS on a monthly basis.

ESA Resources

5-Step Tuition Assistance Plan

Thank you for considering Northwest Christian School. We are committed to helping families understand the tuition assistance options available to them and determine the best solution for their family. Please use the 5-step action plan below to assist you in maximizing your tuition assistance results.

List of 5 items.

Step 1: Apply to NCS

Apply to NCS via the website and complete all checklist items in your portal as soon as possible. You can't accept any tuition assistance awards or sign an ESA contract unless your child is officially enrolled at NCS or other private school, but you can begin applying for assistance before they are enrolled.
Step 2: Promote and Participate in the Private School Tax Credit

Promote the private school tax credit donation to all friends and family and donate yourself. Deadline to make a dollar-for-dollar tax credit donation is 4/15.
Step 3: Apply to Various STO's

Apply with the various STO's (State Tuition Organizations) based on what your student qualifies for. Most STO's open their annual applications in the late winter or early spring.

NOTE: Don't forget to complete the public school and/or prior scholarship verifications forms on each website, if applicable. Your total, combined award amount is unlimited; you can combine awards from multiple STO sources. Unused individual tax credits can carry over to future years if your results exceed the cost of tuition for the year.

*Individual Private School Tax Credits (Original & Switcher):
www.azto.org Arizona Tuition Organization
www.acsto.org Arizona Christian School Tuition Organization
www.arizonatuitionconnection.com Arizona Tuition Connection
www.ibescholarships.org Institute for Better Education
www.apesf.org Arizona Private Education Scholarship Fund, Inc.
www.pstf123.org Private School Tuition Fund 123
www.sto4kidz.org School Tuition Organization 4 Kidz
www.new hope scholarships.org, New Hope Scholarship Foundation

*Corporate Low Income Tax Credit Scholarships
www.aaascholarships.org AAA (Lower income required - see the AAA website for income guidelines; New rules allow you now to combine with a tax credit award! Award=$7,900 for 9-12 and $6,100 for K-8, guaranteed for 3 consecutive years if awarded). Deadline to apply: May. *cannot be used for Online or Flex programs
www.arizonaleader.org Arizona Leadership Foundation *cannot be used for Online or Flex programs
www.arizonatuitionconnection.com Arizona Tuition Connection
www.schoolchoicearizona.org School Choice Arizona
www.azto.org Arizona Tuition Organization
www.pstf123.org Private School Tuition Fund 123
www.sto4kidz.org School Tuition Organization 4 Kidz

* Displaced/Disabled (D/D) Tax Credit Scholarships:
www.arizonaleader.org Arizona Leadership Foundation
www.ibescholarships.org Institute for Better Education
www.apesf.org Arizona Private Education Scholarship Fund, Inc.
www.sto4kidz.org School Tuition Organization 4 Kidz
www.arizonatuitionconnection.com Arizona Tuition Connection
Step 4: Apply to ESA

Apply to ESA (Empowerment Scholarship Account) in April/May for the upcoming school year: Apply: azed.gov/esa

NOTE: All AZ K-12th students should qualify. Verification of identity and AZ residency required (Appx. $4000-$4,500 for Kindergarten per year, $6,800-$7,000 for 1st-12th)

Helpful links:
ESA FAQ's
ESA Parent Handbook
Class Wallet Sign-In
ESA Help Desk Ticket Tutorial
Class Wallet Contact Info: (877) 969-5536 or email: help@classwallet.com
Step 5: Decide Which Program to Pursue

Decide which program to pursue for each child:
1) The Private School Tax Credit path (unlimited amount of assistance, results vary)

OR

2) The ESA (paid quarterly, for example:1st-12th grade, appx. $1,700/quarter max).

*You cannot use tax credit programs and the ESA simultaneously, nor can you switch back and forth between the two programs within the same fiscal year for the same student. You should have a good idea of your initial results by the end of the summer (mid-late July).

*Remember, STO's send awards throughout the year (AZTO sends awards 7xs/year), so what you get in July/August does not necessarily represent your potential annual results.

*Don't sign the ESA until you are:
1) Enrolled at NCS or other private school
2) Sure you want to pass on any of the tax credits award offers (tax credits can be banked for multiple years if not used, provided you apply annually with the STO's).