Affording HIES

Applying for Financial Assistance

(Financial Assistance for the 2020-21 academic year is now closed.)

HIES is committed to welcoming qualified students regardless of ability to pay tuition. All families interested in receiving financial assistance must submit an application. The application for financial assistance is independent from the application for admission. In order to determine financial need in a fair and objective way, HIES partners with School and Student Services (SSS), an independent third-party financial service.

SSS considers a number of factors such as income, assets, liabilities, unusual circumstances, and size of family in determining a recommended family contribution. The fee for submitting the online application is $51. To apply for financial assistance, parents create an account and upload the required documentation, noted below, by the deadlines outlined on this page.

Deadlines

Deadlines for Financial Assistance 2021-2022

All families (current and prospective) are welcome to begin the application process for financial assistance beginning October 1, 2020, here.

Current HIES families seeking financial assistance whether or not you received it previously are welcome to apply.

December 1, 2020 (Current HIES families) - Applications for financial assistance, including the Parent Financial Statement (PFS) and complete 2018 Tax returns, including all schedules and W2’s must be submitted to SSS.

February 1, 2021 (Prospective families) - Applications for financial assistance, including the Parent Financial Statement (PFS) and complete 2018 Tax returns, including all schedules and W2’s must be submitted to SSS.

February 15, 2021 (Prospective families) - All supplemental forms for financial assistance are due in SSS.

COVID-19 Financial Impact

We understand these are uncertain times for all of us. We pledge to do our best to help families impacted by the current COVID-19 pandemic.

There are multiple ways to get some relief with the impact of COVID-19. Should you anticipate more assistance than the following can provide, you may apply for emergency temporary tuition assistance from the Golden Bear Relief Fund. Please keep reading below how you should best proceed depending on your situation.

Restructuring your HIES Tuition Payment Plan: For information about a flexible payment plan please contact Crystal DeBotte, crystal.debotte@hies.org.
Unemployment Benefits: For information on applying for unemployment benefits under the CARES Act, please visit here.
Paycheck Protection Program: For information on how businesses, independent contractors, and self-employed individuals can apply for the Paycheck Protection Program, please visit here.
For information on how businesses can apply for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan Emergency Advance, please visit here.

Families Currently on Tuition Assistance, Further Impacted by COVID-19

For current HIES families who year-over-year apply for tuition assistance, but need to notify us of your COVID-19 related situation:

Complete this form to provide us with information about current financial situation and the impact of COVID-19.
Log into your SSS application and update your 2020 information to reflect changes brought on by COVID-19.
Upload supporting documentation (unemployment application, termination/furlough notices, etc.)
The SSS application is due by May 15, 2020. We will be able to notify you with a decision by May 27, 2020.

For questions regarding updates to current tuition assistance applications, please contact GoldenBearRelief@hies.org

Families Not Currently on Tuition Assistance, But Impacted by COVID-19

For families who did not initially apply for tuition assistance but are impacted by COVID-19:

Complete this form to provide us with information about current financial situation and the impact of COVID-19.
To determine financial need please submit an SSS application along with supporting documents through the SSS portal. For the steps to apply or any assistance submitting your SSS application, please see the Frequently Asked Questions.
The SSS application is due by May 15, 2020. We will be able to notify you with a decision by May 27, 2020.

Please email GoldenBearRelief@hies.org with any questions or if you need assistance submitting your SSS application.

Newly Admitted Families, Impacted by COVID-19

Newly Admitted families who have not already applied for tuition assistance should contact GoldenBearRelief@hies.org with any immediate concerns.

Golden Bear Emergency Relief Fund FAQ

COVID-19 Emergency Assistance

For those inquiring about COVID-19 Emergency Tuition Assistance, please scroll down to the Golden Bear Emergency Relief section to learn more.

Useful Links

Financial Aid Webinar

At HIES we pride ourselves on breaking down the financial barriers to provide access for families who need it to afford this education. We also know that navigating the world of financial aid can be intimidating. We are inviting you to join our inaugural financial aid webinar to help relieve the anxiety of the process. We'll describe how this process works at HIES and how to ensure that your family gets the assistance needed so that your family can confidently embark on this educational journey at HIES.

Watch Webinar