Tuition & Financial Aid | The Dunham School, Baton Rouge, LA

A Dunham Education: An Investment in Your Child's Future

We firmly believe that there is no better choice than Dunham if you’re looking for a Christian school where students are challenged to think, inspired to create, empowered to lead, motivated to win, and prepared to reach their God-given potential in college and in life.

We understand that the decision to provide an independent school education represents a significant financial investment. Our desire is to make it possible for families to enroll their children at Dunham regardless of their economic circumstances. In order to partner with families and provide greater access to a Dunham education, we offer need-based tuition assistance and several payment plans. Other avenues of support include merit awards and the Virtus Scholarship Program for high achieving incoming students.

Take a moment to learn more about our tuition and fees, our tuition assistance program, merit awards, and the Virtus Scholarship. If you have any questions, please contact our Admissions Office. We're here to assist you in making a Dunham education possible for your child.

Did you know?

We have a merit-based academic scholarship program for students entering grades 7-10.
More than $1.8 million in need-based financial assistance was awarded last year.
37% of our student body receives tuition assistance.

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33

Top 20% ACT score

27

2022 AP Scholars

700+

College Credit Hours Earned
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$10.4M+

in Scholarships Offers

Tuition & Fees

Tuition and fees for the 2023-2024 school year are indicated below. Please contact the Admissions Office for a detailed explanation of tuition, fees, and payment options. Tuition and fees for the McKay Academic Center can be found here.

2023-2024 Tuition

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Upper School
Grades 9-12 - $21,440

Middle School
Grades 5-8 - $20,225

Lower School
Grades 2-4 - $18,460
First Grade - $16,505
Kindergarten - $14,855
PreK 4 - $13,160
PreK 3 - $11,465

Dunham Early Childhood Center
$13,040 (10-month contract)
$15,650 (12-month contract)

Additional Fees

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Re-enrollment fee (PK3-12) - $300; non-refundable; due on or before Jan. 31; increases to $550 after Jan. 31)
Technology fee (PK4-12) - $575
Dining Services - $550 (PK3/PK4); $880 (K-4); $1,090 (5-8); $1,190 (9-12)
Facilities Fee - $300 (PK3-12)
New Student Enrollment fee (K-12) - $750 (one-time, non-refundable fee for new students only; waived for children of alumni)

Tuition Payment Plans

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Option 1 - one-time payment due by March 20
Option 2 - payment in four (4) equal installments due March 20, April 20, May 20, and June 20 or the 1st four consecutive months after enrolling.
Option 3 - payment in equal monthly installments beginning the month following enrollment with the final payment due February 20; please note that six percent interest is added to monthly payments (PK3-12 only)

Tuition Assistance

An independent school education is a significant investment, requiring planning and often sacrifice on the part of parents. As a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), we strongly believe the family, to the extent that they are able, is responsible for financing a child’s education. We do understand, however, that not every family has the means to cover the full cost of tuition. Therefore, we offer need-based tuition assistance for those who would otherwise be unable to consider enrolling their children at The Dunham School.

Financial need is evaluated by ISM's Financial Aid for School Tuition (FAST), a service that provides schools with a third-party analysis and guidelines for making tuition assistance awards fairly and equitably. FAST considers a number of factors, including income and assets, and number of dependents. Allowances are made for living expenses, retirement, taxes, medical costs, and other unusual expenses. The FAST analysis serves as a guide for the school and is not a guarantee of an award amount. All tuition assistance decisions are made in-house by our Tuition Assistance Committee.

Tuition assistance is available for students in PK3-12th grade. It is not available for Dunham Early Childhood Center students. Families of all socioeconomic backgrounds are encouraged to apply if they have a need. When the tuition assistance application opens for the following school year, we recommend applying for tuition assistance early as funds are limited and distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Tuition assistance awards are made only after a current student has re-enrolled or a prospective student has received an offer of placement at Dunham.

If you have questions about tuition assistance, please contact Michelle Pricer.

Please note: Tuition assistance is closed for the 2022-2023 school year. FAST will begin accepting applications for the 2023-2024 school year on December 14, 2022.

To apply for tuition assistance, submit an online application to FAST along with the non-refundable $48 fee (payable by credit card). The priority deadline to apply is January 31, 2023.

Tuition Assistance Policies

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Dunham accepts students based on their qualifications without regard to financial status; decisions concerning admission and tuition assistance are made separately. You are encouraged to apply for financial aid if you feel you have a need, and you are encouraged to apply early, as funds are limited.
Tuition Assistance is intended as support for those families who, no matter what amount of sacrifice, would be unable to afford the tuition.
Tuition Assistance is an outright grant used to offset the cost of a private school and does not have to be paid back.
Tuition Assistance does not cover fees such as dining, facilities, technology, and other miscellaneous fees.
Tuition Assistance is designed to help families cover a portion of tuition; please note that all families pay something to attend The Dunham School.
Tuition assistance is not available for the Dunham Early Childhood Center's two-year-old program.
Tuition assistance awards are not automatically renewed. Families must reapply annually.
Current students and alumni receive first priority in the awarding of financial aid.
While no distinction is made among students, each tuition assistance recipient is expected to maintain the highest standards for him/herself and to make a positive contribution to the Dunham community.
Financial need is evaluated by FAST, a service powered by Independent School Management (ISM). This service provides schools with a third-party analysis and guidelines for making tuition assistance awards fairly and equitably on the basis of need. By submitting a FAST application, you grant permission for a financial evaluation and calculation of your suggested parental contribution for education. FAST then forwards this computation to The Dunham School.
All financial information submitted or discussed is held in the strictest confidence and will have no bearing on admissions decisions.
The FAST analysis serves as a guide for the School and is not a guarantee of an award amount. All tuition assistance decisions are made in-house, and the School may not be able to grant the full amount of financial aid that FAST has recommended.

The Virtus Scholarship

The Virtus Scholarship Program at Dunham awards full-tuition merit scholarships to new students entering grades 8-10 who have demonstrated excellence in academic achievement, character, and leadership. Virtus Scholarships are based on individual merit, not financial need. A student's eligibility for the Virtus Scholarship is determined by the Dunham Admissions Office after taking our Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) and all school records have been received. Candidates who are not awarded a Virtus Scholarship may be considered for a merit award and are also encouraged to apply for tuition assistance. Please contact our Admissions Office if you have any questions about applying for the Virtus Scholarship.

Eligibility

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Any new student entering grades 8-10 who meets the following criteria may be considered for a Virtus Scholarship:

Students must be currently enrolled in 7th through 9th grade at any school and in good academic and disciplinary standing.
Core coursework grades earned for two consecutive years must be equivalent to a 3.75 GPA or higher. A student whose achievement levels place him or her at the top 10% of the class will be given priority selection consideration.
National standardized test scores of 90th percentile or higher for two consecutive years.
Students must have a composite ISEE score of 32 or above.

How to Apply

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Candidates should submit a standard admissions application by January 1, indicating that they wish to be considered for the Virtus Scholarship along with documentation that demonstrates they meet all eligibility requirements.
Candidates will complete a standardized test and submit an essay; testing will be scheduled during the school week if candidate has not been tested at Dunham within the past six months.
Once a candidate's admissions file is completed and reviewed by the Virtus Scholarship Committee, candidates will be contacted to schedule an interview.
Scholarship award notification will be made within five days of the interview.

Terms of Scholarship

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The Virtus Scholarship covers full tuition for one year.
Awards do not include fees for dining, technology, facilities, or miscellaneous fees.
Upon notification of the award, students and parents will be required to sign the Virtus Parent and Scholar Agreement.
The award is reviewed each year and renewed only if the student continues to meet high expectations for academics, leadership, leadership, and citizenship.
The award recipient must maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher. The student must be enrolled in honors quality courses and must be in pursuit of an Honors Diploma.
Scholarship recipients will have a review of grades and progress with the Division Head prior to re-enrollment.
Included with the notification of the award will be instructions for completion of the online enrollment contract. This binding enrollment contract must be completed within five days of the award offer. For contracts not completed by the deadline, the School will assume that the interest in the scholarship no longer exists, and the offer will be withdrawn. At that point, the scholarship will be awarded to the next candidate.

Merit Awards

The Merit Award Program at Dunham awards academic merit scholarships to new students entering grades 7-10 who have demonstrated excellence in academic achievement, character, and leadership. Award amounts vary and are determined by the Merit Scholarship Committee in partnership with the Division Head. All merit awards are subject to budget availability. Not every qualifying student will receive a merit award.

Eligibility

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Any new student entering grades 7-10 who meets the following criteria may be considered for a Merit Award:

Students must be currently enrolled in 6th through 9th grade at any school and in good academic and disciplinary standing.
Core coursework grades earned for two consecutive years must be equivalent to a 3.5 GPA or higher.
National standardized test scores of 90th percentile or higher for two consecutive years.
Composite ISEE scores of 26 and above.
All candidates are evaluated based on demonstrated leadership, character, and contribution to the school community.

How to Apply

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Candidates for Dunham Merit Awards are identified through the admissions testing and interview process.
Prospective students should submit a standard admissions application by January 15.
Once a prospective student has been identified as a Dunham Merit Award candidate, the family will be notified to complete a Tuition Assistance application. Please note: no merit awards will be granted without a completed Tuition Assistance application.

Terms of Scholarship

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The Dunham Merit Award is a yearly award.
Awards do not include fees for dining, technology, facilities, or miscellaneous fees.
Upon notification of the award, students and parents will be required to sign The Dunham Merit Award Agreement.
The award is reviewed each year and renewed only if the student continues to meet high expectations for academics, leadership, leadership, and citizenship.
The Division Head and Merit Award Committee reserve the right to increase or decrease a Merit Award amount in subsequent years based on student performance.
The student must be enrolled in honors quality courses and must be in pursuit of an Honors Diploma.
Award recipients will have a review of grades and progress with the Division Head prior to re-enrollment.
Included with the notification of the award will be instructions for completion of the online enrollment contract. This binding enrollment contract must be completed within five days of the award offer. For contracts not completed by the deadline, the School will assume that the interest in the award no longer exists, and the offer will be withdrawn. At that point, the award will be granted to the next candidate.

Tuition & Financial Assistance

A Dunham Education: An Investment in Your Child's Future

We firmly believe that there is no better choice than Dunham if you’re looking for a Christian school where students are challenged to think, inspired to create, empowered to lead, motivated to win, and prepared to reach their God-given potential in college and in life.

Did you know?

33

Top 20% ACT score

27

2022 AP Scholars

700+

College Credit Hours Earned‍

$10.4M+

in Scholarships Offers

Tuition & Fees

2023-2024 Tuition

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Additional Fees

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Tuition Payment Plans

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Tuition Assistance

Tuition Assistance Policies

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The Virtus Scholarship

Eligibility

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How to Apply

+

Terms of Scholarship

+

Merit Awards

Eligibility

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How to Apply

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Terms of Scholarship

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