Tuition & Assistance - North Seattle French School

Admissions

Affordability Without Compromising Quality

At North Seattle French School, we are dedicated to providing an affordable, high-quality bilingual education that nurtures the growth and development of each student. As a private school, we understand that tuition is a crucial aspect of your decision-making process. We are committed to offering a transparent and straightforward tuition structure to make your experience as smooth as possible.

North Seattle French School strives to foster a diverse and inclusive community. We are proud to offer need-based tuition assistance to help families access the quality private education their children deserve, ensuring that our K-5 students receive the best bilingual education possible.

Any questions or concerns on how to afford NSFS, please contact us.

Tuition

2025-2026 Tuition

Elementary (Kindergarten to 5th grade):

Tuition: $22,030 – $2,207 /monthly installment
Hours: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Our after-school program runs from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Full-day Preschool:

Tuition: $22,030 – $2,207 /monthly installment
Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Half-day Preschool:

Tuition: $13,860 – $1,390 / monthly installment
Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

New Family Fee: $500 – one-time payment for new families whose children have not been previously enrolled in the school.

Sibling Discount: Younger siblings receive a 10% tuition discount.

Payment Schedule

The deposit and the New Family Fee are due at time of the enrollment. The remaining tuition is payable in one-time payment (with a $100 discount), in 3 installments (August, November and February) or in 9 installments from August to April (monthly).

Families can anticipate annual tuition increases to support faculty compensation, program enhancement, and classroom improvements.

"NSFS offers an amazing education with a close-knit community. The class sizes are small, which makes for an optimal learning environment for our kids. We love the NSFS community... It’s like having a village raise your children!"

"To prepare our children to become team-oriented, multicultural global citizens, we need to invest in places like North Seattle French School."

"North Seattle French School was a defining part of our family's experience for almost 10 years! Both my children went through the whole program. They gained so much cultural awareness, and they were well prepared for middle school."

Tuition Assistance

Needs-Based Tuition Assistance

At North Seattle French School, our goal is to ensure that every family has access to the affordable, quality private school education we provide. We determine tuition assistance based on demonstrated need, carefully assessing each family’s ability to pay in relation to the student’s educational expenses. Importantly, our admission and tuition assistance decisions are made independently, ensuring that every child has a fair opportunity to join our enriching bilingual program.

If you have any questions about tuition aid, please contact us. We’re here to help!

French Government Scholarships

French citizens may be eligible for the Bourses Scolaires Françaises. Families may apply for both the Bourses Scolaires Françaises and NSFS needs-based tuition assistance. To apply, please contact our operations manager at operations@northseattlefrenchschool.com, or by phone +1 206-365-1034.

You can find all information about the program (deadlines, documents to provide etc…) on the website of the Consulat Général de San Francisco.

Tuition Assistance Application

We are now accepting applications for tuition assistance for the 2025-26 school year. Please submit your application on the FAST platform using the link below. FAST charges a non-refundable application fee of $60/application.

Needs-Based Tuition Assistance FAQ

Who should apply for tuition assistance?

Elementary school families who have thoroughly reviewed their financial situation, including all sources of income, and feel they need help paying tuition are encouraged to apply. (We do not currently offer financial aid for preschool.) Aid is issued as a grant; there is no repayment obligation.

Will applying for tuition assistance affect admissions decisions?

No. Tuition assistance applications are considered separately from admissions applications.

Please contact our admissions coordinator to schedule a tour of the school before applying for financial assistance.

How is aid determined?

NSFS uses FAST, an online service of the Independent School Management Association, to help determine tuition aid. FAST calculates the demonstrated need amount for each family based on gross income, nontaxable income, assets, liabilities, family size, and the number of children in tuition-paying schools below the college level, among other factors. Using FAST ensures confidentiality and equal consideration to all applicants.

The NSFS Tuition Assistance Committee determines awards based on the FAST demonstrated need information together with the amount of financial aid available and the number of families applying for aid in a given year.

How do I apply for tuition aid?

The application is entirely online, through our school’s FAST link above.

The final deadline is end of March for the following school year, but it is advisable to begin the FAST application as early as possible. Please begin your FAST application early to see exactly what documentation is needed. Please contact our Operations Manager at operations@northseattlefrenchschool.com for any questions.

All adults in the custodial household will be asked to provide documentation including but not limited to:

complete tax return for the most recent year
mortgage statement or rental agreement
child support documentation (if applicable)
W2 and/or 1099 for all jobs worked, and/or Social Security, unemployment or disability stubs if you are a recipient
IRS form 4506T (Request for Transcript of Tax Form) (available on the FAST website)
current credit report (NEW applicants only; available at no charge at www.annualcreditreport.com)

What happens in cases of parental divorce or separation?

NSFS considers both parents or partners responsible for the educational expenses of their child(ren), regardless of marital status or the existence of legal documents stating otherwise. Therefore, separated or divorced partners must both complete tuition assistance applications. Please contact our Operations Manager at operations@northseattlefrenchschool.com if you have questions about specific circumstances.

Will NSFS offer tuition assistance to cover my family’s full demonstrated financial need?

While we are very glad to be able to offer tuition assistance, we cannot guarantee that we will have funds to meet every applicant’s demonstrated need. The maximum amount we can offer this year is 45% of tuition.

Can I still apply for tuition assistance after the deadline?

While we anticipate the bulk of available funds will be allocated to applicants who submit by the end of March, we may have available and/or additional grant funds later in the year. We encourage you to apply if needed even after the deadline. Make sure to contact our admissions coordinator for a tour of the school before applying for tuition assistance.

When will I be notified of a decision?

If we receive completed applications with all necessary forms by the end of March, you will receive a tuition assistance decision letter in April.

Will I need to reapply for aid each year?

Yes, aid is determined every year for one year only. However, if there are no significant changes to your financial situation, it is likely that comparable aid will be offered each year.

What if my financial circumstances change?

We are here to work with all of our families. Please notify our Operations Manager right away if your family’s financial situation changes unexpectedly: operations@northseattlefrenchschool.com.