Financial Aid

Financial Aid Overview

Thank you for your interest in Cannon School's financial aid program. As outlined in the Financial Aid Purpose Statement and Priorities, Cannon School strives to make an independent school education available to families of various financial means.

Financial aid grants at Cannon are strictly need-based and are determined using the School and Student Services (SSS) application process. Click here for helpful hints.

Cannon School adheres to the National Association of Independent Schools' (NAIS) "Guiding Principles for Families" which recognizes that families bear the primary responsibility for financing their children’s education.

Affording Independent School Tuition

One of the many factors a family must evaluate when considering independent school for their child is the cost. A monthly evaluation of your income and expenses can be helpful in determining the affordability of independent school. A helpful resource is SSS's Parents' Financial Statement Workbook and Instruction Booklet.

Cannon School is generally able to offer grants within the dollar ranges listed below to families who demonstrate need and qualify for a financial aid grant.

Student Grade	Typical Grant Range	Examples
JrK - Grade 4	$1000-$5000	A grade 4 student is offered and accepts a grant equal to $3,000. The tuition owed will equal the grade 4 tuition less the $3,000 grant.
Grades 5 - 8	$1000-$9000	A grade 7 student is offered and accepts a grant equal to $5,000. The tuition owed will equal the grade 7 tuition less the $5,000 grant.
Grades 9 - 12	$1000-$18,000	A grade 9 student is offered and accepts a grant equal to $9,000. The tuition owed will equal the grade 9 tuition less the $9,000 grant.

Cannon School strives to make an independent school education affordable to families with various financial resources. In some cases, Cannon School’s Financial Aid Committee is not able to meet 100% of a family’s demonstrated need. In 2018-2019, 20% of our student body received a financial aid grant.

Please contact Director of Admission and Financial Aid Bill Diskin with your financial aid questions.

Considerations and Requirements

Please consider the following as you prepare to submit your application for financial aid:

Applications can be completed at SSS's Family Portal. (Cannon's ID Number is: 1981)
The application fee is $51.
We require both custodial and non-custodial parents to file financial aid forms.
Financial Aid grants are need-based and do not need to be repaid.
The deadline for Financial Aid applications is February 15. (Applications received after the deadline will be processed if funds are available.)
No financial aid grant covers the full cost of tuition at Cannon School. Families receiving the "maximum" grant at Cannon are required to pay $3,000 per year, per student for tuition. (Please note that some fees associated with attending Cannon School are not covered by financial aid grants.)
Cannon School's financial aid policy requires a signed copy of the family's current year Federal Tax Return (1040) to be submitted, along with the application, to SSS. Families are encouraged to file their tax returns by mid-February. Financial Aid grants cannot be finalized without a current tax return on file. Our policy requires full disclosure of assets.
Applications for financial aid must be submitted annually.
Cannon School's financial aid program is administered in the strictest of confidence. We request that recipients and their families keep their grant information confidential as well.

If you have any questions related to financial aid, please feel free to contact Director of Admission and Financial Aid Bill Diskin with your financial aid questions.

Financial Aid Application Process

Cannon School utilizes School and Student Services (SSS) to process all financial aid applications. This application and the required supporting documents assist Cannon School's Financial Aid Committee in determining a financial aid grant amount.

Step 1:

Complete and submit the SSS Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS) application online at SSS's Family Portal by February 15. Use SSS's Parents' Financial Statement Workbook and Instruction Booklet to help you complete your PFS.

Step 2:

Upload copies of the following items after submitting PFS:

Prior year's federal tax return (1040) - Note: this applies only to new financial aid applicants
Current year's federal tax return (1040)
Current year's W2's
1099

(Please upload copies of your tax documents directly to the SSS website. This is the preferred collection method.)

Step 3:

Please mail or deliver copies of the items in the following list (as appropriate) to Cannon School’s Admission Office at the address below:

Divorce or separation decree that indicates any financial responsibility related to cost of education by either partner
Custody arrangement
Disability documentation
Unemployment or severance agreements

Cannon School

Director of Financial Aid

5801 Poplar Tent Road

Concord, NC 28027

Step 4:

Decisions. Financial aid grants will not be finalized until all appropriate forms mentioned above have been received. Parents are notified of grant decisions by electronic letter. No financial aid grant will be offered until the student’s enrollment application is processed and the student is offered enrollment at Cannon School. While first consideration will be given to applications received by February 15, applications received after February 15 will be reviewed on a rolling basis depending on availability of funds.

Link to SSS Family Portal

Financial Aid Webinar 2019

View the Financial Aid Webinar

Printable Checklist

Click on the image below to view and print full-size checklist.

Financial Aid FAQs

List of 4 frequently asked questions.

Q: How does Cannon School process requests for financial aid?
Cannon School partners with School and Student Services (SSS) to process financial aid grants. A financial aid committee (Director of Financial Aid, Director of Business and Finance, Associate Director of Admission), following qualification guidelines reported by SSS, determines the amount of each applicant's annual grant.
- All financial aid grants at Cannon School are need-based
- No financial aid grant at Cannon School is greater than 85% of the full tuition. (That is, in cases where a family qualifies, according to SSS, for "full" funding, Cannon School requires the family to pay $3,000 of tuition per student per year, not including incidentals.)
- Assuming a family's financial profile remains constant, they can expect to receive financial aid grants at consistent levels in the years ahead. SSS applications must be submitted annually (Due every Feb. 15)
Q: How are grant amount decisions made?
- After receiving the financial profile information submitted by the family, SSS generates a report, the Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) which details an estimate of a family's ability to pay independent school tuition.
- Our Financial Aid Committee uses the EFC to guide its decision of the grant amount to be offered.
- There are opportunities within the SSS application process for families to articulate short-term financial difficulties that might temporarily impact their ability to pay full tuition.
- Once the financial aid committee reaches a decision, the family is notified via electronic letter. Parents sign and submit an acceptance of grant letter and Cannon’s billing office adjusts their account accordingly.
- Typically, financial aid decision notification letters are sent to families between March 1 and March 20.
Q: Does financial aid cover more than tuition?
Financial Aid covers:
- Tuition
- Textbooks
- Required overnight class trips
- Technology fees
Financial Aid does not cover:
- Bus transportation
- After School Program
- Arts/music supplies or instruments
- Athletic equipment/team packs
Q: Does Cannon School offer scholarships?

Cannon School does not offer academic, arts, or athletics scholarships. However, we do offer a robust need-based financial aid program administered through School and Student Services (SSS).