This tool allows you to estimate your tuition by indicating your income, whether your child is in Pre-K or grade K-8, and whether your family was enrolled in CFS before Jan 2019. If you have any questions about using this tool, please contact us at tuitiontool@chicagofreeschool.org.
THIS IS ONLY AN ESTIMATE. This tool is provided only as a method of estimation and does not imply a guarantee of any sort. The tuition assessment listed in the contract will always take precedence. Please be sure to carefully read your contract for your final tuition total before signing. This tuition estimate does not include any registration fees, nor does it include any TADS fee for 10-month distributed payments. If you have questions or concerns about the tuition estimate, registration fees, or TADS fees, please contact us at CFSadmin@chicagofreeschool.org.
This tool does not send any information to CFS, and no information is saved on the server. This does not provide CFS (or anyone) with any financial information. This does not replace any financial documentation you must provide to qualify for sliding scale tuition.
Note: this tool may not render properly in Internet Explorer
Estimate Tuition for 2022-2023
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Your tuition is based on ALL forms of income for your family household(s). For the most accurate estimate of tuition, include accurate projections of all your income in 2021. To be sure you're getting the best tuition estimate, you should be sure to include ALL of the following in your total income if they apply to your family:
- all taxable income (e.g., wages from employment, earnings from self-employment or a side hustle)
- stipend income
- social security income
- disability income
- child support income
- Type your income into the income field (do not include a $ sign).
- If you have more than one income source, you can enter them separately and the tool will add them to calculate the tuition.
- To add another income source, click the plus sign labeled "income source". You can rename the incomes if you want.
- If your family has been continuously enrolled at CFS since before January 2019, be sure to check the box indicating this. It impacts some tuition calculations.
- Note for multi-household families (e.g., divorced parents or co-parenting households): Both of your household incomes will be used to calculate your child's tuition. We will calculate tuition using BOTH of these ways, and choose whichever is cheaper for the family:
- One option: Each parent's household is treated individually. Each parent would have their child's tuition calculated individually at rates based on their own household's income. Each parent will have separate contracts.
- Other option: Both household incomes are combined and tuition is calculated based on the combined amount. The total tuition assessment is then split based on each parent's household income and each parent is responsible for their piece through individual contracts.
Add Income Sources:
If you've already calculated your Total Yearly Income on the TADS application page, you can enter this as the only income. Otherwise, follow the instructions below.
- Enter your students from oldest to youngest to ensure the tuition calculation is accurately made.
- If your student is enrolling in Pre-K, check the Pre-K box.
- To add another student, click the plus sign labeled "student." You can edit the student name, or just leave them as is.
Add Students:
- This estimate is the total tuition for a full year, for all students listed, based on the income and other data indicated.
- Most families choose to pay the tuition over 10 months, so the monthly payment for this option is also shown.