Preschool Scholarships

We are a non-profit preschool, so tuition – along with fundraising and grants – covers all of the expenses associated with preschool operation.

Any new family who has submitted their preschool admissions paperwork and has been accepted into the 3-Year or 4-Year Program and any returning family in good standing with the preschool may apply for a tuition scholarship. We encourage any family who finds the full cost of tuition prohibitive to apply for a tuition scholarship.

Yes. Because family finances and assets may change from year to year, scholarships are allocated on an annual basis for one year only. Every year families must reapply if they wish to be considered for tuition scholarships.

Tuition for the 2024-2025 school year is $19.00 per day, which totals $1,368.00 annually for the Three-Year Program, and $1,976.00 annually for the Four-Year Program. Scholarships help offset the cost of tuition; however, they cannot be applied to Aftercare.

Tuition may be paid monthly, by semester, or annually. Payments begin in August and continue for 10 subsequent months, with the last payment due in May. Families who are offered enrollment will receive a payment schedule, along with information for setting up online payments.

Whether you are seeking more information, applying for the first time, or reapplying for a subsequent year, start by emailing our Executive Board President. Please include “Scholarship Application” in the subject line of your email.

You will complete a short application form that includes a personal statement, and you will also provide the first page of your IRS 1040 Form from the previous tax year, with your social security number redacted. If you do not have an IRS 1040 Form, the Scholarship Committee will help you determine an alternative supporting document.

Yes. The preschool’s small Scholarship Committee keeps tuition scholarship applications confidential.

Three criteria are used to determine scholarship award amounts: (1) the availability of scholarship funds; (2) the number of scholarship applicants; (3) the family’s size and annual gross income.

Crystal Lake Cooperative Preschool bases financial scholarship eligibility on the US Department of Health and Human Services Poverty Guidelines. We understand that federal poverty levels do not necessarily reflect the cost of living in Benzie County. If your income exceeds these levels and you believe your family requires financial support, we ask you to describe your situation on the scholarship application. These guidelines are in place to help us support families that need financial aid the most, but we consider all applications.

Returning Families: May 17, 2024, is the application deadline. After this deadline, you may still submit a scholarship application, but your application will only be considered after new family applications have been reviewed and awarded.

New Families: We will accept scholarship applications for all newly enrolled preschool families and encourage families to apply by the May 17 deadline. If you complete enrollment and are admitted after May 17, and are interested in applying for a tuition scholarship, your scholarship application must be submitted within one week of your scholarship inquiry.

Families who meet the May 17 application deadline will be notified of their award on or before June 3, 2024. Families who apply after the May 17 deadline will be notified of their scholarship award on a rolling basis, with a one-week minimum processing time, and the final award notification on September 1, 2024.

In extending a scholarship to a family, our preschool attempts to support the student's attendance for the entire time they are enrolled, pending continued need. If your financial circumstances change, and your ability to contribute to your child's educational expenses increases, your tuition scholarship may be decreased accordingly. If your ability to pay educational expenses decreases, our preschool will make every effort to increase the scholarship.

No. Tuition scholarships are not loans. They do not need to be repaid.