STEMS is dedicated to supporting families in need of financial assistance. Through our scholarship eligibility and the support of generous donors we are able to continue to our vision of spreading Islamic education to as many children in our community as possible.

STEMS has a tiered approach to assisting families that are experiencing difficulty meeting their full tuition obligation. Families MUST go through each tier before applying for the next.

TIER 1: SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS

STEMS is enrolled in Florida Scholarship Programs for low-income families. We accept Scholarships like Step Up for Students (SUFS), Family Empowerment and AAA.

Families who are looking for tuition assistance must apply to one of the following scholarships before applying for the next tier of assistance. If you are denied either of these scholarship programs, you must provide us with the denial letter (or email) to accept your application for the Financial Aid/ STEMS Scholarship.

For your convenience, we have provided the links to apply for those scholarships below.

Step Up For Students: https://www.stepupforstudents.org/logins/income-based-scholarship-login/ 

AAA: https://webportalapp.com/webform/aaasf_2020eligibility

Family Empowerment Scholarships are granted through Step Up For Students and the Florida Department of Education to families who have a slightly higher income than the bracket created for SUFS applications.

TIER 2: FINANCIAL AID/ STEMS SCHOLARSHIP

If you have been denied either Florida low-income Scholarships, we encourage you to apply for our very own Financial Aid/ STEMS scholarship.

STEMS use FACTS Management as a trusted third party evaluation tool to assess the needs of each family. The income and assets of the family are taken into account, as well as the size of the family, the number of children attending tuition charging schools, the state and/or metropolitan area where the family resides, and the number of working parents. This scholarship is 100% funded by our donors and Board members.

Things to know:

  • Awards can range from 10-50% of tuition for eligible families. 

  • All applications for financial aid are confidential. 

  • FACTS sends financial aid reports to the Financial Aid Committee comprised of Board Members for evaluation and review. 

  • The school administration does not have access to, nor does it share, a family’s financial information with other families or with STEMS faculty and staff. 

  • Financial aid is available on a first come first serve basis until all funds are distributed. 

  • Financial Aid is available for currently enrolled students in grade KG-8.  If your child is not enrolled with STEMS you must first complete the enrollment process to be considered for financial aid.

  • Deadline February 28th for current families and upon enrollment for new families.

After applying

  • Upon review, the Financial Aid Committee will send letters of determination to each family informing them of their award amounts within 4 weeks.

  • AFA notifies applicants via email of their awards

  • Applicants can either accept, decline or appeal their award.

The link to apply is provided below. You must follow the numbered steps to guide you through the process.

https://online.factsmgt.com/signin/4K5HM

TIER 3: AL-FALAH/ ZAKAT

STEMS accepts Zakat donations which are used to help Zakat-eligible families with their children’s tuition. This is the final tier if found ineligible for the above options.

Things to know:

  • Zakat funds are only used for tuition assistance to families that meet the Zakat Eligibility guidelines.

  • Zakat eligibility guidelines have been reviewed by scholars in our community.  

The application for Al-Falah/ Zakat needs to be completed in person at the STEMS location. Alternatively, if you submit the Tier 2 application through FACTS and are Zakat eligible, you may be approved through that process.

Families who have applied this way will be informed whether they have received Financial Aid or Zakat funds.

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