Last verified: October 2026
What should a Knoxville family ask a private school about aid before applying?
Ask four questions early: Is the school on this year's EFS list? What does my child's grade cost after the $7,530 award? What need-based aid, church-member rate or sibling pricing applies to the rest? And does the aid application require an EFS application first?
Many schools here bill through FACTS with monthly, quarterly or semester plans, as Knoxville Catholic High School and Sacred Heart Cathedral School both do.
Why do Knoxville schools ask aid applicants to file for EFS first?
A school's aid budget reaches more families when the state covers the first $7,530, so some schools build the EFS application into their aid process. Knoxville Catholic High School says so on its tuition page.
Skipping the state application when you are eligible can cost you school aid as well.
| School-Based Tuition Assistance is | School-Based Tuition Assistance is not |
|---|---|
| The school's own grants, discounts and member rates | Not uniform from one school to the next |
| Usually based on need | Not guaranteed once a school's aid budget is spent |
| Often linked to an EFS application |