Fee waivers, sliding scales and scholarships published by the
organizations that run these programs — each with who is eligible and the page
that decides it. Nothing here is estimated from a family's income, and a program with
no aid published simply does not appear. A few are awards toward college rather than
help with a program fee; those are labelled College scholarship.
6 of the 142 programs in Amherst say they offer financial aid or a scholarship, and 17 schemes are set out below.
Financial aid
Amherst Recreation (LSSE)
Amherst Recreation (LSSE) Fee Reduction / Financial Aid
Amherst Recreation (Leisure Services and Supplemental Education) offers a confidential fee-reduction application and an additional-assistance form to lower or waive program and camp fees for families who cannot afford them.
- Who is eligible
- Families with children ages 18 and under may apply; financial assistance eligibility is based on income and family size. Applicants must submit documented, verifiable income: the previous year's 1040 (or four consecutive pay stubs, or verification of other income sources). Amherst Recreation is also a voucher-eligible after-school and summer-camp provider. Additional assistance for significant need is awarded case-by-case and must be approved by the Recreation Director.
Fee waiver
Amherst-Pelham Regional Public Schools (ARHS Athletics)
ARHS Athletics Free & Reduced Lunch Fee Reduction
Amherst Regional High School and Middle School charge reduced or waived athletic user fees for student-athletes who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
- What it covers
- Ice Hockey/Alpine Skiing $424 full, $153 reduced-lunch, $76 free-lunch; most other sports $254 full, $92 reduced-lunch, $48 free-lunch; family cap $1,270 full, $460 reduced-lunch, $240 free-lunch.
- Who is eligible
- Reduced fees are based on Free or Reduced Lunch eligibility. Eligibility forms are available in the main office of the High School and Middle School; completed forms must be submitted to the High School or Middle School main office to determine eligibility.
Sliding scale
Hitchcock Center for the Environment
Hitchcock Center sliding-scale fees and financial aid
Hitchcock Center uses a three-tier sliding scale for its programs, with additional financial aid for households receiving EBT, WIC or ConnectorCare.
- Who is eligible
- "Out of a strong commitment to improve access to our programs we are now offering a sliding scale fee structure aimed to provide greater flexibility in choosing a price that is right for you and your family... Some additional financial aid is available to help make this program accessible... This option is available for EBT, WIC, and Connector Care participants."
Scholarship
Amherst Youth Soccer Association
Amherst Youth Soccer scholarships
Amherst Youth Soccer offers scholarships for players who need help with the cost of playing.
- Who is eligible
- "Scholarships are available for players in need."
Voucher
Amherst-Pelham Regional Public Schools
Before/After School Program fee help
The district's before/after school programs accept State Child Care Vouchers and offer income-based fee subsidies.
- Who is eligible
- "All programs accept State Child Care Vouchers, and income-based fee subsidies are available to eligible families to help make participation affordable."
Scholarship
Amherst Youth Soccer Association
Player scholarships
Scholarships for players in need in the recreational soccer program.
- Who is eligible
- "Scholarships are available for players in need."
Financial aid
Amherst Youth Soccer Association
Free/reduced lunch discount
Discount on recreation-league registration for children in public school who receive free or reduced lunch.
- Who is eligible
- "We offer free/reduced lunch discounts for kids in public school."
Financial aid
Amherst Baseball, Inc.
Free/reduced lunch registration discount
Registration discount for families who qualify for free or reduced lunch, applied with a coupon code at checkout. The shared registration site covers Amherst Baseball and Hadley-Amherst Softball.
- Who is eligible
- "Families who qualify for reduced or free lunch can claim discounts with coupon codes available on the checkout page."
Sibling discount
Amherst Baseball, Inc.
Multi-player (sibling) discount
Discount for registering several players at once: $25 for the first, $35 for the second, $50 for the fourth.
- Who is eligible
- "Families registering multiple players will also receive discounts of $25 for the first, $35 for the second, $50 for the fourth player registered at one time."
Sliding scale
Amherst Ballet
Sliding-scale tuition and trust-based scholarships
Tiered sliding-scale tuition (Tiers 1-5, including 25% and 50% reductions) and trust-based scholarships from the Young Dancer, Maura Donohue and Dance for Life funds; monthly payment plans are also offered.
- Who is eligible
- "Amherst Ballet is committed to providing quality education to all students, regardless of their financial circumstances. We offer a sliding-scale fee structure and trust-based scholarships to ballet students of all ages."
Sibling discount
Amherst Ballet
Sibling tuition discount
Discount for additional enrolled family members: 5% for a second, 10% for a third, 15% for a fourth.
- Who is eligible
- "A second enrolled family member receives a 5% discount; third and fourth, 10% and 15% respectively."
Sibling discount
Hampshire Gymnastics School
Sibling class discount
10% off for a sibling (or a second class) and 15% off each additional sibling or class.
- Who is eligible
- "We offer a 10% off discount for a sibling or a 2nd class, and 15% off every other sibling or additional class."
Scholarship
Kids, Art & Nature
Partial class scholarships
A few partial scholarships are made available each session for the children's nature-art classes.
- Who is eligible
- "We try to ensure that our classes remain inclusive and accessible for everyone and strive to remove difficulties that may prevent children from participating in our classes. Each session we make a few partial scholarships available."
Scholarship
Amherst Red Barn Music School
Music lesson scholarships
Scholarships for music lessons for anyone regardless of ability to pay, funded by the nonprofit's Music for Kids Scholarship Fund.
- Who is eligible
- "At the Red Barn, we believe anyone who wants to learn music should have the opportunity, regardless of their ability to pay. Need a scholarship? Please ask."
Sibling discount
Feather Press Studio
Sibling art-class discount
10% discount for additional children from the same family in the after-school art classes.
- Who is eligible
- "After the first artist, additional artists from the same family receive a discounted rate of 10%."
Sibling discount
Amherst MMA (New England Submission Fighting)
Family (sibling) discount
50% off for the second and each subsequent child in the same household in the youth martial arts program.
- Who is eligible
- "Family Discount 50% off the second and all subsequent kids in the family (living under the same roof)."
Payment plan
Miss Leticia Music School
Monthly payment plans
Monthly payment plans are offered for private and group music lessons instead of paying a full semester up front.
- Who is eligible
- "Payment plans available"