Scholarship Information
Transforming our community requires partnership. At Apple Playschools we believe in asking openly for support when we need it and giving generously to others when we can. Through our scholarship program, both donors and scholarship recipients embody inclusion and innovation to make a more equitable world.
Scholarship awards are based on an income scale, availability of funds, classroom openings available, and the number of eligible applicants in any given round of awarded funding. Please read the following information carefully to understand your eligibility for consideration.
We are proud to announce that we have implemented a new application process that will be more streamlined, more secure, and hopefully easier for your family. Applications will be submitted through an online portal called FAST. Application instructions can be found at the bottom of the page.
Scholarship Eligibility
The Scholarship Committee considers several factors to evaluate eligibility and scholarship award amounts.
In order to be eligible for an Apple Playschools scholarship, the applicant’s household income must fall below 500% of the Federal Poverty Level (see income guidelines for the Great Start to Readiness Program) OR the applicant must provide information regarding an acute hardship or extenuating circumstance in their narrative. We give priority to households below the ALICE income level for their household size, and to those whose child care costs equal >25% of the family’s household income.
Starting in October 2020, applicants must contact the Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Child Care Network Family Support Program to determine eligibility for tuition assistance from those programs prior to being considered for scholarship assistance at Apple Playschools. Assistance from these programs does not necessarily disqualify families from receiving a scholarship from Apple Playschools.
A separate contract and application must be filled out for each child.
Applicants must review and acknowledge all policies outlined in the Family Handbook & Policy Manual, and submit a current contract with their application.
Applicants must follow all Apple Playschools policies, except in the cases of waived fees or contract changes as mentioned above.
Application Instructions
Complete the Scholarship Application and a Contract (sent to you by the Program Director) for each child. To identify the full-cost tuition associated with your preferred contract, please review the tuition rates for our various contract options.
The application fee is $60, but families can request a voucher from Maria Rios (mariarios@appleplayschools.org) to offset that cost. Families need to have this voucher ready before submitting their application.
To prepare, families should gather:
Proof of household income from 2023 or 2024. - Families will not upload this. They will authorize ISM FAST to access tax records. In case families did not file taxes, they will go through an alternative process.
Proof of current income for all adults in the household (recent paystub or similar)
A completed Apple Playschools Contract for the 2025–2026 school year
Families will also need to provide details on household expenses and assets, and answer four narrative questions related to financial aid, personal circumstances, program interest, and expected family contribution.
The application is expected to take 30–60 minutes to complete.
Applicants can learn more about the FAST School Application Management System here.
General Information
The Scholarship Committee meets annually in late summer or early fall to allocate scholarship funds. Scholarship applications that are received after the annual meeting will be reviewed on a rolling basis within one month after the application is submitted.
Funds are limited. Scholarship assistance is designed to pay a portion of the total childcare cost for each child. If approved, families are expected to follow all policies outlined in the Family Handbook & Policy Manual.
Apple Playschools is not able to guarantee any scholarship funding unless already approved by the Scholarship Committee.
Scholarship awards are based on a family's selected contract terms and rates. A reduction of hours or change to the contract will result in a reduction or change to the scholarship awarded.
Scholarship rates also apply to drop-in care.
Families who wish to change their contract based on the scholarship award given can do so two times annually without a fee or penalty.
Families who are awarded a scholarship are not required to pay the Annual Registration Fee, Early Termination Deposit, or ½ month tuition.
All information provided shall remain confidential to Apple Playschools. However, since the purpose of sharing application information is to obtain financial aid from Apple Playschools, information is subject to review by the Executive Director, Operations Director, and members of the Board of Directors Scholarship Committee.
Tuition Assistance Programs We Utilize Include:
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Provided by Apple Playschools to families with a household income <500% above poverty level or paying >20% of household income to child care, and those experiencing acute financial hardship.
The Apple Playschools’ Scholarship Program uses funds raised from donors and philanthropic grants to offset the costs of tuition for qualifying families. Funds are disbursed based on availability of funding, classroom openings, and the number of eligible applicants in any given school year. Eligibility guidelines are reviewed regularly and include household income and tuition as a percent of household income. Applications are typically reviewed during enrollment season each spring, and then are accepted and reviewed on a quarterly basis as needed by our scholarship committee. Any family needing assistance with child care costs is encouraged to apply.
See Application Instructions Above
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Many children who turn four-years-old by September 1 in any given school year.
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Families with a household income <200% above poverty level who meet work or education requirements; families fostering children, families receiving other forms of government assistance.
Apple Playschools accepts Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Child Development and Care (MDHHS CDC) subsidy-eligible children. To receive this assistance, you must first apply through MI Bridges. Families may be eligible for help covering child care costs if you:
have a qualifying income level (find out more with the Eligibility Calculator)
need child care while engaged in an approved activity such as work, high school completion/GED classes, or adult basic education courses such as English as a Second Language (ESL)
are a licensed foster parent requesting care for foster children
are a member of an MDHHS protective services case with a treatment plan
are participating in the Family Independence Program and have a required work activity
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Families needing assistance with care costs while working, going to school, attending a job training program, seeking employment, experiencing a life-crisis situation, or grandparents raising grandchildren.
The Child Care Network Family Support Program provides support to a wide variety of families. Generally speaking, eligible families:
Must be working, going to school, attending a job training program, seeking employment, experiencing a life-crisis situation, or grandparents raising grandchildren.
Must have children ages birth-14 years.
Must meet income guidelines.
Eligibility may vary based on funding requirements, so all who need assistance are encouraged to apply.
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Families with participating employers and household income <350% above poverty level.
Families making between 200% and 325% percent of the Federal Poverty Level may qualify forTri-Share if their employer is enrolled in the program. Tri-Share allows employers to share the cost of their employee’s child care as an employment benefit. Contact the Washtenaw County Tri-Share Hub and search participating employers here. If you would like to invite your employer to participate in the program, contact the list listed Hub Contact, or reach out to our Executive Director who can make an introduction: Etta Heisler, etta@appleplayschools.org.
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50% discount for regular Apple Playschools employees.
All employees, except substitutes, who work a regularly-assigned schedule, are eligible to receive a 50% tuition benefit or utilize the Tri-Share program to share child care costs with Apple Playschools. Please contact the Operations Director for more information about this benefit, eligibility, and enrollment availability.