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Worked examples

What is left after the award? Six Memphis-area examples

Two published Catholic school tuitions and four illustrations, each set against the 2026-27 EFS or MSCS-zone ESA, and what usually covers the difference.

Award vs tuition, 2026-27
ScenarioProgramAwardTuitionResultNext step
St. Benedict at Auburndale, traditional program (published)EFS$7,530$17,880$10,350 to coverPublished 2026-27 tuition. FACTS need-based aid, a $200 sibling discount and MOST (St. Benedict is a partner school) address the rest.
Same student, zoned to MSCS and ESA-eligibleESA$10,132.54$17,880$7,747.46 to coverSt. Benedict is on the West Tennessee ESA list, so the larger award applies.
St. Agnes-St. Dominic, grades 1-6 (published)EFS$7,530$20,500$12,970 to coverPublished 2026-27 tuition, before the $1,200 dining hall fee. FACTS aid for new families is due February 1, 2027.
Church-affiliated K-8, grade 3 (illustrative $8,200)EFS$7,530$8,200$670 to coverA gap of under $700 before church rates or school aid.
Small Christian academy, grade 1 (illustrative $6,900)ESA$10,132.54$6,900$3,232.54 left in the accountTuition is below the award, so the balance can pay for required textbooks, uniforms or tutoring through the account.
Category IV church school (illustrative $5,800)None—$5,800$5,800 to coverEFS and the ESA cannot pay a Category IV school. What is left: congregation pricing, the school's own grants, an IEA if there is a covered IEP, or the Edu Fund Partner Scholarship where offered.

Published figures: St. Benedict at Auburndale (sbaeagles.org) and St. Agnes Academy-St. Dominic School (saa-sds.org), 2026-27. All other tuitions are illustrative assumptions, not quotes.

Last verified: October 2026

How much is left to pay after EFS at a Memphis private school?

It depends mostly on the school's price. At St. Benedict at Auburndale's published 2026-27 tuition of $17,880, a $7,530 EFS leaves $10,350; at a church K-8 charging around $8,000, the gap can be a few hundred dollars.

Schools do not report tuition to the state, so only the St. Benedict and St. Agnes-St. Dominic figures in the table are published prices; the others are illustrations.

What closes the gap after the state award in Memphis?

School need-based aid through FACTS, sibling discounts and church rates come first, then MOST for Shelby County families at partner schools, then payment plans. Starting in 2027, federal tax-credit scholarships could join the mix, and some church and community schools also take part in the Edu Fund Partner Scholarship.

When tuition is below the award, the remainder can pay for approved items such as textbooks, uniforms and tutoring.

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