Financial Aid

Financial Aid at WLA

Winnebago Lutheran Academy realizes the cost of secondary Christian education may be a challenge for some families. Because of this, WLA is happy to award financial aid to families who are not eligible to receive a voucher through the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program but still may have difficulty affording the full tuition amount of WLA.  In 2020-21, WLA awarded over $115,000 in financial aid to 45 different students. Awards are need based and vary by family situation.

Financial aid awarded to families comes from Association congregations, individual gifts, WLA’s annual golf outing, Tee it Up for WLA, and from distributions from the WLA Endowment Fund and other established scholarship funds.

The WLA financial aid open application period for the 2021-22 school year is February 1, 2021 – April 15, 2021. Financial aid applications are submitted through a third party who objectively analyzes family information. There is also an opportunity to submit a letter that details any extenuating circumstances your family may have. There is a small fee to submit an application; the fee comes back as part of the financial aid awarded. WLA encourages all families who are considering applying to review the Financial Aid Guides found below. Please not this chart is a guide – the WLA Financial Aid Committee also considers family situations and other extenuating circumstances when determining financial aid awards.

WLA encourages all families who are considering applying to review the “2020-21 Financial Aid Guide” found below.  Please note this chart is a guide – the WLA Financial Aid Committee also considers family situations and other extenuating circumstances when determining Financial Aid awards.  

2020-2021 WLA Financial Aid Application
2020-2021 Financial Guide
2021-2022 Financial Aid Guide

Please note the specific situations below regarding applying for Financial Aid.

• If your student is new to WLA
  • and your family meets the income criteria of the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program (WPCP), apply for a WPCP voucher
  • and your family does not meet the income criteria for the WPCP but you have a need for financial assistance, apply for aid through WLA.
• If your returning student has received WLA financial aid in the past OR has a new need for assistance, you must apply annually for Financial Aid.  
• If your returning student received a voucher through the WPCP in the 2020-21 school year, do not apply for WLA financial aid. Simply re-apply for the WPCP voucher. Returning families only need to verify residency on the application, not income.

More information about the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program and how it can relates to your student attending WLA can be found here.

If your family has a change of circumstances during the school year or if you have any questions about financial assistance, contact Business Manager Eric Schraufnagel at eschraufnagel@wlavikings.org or 920-921-4930. 

How can you help?

Gifts for tuition assistance are great blessings to the families of WLA and may be given directly to WLA at any time of the year.  WLA and its families are grateful to all who donate toward tuition assistance. Student aid awarded by WLA is from individual donations, WLA’s annual golf outing, Tee-It-Up for WLA, the WLA Endowment Fund, and other established scholarship funds.

Contact Director of Mission Advancement Kevin Ehlke (kehlke@wlavikings.org or 920-921-4930) to find out how you can help contribute to Student Financial Aid at WLA, or to make an online donation click here 

Some WLA Association Congregations are also able to assist students from their home congregations in addition to the assistance awarded by WLA.  Talk with your Pastor to see if this is an option in your Congregation.