AFFORDING HOUGHTON ACADEMY

IMPORTANT NOTE: The Tuition Assistance Aid verification process below is only available to residents of the United States. Inquiries for financial assistance for international boarding students need to contact admissionsteam@houghton.academy.

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To apply for tuition assistance, follow the steps below to submit your confidential financial application through BeneFAQ. Follow the directions below.

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Step 1: Navigate to www.benefaq.com and create an account.

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Step 2: Once you are at the site, select the “Parent” button from the upper right.

 

Step 3: Create an account, entering all the information requested and clicking register, which will sign you in for the first time (returning users can then sign in using the sign-in section on the left).

 

Step 4: Click the APPLY button.

 

Step 5: Enter the correct application year, enter your school number in the search window, or begin typing "Houghton Academy" and select it when it appears. Several schools have similar names, so please make sure you are selecting our school. Our school number is 31853, ​which may help identify our school. NOTE: If our school has not yet granted access to the application year for which you are applying, you will not be able to select it. ​

• Proceed to enter your credit card information and click the button “Pay and Create App” to proceed.

• Your credit card will be charged $35. The charge will come through as BeneFAQ.

• Once you pay, your application will be available to begin entering information.

 

Step 6: Read all instructions on each page.

• On the left are listed all the sections of the application that you will be completing.

• When a page is completed, that section of the left-hand menu will be indicated with the color green. Sections in gray have not been completed.

• If you exit and return later, simply find the next section you need to complete and continue from there. Click “Save and Continue” at the bottom of each page to proceed to the next page.

• If you have questions, please click the Questions/Clarifications link on the upper right-hand side of the page or the “Messages” tab from the top menu and write your question. This will send a note to BeneFAQ, and they will respond in as timely a manner as possible. In some cases, it may take up to 24 hours to receive a response. They are closed on weekends and holidays.

• When they respond, you will receive an email indicating that a message is waiting for you in your account. A number indicator will appear next to the “Messages” link on your dashboard, showing that you have an unread message. Click “Messages” to see the message.

• If you have any issues with the messaging, you can email help@benefaq.com.

 

Step 7: The application is predominantly constructed in an “interview” style. Complete the application, and DO NOT SKIP any questions.

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Step 8: At the end of the application, once you have reviewed your entries and clicked “Submit App & Proceed,” you will be asked to upload specific information based on the way you completed your application.

• Click the checkbox to upload that document. YOU CANNOT SELECT MORE THAN ONE file at a time to upload. Please use the “Add” button under Pay Stubs to add additional pay stubs and the “Additional Documents” section to upload any other documents you desire or are requested.

• If you are not able to upload your tax returns in one complete document, please use “Additional Documents” to add the pages.

• BeneFAQ will begin verifying your application once they begin receiving documents from you.

• BeneFAQ will message you through the inline messaging system if they need further clarification on anything. Please use this system to respond to those inquiries. NOTE: Make sure benefaq.com emails are not going to your spam folder.

 

If you have questions about your application of supporting documents, it is best to use the inline messaging system. BeneFAQ is prompt in its replies and will be very willing to help you as necessary. You can also email help@benefaq.com.