CTY provides financial assistance for CTY Talent Search and programs for students who qualify for the Federal Free or Reduced-Price lunch program. Eligible students pay a reduced join fee of $10 and receive a waiver to cover the cost of testing. We award more than $5 million in financial aid annually. 

 

Parents of students in grades 2-12 should select the financial aid option when filling out the online Talent Search application.  

 

Once your child has established eligibility for CTY and selected a course, you can apply for financial aid by following these steps: 

 

  1. Fill out the CTY program application:
    Online Program application | summer On-Campus Programs application
    On page 1 of the application, check the box “I will be applying for financial aid.” 
  2. Provide salary and household details where noted on the program application. Upload a copy of your federal tax return and W-2/1099 form with your application where noted, or via MyCTY.  
  3. Pay the reduced tuition deposit of $15 (Online Programs) or $50 (summer On-Campus Programs) with your application. This will be refunded if your child is not enrolled in the course.  
  4. We will contact you about your financial aid status in about two weeks

We have concluded our financial aid application review process for 2025 On-Campus Programs. We encourage those who may need assistance in the future to apply for aid as early as possible. We are committed to serving all talented youth regardless of financial circumstances. Financial assistance is available based on need.


Financial Aid is currently available for online courses for eligible students while funding lasts. If interested in applying for financial aid, please select an online course with the start date of July 1, 2025 or later.