Frequently Asked Questions

Your donation will help: 

• to support academic programs such as the nature-based kindergarten, the Junior Engineering Academy and our language-oriented elective "Express Yourself".
• to retain highly qualified faculty members and support their professional development.
• to continue to develop campus facilities, accomodate new teaching methods, advancing technological and social developments. 

Your support is greatly appreciated!  

Contributing to the different funds or campaigns unites our community behind the common goal of supporting our teachers and students. Contrary to what some might think, German companies do not automatically give to German schools. When considering donations and grants, foundations, and other organizations from whom we seek support, look for high levels of community participation (the percentage of parents giving, not the dollar amount of individual gifts). High participation rates within our community demonstrate to potential external donors our commitment to our school's mission, confidence in our institution, and the school's short and long-term financial stability.

Yes, gifts to GISNY are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

We invite every member of the GISNY community to contribute to the different funds and campaigns, regardless of the amount.

Every gift makes a difference, whether you give $5 or $50,000. The amount you decide to give is entirely up to you. We invite you to give a meaningful gift appropriate to your circumstances - every gift counts, every gift matters.

Like other German schools in the US, GISNY is a hybrid organization. It supports its mission with tuition and fees like a traditional American independent school. And like a state-sponsored school, the German government provides some financial support. Generally, tuition covers about 80% of GISNY's full operating costs with the rest being covered by the German government through direct and indirect support as well as GISNY's local fundraising efforts and revenues. Fundraising is crucial to ensure the school's long-term financial health, modernization, and expansion projects which impact the education of all students greatly. U.S. tax law also encourages donations to independent educational institutions like GISNY. As a nonprofit organization, donations to GISNY are tax-deductible where tuition is not.

The GISNY community extends across time and space. All donations are invested in the school's future. Every past, present, and future GISNY student benefits from the generosity of the gifts families have made in previous years. Your donations have a long-lasting impact on generations of students through the development of new academic programs and modernization of our school. They also benefit our alumni by securing GISNY's national and international reputation and recognition for generations to come. 

No, donating money to the school does not in any way affect a family's grant of tuition assistance. GISNY's financial aid award algorithm determines a family's "discretionary income" and how much of that would be available for tuition. The decisions a family makes in allocating its remaining income are beyond the purview of the financial aid determination. We are deeply honored to receive any donation from all families, but even more so when we know that a family has constrained financial resources. Moreover, we are committed to protecting the privacy of all our families. Financial information is not shared beyond the financial aid committee that makes decisions about tuition assistance.

The Parents' Association fundraises to support its activities, e.g., faculty and staff recognition, Newcomer's Club, as well as small and immediate school needs like its recent gift of a shed to the nature-based kindergarten, musical instruments, books, and trees. The Campus of the Future Development Fund and other funds are the best way families can support the school's long-term financial needs. Gifts are exclusively invested in the area they focus on and benefit all students at the school.