This year families with dependents receive a 15% Discount on Program Fees. 

Which Families Are Eligible for the Family Discount?

A family consisting of at least one adult plus dependents is eligible for a 15% discount on Program Fees. Full-time students under age 24 are usually dependents. Note that a spouse or domestic partner is not considered a dependent. However, if the family consists of at least one adult and one dependent, then the discount also extends to an adult spouse or domestic partner.

Dependents are registered oldest to youngest, and third, fourth and fifth dependents will not be charged a program fee.

A grandparent plus dependents also constitute an eligible family. (“Dependent” means dependents of the grandparent, or dependents of another adult in the family who is not attending the Gathering.)

Dependent siblings attending without a parent are eligible. Their sponsor is not eligible for the discount (unless the sponsor is a grandparent).

For the purposes of the Family Discount, your dependent may be any of the below:

  • Minor child: your child under the age of 18 (including a foster child, and a child for whom you are the guardian)
  • Young adult student: your child under the age of 24 and enrolled full-time for at least five months of the year
  • Disabled dependent adult: a family member who the IRS considers your dependent or the dependent of your co-parent. If you are a Canadian, contact Gathering staff for clarification of which adults might be your dependent.

Which Families Are Not Eligible for the Family Discount?

An adult couple registering without dependents.

A parent registering with non-dependent children (e.g., a 30-year-old).

Adult siblings (unless dependent students under 24).

A parent, their children, and their grandparent are considered one family plus one individual. The children and their parent register together and apply the Family Discount. The grandparent does not receive the Family Discount. However, the grandparent may be included in the same registration, and chooses the “Non dependent/other family member” responds to the question “which family registrant are you?”

What If Some of My Family Are Not Full-Time Registrants?

Half-Gathering registrants are eligible for the Family Discount, as long as at least two of the family members are registered full-time.

Part-Time registrants are not eligible for the Family Discount.

How Do I Obtain the Family Discount?

Start your Gathering registration with the oldest registrant and respond “Yes” to the question “Are you registering with dependents.”

Registration for the 2023 Gathering opens April 3. Late Fees begin June 1. June 8 is the last day to register children and High School program participants.


Confused about the Family Discount?  Take a look at these examples.

Example 1: One parent, one child who is a college student

If the child is a full-time student for five months of the year AND is less than 24 years old, then 15% is discounted from both program fees. Otherwise, neither person is eligible for the Family Discount.

Example 2: Two parents, three minor children

The Program Fee will be waived for the youngest child. 15% is discounted from the remaining four Program Fees.

Example 3: A parent, two minor children, and their grandparent

In most cases, these Friends are considered an eligible family plus an individual. The grandparent indicates that they are a “Non-dependent/other family member” and does not received the Family Discount (everyone else does). If your government considers the grandparent the dependent of the parent, then the grandparent is eligible for the Family Discount and indicates that they are a dependent.

Example 4: One parent, one 18-year-old child, one young adult child

The 18 year old is graduating from high school in June and has the choice to participate in the High School Program or to register as a young adult. The 18 year old and the parent are eligible for the Family Discount. 

The young adult is 22 and is a full-time student. Since she is both under 24 and has been a full-time student for at least 5 months of the academic year which is concludes in May/June of this year, she is eligible for the Family Discount. 

Example 5: One parent and two minor children attending full-time, and one parent attending part-time (2 days)

Part-Time registrants are not eligible for the Family Discount. The full-time attenders would register together with the 15% discount, and the part-time attender would register separately. If the second parent decides to register for the Half-Gathering, that parent will be eligible for the Family Discount.

Example 6: An adult couple registering without dependents.

The couple is not eligible for the Family Discount.

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