Grant & Aid

Financial Aid

We are committed to making Catholic education affordable for families at the Archdiocese of Baltimore. The financial commitment and sacrifice families undertake in sending their children to a Catholic school is understood and appreciated.  Although paying for education is first and foremost the responsibility of a family, every parish and school, as well as the Archdiocese, devote significant funds each year to a financial aid program that assists families. In turn, our school communities benefit by attracting gifted students that otherwise would not have been able to attend.

The Archdiocese offers need-based financial aid. However, merit scholarships offered by affiliated third parties are listed below for informational purposes; administration of these scholarships is handled directly by the awarding institution and award decisions are the sole discretion of the awarding institution.

What is Grant & Aid?

Tuition assistance is a need-based analysis of the cost of education versus the family’s ability to pay for students in Kindergarten through 12^th grade. These awards do not need to be repaid, and they generally come from two funding sources: the Partners in Excellence Program and the Archdiocese of Baltimore School Fund. Many parishes and schools offer their own tuition assistance for families; contact the office of your parish or school of choice to receive application procedures. 

Any student interested in attending an Archdiocesan school may apply for Grant and Aid from the Archdiocese of Baltimore.  Within the Archdiocese however, the Grant and Aid provided will not total more than 25% of the total cost of tuition.  It is the expectation that all families contribute to/participate in the educational investment in their children. In addition, it is our intention to provide assistance to as many families as possible, therefore the Archdiocese has set limits on per child funding. Third parties not associated with the Archdiocese of Baltimore may provide assistance that exceeds 75% of the total tuition cost.  These exceptions will be reviewed on a case by case basis by the school and the Archdiocese of Baltimore, if Archdiocesan funding is involved and any necessary adjustments will be made by the School or the Archdiocese.

Financial aid awarded by the Archdiocese will be distributed under the following priorities:

• Current recipients of financial aid
• Financial need level of family

To help the Archdiocese objectively assess what a family is able to contribute to education expenses, a trusted third party (FACTS Management) is used. To learn more about FACTS and complete an application for financial aid, please visit online.factsmgt.com.

Completed applications must be received no later than February 28th. Tuition assistance awards are contingent upon a completed FACTS application, with all required documentation submitted no later than June 30th.

Partners in Excellence

In response to the many challenges facing Baltimore’s inner-city Catholic schools, the Partners in Excellence (PIE) Program was formed to seek out corporations, foundations, and individuals who share the belief in the value of providing a quality education for at-risk youth.  The program seeks to improve the affordability and accessibility of Catholic schools in Baltimore City by providing tuition assistance grants to low-income families who wish to send their children to a Catholic school.  The Archdiocese has operated Catholic schools in the city of Baltimore for over 135 years, graduating over 400,000 students to date.  The PIE Program focuses its support on the following Catholic schools:

• Archbishop Borders School (Highlandtown)
• Cardinal Shehan Catholic School (Loch Raven)
• Mother Mary Lange Catholic School (Baltimore)

Several other Archdiocesan and Independent Catholic schools in Baltimore City also enroll PIE award recipients. Founded in 1996, the PIE program today awards nearly $1.2 million across approximately 600 scholars each year. PIE scholars have a 95% attendance rate, and more than a 96% eighth-grade graduation rate. PIE scholars who graduate from high school have an 83% likelihood of enrolling in a two or four-year college or university. For more information about this program, please contact a school directly.

Archdiocesan School Fund

In addition to providing scholarships to students in Baltimore City through the PIE Program, the Archdiocese recognizes the financial need of students attending schools throughout the Archdiocese of Baltimore. The Archdiocesan School Fund combines multiple sources of scholarship money including, but not limited to, the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal, Special Assessment of Parishes, and proceeds from the Sale and Lease of School Buildings. These funds are then granted to students throughout the Archdiocese who apply through FACTS Grant and Aid.

Maryland 529 Plans

Families can now use the money saved in their Maryland 529 plan for tuition expenses of up to $10,000 each year at a private, public and religious K-12 school. For more information, please click on the documents below.

Maryland 529 flyer

Maryland 529 flyer2

What are Scholarships?

Scholarships are merit-based awards that fall under a variety of factors such as academic achievement, leadership, family legacy, or fine arts. Scholarships do not need to be repaid; however, some scholarships have certain grade point requirements or participation in the school’s activities for maintenance throughout an entire high school career.

Scholarship opportunities available for students applying to a Catholic school (either Independent or Archdiocesan) include:

Children’s Scholarship Fund Baltimore (CSFB)

CSFB is a privately funded organization providing partial scholarships to low-income families in Baltimore City, helping them afford the cost of tuition at the private school of their choice. The program is intended as a helping hand for families enrolling their children at a private school for the first time.  For more information, and to apply online, visit https://www.csfbaltimore.org/.

Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Young Scholars Program

The Foundation’s Young Scholars Program is designed to nurture exceptional students who have demonstrated, through academic excellence and extracurricular activities, that they have the potential to excel. Students apply for the program in 7th grade, enter the program in 8th grade, and continue through high school. Applications are typically due in mid-April. For more information and to apply online, visit www.jkcf.org.

The Knott Scholarship Funds

The Knott Scholarship Funds award four-year, full-tuition scholarships to attend a Catholic parish elementary school or a Catholic high school within the geographic area of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.  These scholarships are awarded to Catholic students who excel in academics. To apply, the student must be in grade 4 or grade 8, and must live in Baltimore City, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Harford, or Howard County. 

Contact:
The Knott Scholarship Funds
5850 Waterloo Road, Suite 140
Columbia, MD 21045
443-325-7884
Knottscholars@gmail.com
www.knottscholar.org

Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship

Awarded through the Institute for Educational Advancement, the Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship is awarded to exceptionally gifted middle school students who have demonstrated academic and personal excellence. The application process takes place when the student is in 7th grade.

Contact:
Institute For Educational Advancement
625 Fair Oaks Avenue, Suite 285
South Pasadena, CA 91030
626-403-8900
https://www.educationaladvancement.org/programs/caroline-d-bradley-scholarship

Knights of Columbus Scholarships

The Maryland State Council of the Knights of Columbus is the sponsor of several high school scholarships for its members and for Catholic students in general. The application period begins November 1st, and all applications must be received by the scholarship committee no later than March 1st. For more information or for applications, visit their web site, or write to:

Maryland State Council
Knights of Columbus
10815 Stang Road
Owings Mills, MD 21117

The Frederick M. Gossman Memorial High School Scholarship

Designed to assist sons and daughters of members of the Knights of Columbus in paying tuition at accredited Catholic high schools, three grants of $1,500 per year, for up to four years, are awarded.  Awards are made on the basis of academic excellence, personal qualifications, and financial need.

The William J. O’Brien, Jr. Memorial Catholic High School Scholarship

Three grants of $1,500 per year for up to four years are awarded.  Open to Catholic students officially accepted at, or already attending accredited Catholic high schools in the jurisdiction of the Maryland State Knights of Columbus. Eligibility is open to Catholic students who are residents of the state of Maryland, and to children and grandchildren of Knights of Columbus council members within the jurisdiction of Maryland. Applications are judged based on academic excellence, personal qualifications, and financial need.

Theresa F. Truschel Charitable Foundation, Inc.

Established to provide scholarships to students attending Catholic schools at all levels, and grants to Catholic institutions and organizations helping those who require temporary financial assistance to support themselves and their families. Applications must be postmarked by April 30th.

Contact:
P.O. Box 19142
Baltimore, MD 21284
Phone 410-494-4463
Fax: 410-494-4492
Email: TheresaFTruschel@gmail.com
https://theresaftruschel.googlepages.com

Each individual school may award scholarships based on certain criteria.  Contact the school office for more information.