If you are a college Catholic student, a Catholic scholarship may help you with your goals. Catholic and other religious scholarships offset the cost of tuition, books, fees and more. Unlike a loan, you don’t have to pay the money back, but do need to respect the terms.
Catholicism is the oldest branch of Christianity. The Church has many local and national scholarship awards.
The Catholic faith is a strong believer in helping its members and serving its community. Many scholarships thus reward active faith, values and community service. Also, a student’s financial need and grades can affect how they receive a scholarship.
Other criteria for eligibility may include:
Leadership
Church, school, branch or volunteer and charitable activities
Family membership/activities in the Catholic organization or Church
How Do I Apply for a Scholarship?
To apply for a Catholic scholarship, you often need to write an essay. The essay should also explain why your faith is important for you. Here are some other scholarship eligibility requirements:
Official transcripts
GPA and SAT/ACT scores
Financial aid information
Statement of personal goals
Information about the Catholic colleges you are applying to
References from people who know you
Also, make sure to proofread and check for spelling and grammar errors. Next, you should make copies of your essay and application. For any other questions, you should contact the scholarship sponsor.
Why Consider Catholic Scholarships?
The Roman Catholic Church has the largest system of private schools in the United States. According to the NCES, there are 8,351 schools which serve 2,516,000 students.
Tuition at private Catholic Colleges is higher than most public colleges and universities. One study looked at the average cost of attending (COA) a four year institution. It found that the COA of a private not for profit four year institution is $50,300. That’s above the $32,200 COA for a private for-profit institution. Both also exceed the cost of attending a public institution which rings in at $24,300.
Many Catholic colleges and universities also offer this kind of funding. For example, the Catholic University of America. First year students who are parishioners in the Catholic Church can apply for the Parish Scholarship. The scholarship award amount is $4,000 annually. Other sources include:
Private donors
Catholic financial organizations
Non-for-profit Foundations
Catholic high schools also award scholarships to local students. Many private schools offer funding to low income families. To apply for a scholarship, you will need to contact the school’s principal.
Do Catholic High Schools Give Scholarships?
Also, many foundations offer tuition funding too. For example the Shepherd Foundation operates from Washington DC. Over time it has raised about $7 million. They have helped over 9,000 students at over 50 Catholic schools in their Archdiocese.
Religious scholarships are a great way to avoid student loans. You will not have to worry about paying high college tuition and fees. They can also help you graduate college debt-free! Start your scholarship search now! Get matched to the right scholarships with our Scholarship Match Quiz!
List of Catholic Scholarships
Are you a Catholic student trying to locate funding options for your faith? The financial aid office of a Catholic college or university is one potential source. Applying for more than one may boost your chances too. We have 625 awards worth $561K. Check out our top Catholic scholarships below.
Catholic Order of Foresters is interested in developing future leaders for the Church and the community. This award is for high school seniors who will be entering college. Applicants must be insured members of the Catholic Order of Foresters. Each year 20 scholarships are awarded. Up to $5,000 awarded.
The PRCUA awards multiple annual scholarships for the purpose of providing financial assistance to students to earn undergraduate, graduate or professional degrees while actively celebrating their Polish heritage. Both members and non-members of the PRCUA are eligible to apply. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents with a minimum 2.5 GPA (3.5 on 5-pt scale) who have completed their freshman year by the application deadline. Undergraduate students must be enrolled full-time, but graduate and professional studies students are eligible with part-time enrollment. There are no application restrictions based on residency, age, gender, religion, school, major, or finances.
