Archdiocesan Scholarships

Our Catholic schools individually offer a variety of scholarships and financial aid options to help make them affordable and accessible for all those who wish to attend.

Catholic Education Scholarship Trust

Strengthening Catholic education was a key element of To Teach Who Christ Is Campaign, with over $150 million in campaign funds pledged to the Catholic Education Scholarship Trust. All funds designated to the trust are reserved exclusively for scholarships for students in Catholic schools in Cook and Lake counties. To ensure the trust is a long-term source of funding for scholarships, only a portion of its income is disseminated each year through The Phoenix Scholarship Program.

Phoenix Scholarship

The first Phoenix Scholarships were awarded from the Catholic Education Scholarship Trust for the 2016-17 school year. Since then, over $2.7 million dollars and 1,800 scholarships have been given to qualifying students. The scholarship may cover up to 50 percent of a student’s tuition with the balance paid by the parents or guardians of the student. The scholarship may be renewable annually based on a continued demonstration of need and meeting other criteria.

To be eligible for a Phoenix Scholarship, a family must have children who attend a school in the Archdiocese of Chicago, demonstrate financial need, and meet certain other criteria established by the Trust Board. The Trust Board has elected to prioritize scholarships for families and schools with the greatest need.

Caritas Scholarship Program

The Caritas Scholarship Program is offered to elementary school students attending Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic Schools.

The scholarship is awarded to families in need of financial support to continue placing their child or children in Catholic school. Without this scholarship, thousands of students would not have the opportunity to receive quality education and grow in a faith-based environment. These students are also able to be a part of a community at school and receive multiple avenues of support and encouragement from staff.

Since the program’s inception, over $10 million dollars in scholarship money has been awarded to nearly 7,000 students at 100 schools across the archdiocese.