Financial Aid

 

Dear Families of Our Lady of Fatima,

 

The diocese of Pittsburgh offers tuition aid to qualifying families through the Bishop’s Education Fund and the EITC program.

 

All parents applying for either grant must have their needs assessed by FACTS, a company who specializes in evaluating financial needs.  Parents must submit a copy of their federal tax return, state tax return if applying to SOS, a completed current “Student Aid Form” (with their pastors’ signature if applying to BEF), and a small application fee.  All forms are due no later than March 16th.  Incomplete forms will be on hold until all information is received and you may risk losing the funds available to those who are on time with their completed application.

I strongly encourage you to apply for either or both of the above available grants.  All information is confidential.  If you fall within the guidelines, please proceed with the application

 

Only one application per family is needed.

 

All information needed to apply for aid, including the link to the FACTS online application, is on the diocesan website under the “Catholic Education” tab. Click HERE for more information.

 

The needed documentation for complete application is:

 

New families enrolling can still apply but monies my be limited after June 1st.

 

 

Awards will be sent home during the month of June.  If you receive a grant, the money will be deducted from the overall tuition amount.  This will reduce your monthly payment.

 

Thanks again for your dedication to Catholic Education!

 

Thank You,

 

 

 

See More Info HERE direct from the Diocese!

 

We believe in Catholic Education.  We realize that most parents make a financial sacrifice to send their children to a Catholic school.  We want to encourage any family that would like their child to get a quality education and  be a part of a Catholic community to review the information below.  It is workable and it is possible!!

 

 

The Bishop’s Education Fund, which was founded over a decade ago and which has given millions of dollars in grants to Catholic school students in our Diocese, is awarded on the basis of financial need.

 

To be eligible, applicants must (1) be practicing Catholics registered in a parish in the Diocese of Pittsburgh, (2) attend one of the diocesan, parish, or regional schools and (3) have demonstrated financial need.  In general, grants from the Bishop’s Education Fund range from $150 to $1,000 for OLOF students.

 

 

The Scholastic Opportunity Scholarship (SOS) Tuition Assistance Program was developed when the Pennsylvania legislature established Act 4 in May of 2001. This law established the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) to be administered by the PA Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED).  Act 4 authorized the award of tax credits to businesses that make contributions to certain scholarship organizations.

 

As a result of the EITC program, the Diocese of Pittsburgh formed the Scholastic Opportunity Scholarship (SOS) Program to receive and distribute tax credit gifts.  The funds available through the SOS Program are awarded to families based solely on economic eligibility requirements. Students who are PA residents enrolled in any Catholic school in the Diocese of Pittsburgh are eligible. Applicants can be Catholic or non- Catholic.  The funds are sent in the student’s name to the school where the child is enrolled. Please check the income guidelines to see if you qualify for tuition aid.  In general, grants from the SOS Program have ranged from $100 to $1,500 per student.

 

 

Parents must have the pastor sign their form, verifying that they are Catholic, prior to sending it for evaluation.  As the form notes, parents may ask the pastor to sign a partially completed form which does not contain their financial information.  A pastor’s signature only confirms that the family is indeed Catholic, based on the appropriate canonical criteria.  Signing the form does not commit a parish to financial obligation for aid.

 

The Signed application must be sent directly to FACTS as indicated on the application form.  A check in the required amount made out to FACTS must be included with the form.  This is standard procedure for a needs assessment service.

 

 

Even though a family might have children at both the elementary and secondary level, only one application is necessary.   Parents may leave the tuition information blank for children attending a Diocesan Catholic school.  If children attend any other schools charging tuition, however, they should fill in that rate.  Our tuition rates will be communicated directly to FACTS.  Any family may apply.  Awards depend on a number of factors (i.e., income, tuition rates, need of other families, etc.).  PSAS will evaluate any properly submitted applications.