TUITION ASSISTANCE

If you are experiencing financial difficulty due to the pandemic, please contact Mrs. Jones or Fr. Adam. 

We strive to ensure that our youth are able to receive a Catholic education despite the possible inability to pay.  If you have financial need, please take advantage of these opportunities. Parents of students currently receiving scholarships are reminded that all scholarships are for one year only and anyone seeking to renew a scholarship must reapply. Scholarship opportunities are subject to change based upon availability of funds. ​ For further information, please contact Development Director, Danielle Gill, at gill.danielle@stmaryspontiac.org. 

The following scholarships are available for students entering Grades K - 8:

ILLINOIS TAX CREDIT SCHOLARSHIP - available to all income eligible families

Through the Invest in Kids Act, K - 12 students have the opportunity to receive Illinois tax credit scholarships to attend private schools. This scholarship opportunity is available to all income-eligible St. Mary's families. Scholarships cover up to 100% of private school tuition and fees and will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications for the 2020-2021 school year will be accepted beginning January 15, 2020, at 6:30 p.m. Again, awards are made on a first-come, first served basis so mark this date on your calendar. For complete details on income eligibility guidelines or to submit an application, visit the Empower Illinois website.

JOHN LANCASTER SPALDING SCHOLARSHIP - available to all income eligible Catholic families

Tuition assistance from the endowment fund established as a result of the Diocese of Peoria ROOTED IN FAITH Campaign and named in honor of Archbishop Spalding, the first Bishop of Peoria, will be available for the 2020-2021 school year for students enrolled in or intending to enroll in grades K – 12 in any Catholic School located in the Diocese of Peoria whose families are members of a Catholic Parish in the Diocese.  All scholarship awards will be based on financial need objectively assessed. Families of students currently receiving assistance are reminded that all scholarships are for one year only.  

Applications for the 2020-2021 academic year will be accepted beginning December 2019. The application deadline is May 31, 2020. Families must upload either their federal 2019 OR 2018 tax return.  Regardless of which year’s tax return they upload, they must also upload their 2019 W-2’s.  NO EXCEPTIONS will be made to the May 31st deadline! 

Application Instructions:

Families need to complete these steps to be considered for assistance.   All information is due to the Diocese by May 31, 2020. You must first apply for the John Lancaster Spalding Scholarship in order to be eligible for assistance from the St. Blaise Scholarship Fund.  
​
1.  Apply to FACTS Grant and Aid Assessment online at https://online.factsmgt.com/signin/42HVK
    There is a $30 application fee that is payable when the application is submitted at the FACTS website. 

    FACTS will send their assessment to the Diocese and to St. Mary's School for distribution of available funds.

2.  To be eligible for this scholarship, you will need to be in good standing with St. Mary's School and St. Mary's Parish.  This means that your church attendance and tithing must be current and if you have children currently enrolled at St. Mary's, your tuition payment plan must be up-to-date. 

3.  You need to have a letter of good standing sent to the Diocese. Contact the school office and we will send letters from the school and the church on your behalf.  If you do not have the letters sent, you will not be eligible for assistance.

ST. BLAISE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP - available to all income eligible Catholic families

The St. Blaise Scholarship Fund was established in loving memory of St. Mary’s student Blaze Masching, whose outgoing personality and enthusiastic passion for life are fondly remembered. His spirit will live on as this scholarship fund helps current and future generations of SMS students.

The St. Blaise Scholarship Fund provides tuition assistance to those St. Mary's Parish families who demonstrate need.  To be considered for the St. Blaise Scholarship, families must follow the same application process as the John Lancaster Spalding Scholarship (outlined above). All tuition assistance will be based on a family’s financial need objectively assessed using the FACTS Grant & Aid assessment service. 

FACTS will send their assessment to the Diocese and to St. Mary's School for scholarship consideration.

To be eligible for this scholarship, you will need to be in good standing with the school and the church.  This means that your church attendance and tithing must be current and if you have children currently enrolled at St. Mary's, your tuition payment plan must be up-to-date.  

TUITION ASSISTANCE FOR NEW FAMILIES - must be income eligible

Catholic families	Non-Catholic families
John Lancaster Spalding Scholarship - subject to application deadline	Empower Illinois Scholarship - first-come, first-served
St. Blaise Scholarship - no application deadline for new students	-