Affordability
The Diocese of Palm Beach is proud to recognize its efforts and the efforts of its schools in making tuition affordable for those who qualify. Scholarships and tuition assistance are available for students through a myriad of ways.
Parents and guardians should review the links below for more information on state scholarships which may be available for your child. For information about the diocesan scholarships listed below, as well as individual school tuition assistance programs, please contact the Administration Office of the specific school where you wish to enroll your child. Diocesan scholarships are allocated to the schools, which determine recipients.
State Scholarships
Step Up For Students Scholarships: SUFS empowers families to pursue and engage in the most appropriate learning options for their children, giving parents choice. These scholarships provide financial assistance for private school tuition and related costs. Step Up For Students is a state-approved nonprofit scholarship funding organization that helps administer scholarships for Florida schoolchildren: the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program (FTC) and the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO) are available to Florida residents, regardless of household income, who are eligible to attend a K-12 public school. The Florida Empowerment Scholarships for Unique Abilities (FES-UA) are available for students with unique abilities starting at age 3 with a specific diagnosis. Click here for more information, https://www.stepupforstudents.org/.
AAA Scholarship Foundation: The mission of AAA is to promote education by administering innovative learning opportunities that enable families to choose the educational options that best suit their children. The AAA Scholarship Foundation has an extensive history of creating the highest level of accountability benchmarks has led to programs that take the corporate community’s requirement for efficiency and accountability seriously while we are still able to provide our donors with ease of participating. Click here for more information, https://www.aaascholarships.org/.
Scholarship Funds
The diocese is also grateful to the generous donors who have made funds available for scholarships and tuition assistance through applications at individual diocesan/parish schools.
The Lumen Christi Appeal and Second Collection for Catholic Education are allotted equally to the schools each year based upon the funds raised the prior year. The proceeds from the Lumen Christi Appeal and the Annual Second Collection for Catholic Education, conducted in January, provide funds for schools to use for special projects or scholarships. The proceeds are distributed to the schools of the diocese and principals, pastors and/or presidents determine the use at each location.
Lumen Christi Appeal
The Lumen Christi Appeal supports Catholic schools in the Diocese of Palm Beach. Now more than ever, our schools need the support of our community to ensure that children can continue their Catholic education, which is based on the Gospel message of Jesus Christ and rich in Catholic values and tradition. Diocesan Catholic schools provide for the education and formation of more than 7,200 students encompassing the five counties of our diocese. In developing the gifts, talents, and uniqueness of their students, our schools seek to prepare leaders and Christian stewards as a beacon of hope for the Church of the future. You can learn more and donate today at https://www.diocesepb.org/lumenchristi.
Helping Hands Scholarship Fund
The Helping Hands Scholarship Fund provides financial assistance to students, regardless of race, color, or creed, who attend a Roman Catholic elementary and/or secondary school located within the Diocese of Palm Beach. This supports the mission of the Roman Catholic Church in providing a quality education to all students. Principals receive requests for the scholarships and designate awardees with the approval of the Superintendent of Schools.
Lester N. Stockard Scholarships
The Lester N. Stockard Scholarships are available for new students to attend Catholic schools in Palm Beach County. The scholarships will be available for students entering a Catholic school in Palm Beach County and who have not previously attended Catholic schools. Preference will be given to students entering grades five through eight. The student must have a strong academic record or show academic potential, be a positive role model, and have demonstrated financial need. Contact the principal of the school you wish to attend to determine if a scholarship is currently available. The Lester N. Stockard Scholarships are funded through the generosity of the Honorable Lesly S. Smith and the Mary Alice Fortin Foundation.
The Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. Distinguished Scholars Program
The Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. Distinguished Scholars Program for the Diocese of Palm Beach awards scholarships to academically gifted young people with financial need, from public, private or Catholic elementary schools, to attend one of the three Diocesan Catholic high schools: Saint John Paul II Academy, Boca Raton; Cardinal Newman High School, West Palm Beach; and John Carroll High School, Fort Pierce. Each scholarship is awarded over the four-year high school career of the student, provided the recipient maintains standards of excellence to be determined by his/her school (academic grade point average of no less than 3.0, 25 hours of community service per year, extra-curricular participation, etc.) Contact the high school for information on the application process.
The Norma T. Pace Scholarships
In December 2018, the Most Reverend Gerald M. Barbarito, Bishop of the Diocese of Palm Beach, announced the Norma T. Pace Scholarships for Catholic schools in the Diocese of Palm Beach. Each school will have the opportunity for three scholarships. The student must have a strong academic record or show academic potential; be a positive role model through involvement in his or her school, parish or local community; and have demonstrated financial need. The Norma T. Pace Scholarships are funded through the generosity of the Norma T. Pace Foundation. Scholarships will be awarded by the principal, pastor, or president of each participating school. Provided that the student continues to meet the guidelines of the scholarship, the student may be eligible through the exit grade of his or her school.
