Student-centric advice and objective recommendations
Higher education has never been more confusing or expensive. Our goal is to help you navigate the very big decisions related to higher ed with objective information and expert advice. Each piece of content on the site is original, based on extensive research, and reviewed by multiple editors, including a subject matter expert. This ensures that all of our content is up-to-date, useful, accurate, and thorough.
Our reviews and recommendations are based on extensive research, testing, and feedback. We may receive commission from links on our website, but that doesn’t affect our editors’ opinions. Our marketing partners don’t review, approve or endorse our editorial content. It’s accurate to the best of our knowledge when posted. You can find a complete list of our partners here.
Top 23 Catholic Scholarships in June 2023
According to research from Pew, there are over 50 million Catholics in the United States. This makes Catholicism one of the most common religious denominations in the country. This also means that there are many Catholic scholarships out there to support Catholic students!
In this guide, you will learn about private Catholic scholarships, as well as some of the top Catholic colleges and universities that offer merit scholarships to prospective students.
Keep on reading to learn more about the top Catholic scholarships, including eligibility, award amounts, and application deadlines.
Jump ahead to…
- Top scholarships for Catholic students
- Top scholarships at Catholic colleges
- How to win Catholic scholarships
- Tips for Catholic students
- Resources
- Frequently asked questions about Catholic scholarships
- Additional scholarship categories
Top 16 Catholic Scholarships in June 2023
The Scholarships360 Research Team reviews all scholarships individually and strives to exclude any scholarship where any of the below applies:
- The scholarship requires a fee to apply
- The scholarship provider’s privacy policy allows for the misuse of student data
- The scholarship requires paid membership in an organization (with certain exceptions for reputable trade organizations and others)
- Student are required to sign up for a site or service to apply*
- The scholarship seems primarily used for lead generation** or idea harvesting purposes***
- The scholarship website has many grammatical errors and/or advertisements
- The scholarship or scholarship providing organization seem untrustworthy
- There is no evidence the scholarship was previously awarded
- The scholarship has not been awarded in the past 12 months
- There is no available contact information
If you believe a scholarship has been published in error, please reach out to [email protected] and we’ll take a look!
* There are certain exceptions to this, for example if the sponsoring organization is a major corporation or nonprofit with its own scholarship application system.
** Lead generation scholarships will require students to sign up for an app or website and require minimal (if any) application requirements.
***Idea harvesting scholarships will require students to submit blog posts or other materials that companies may use for marketing purposes.
Annual Catholic College Scholarship
Are you a current high school student interested in attending a Catholic college or university? If so, consider applying for the Annual Catholic College Scholarship! In order to apply, you…
$10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship
The Scholarships360 $10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship is open to all students who want some extra help paying for their education. Whether you are a high school student who hopes to…
Show More$2,000 Nitro College Scholarship – No Essay
Easy scholarship from Nitro College open to all high school, college, community and graduate students.
Niche $15,000 No Essay Scholarship
Open to all high school and college students, as well as anyone looking to attend college or graduate school in the next year.
COF Fraternal Scholarship
Are you a prospective or current college student and member of the Catholic Order of Foresters (COF)? If so, you might be interested in applying for the COF Fraternal Scholarship!…
Show MorePamfil and Maria Bujea Family Orthodox Christian Seminarian Scholarship
The Pamfil and Maria Bujea Seminarian Scholarship is a unique opportunity for Orthodox Christian seminarians with a passion for serving the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America in Canada. This scholarship…
Show MoreARFORA Helen Muntean Education Scholarship for Women
Are you a female communicant member of a parish or mission of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America, or the wife or daughter of a communicant member who has completed…
Show MoreARFORA/Martha Gavrila Scholarship for Women
Are you a female graduate student who has been a voting communicant member of a parish/mission of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America for at least one year? If you…
Show MoreARFORA Undergraduate Scholarship for Women
The ARFORA Undergraduate Scholarship for Women, established in 1994, offers a $1,000 award to eligible female students who have completed their first year of undergraduate studies. To qualify, applicants must…
Show MoreCharles W. Riley Firefighter and Ambulance and Rescue Squad Member Scholarship Program
Are you an active career or volunteer firefighter, ambulance, or rescue squad member serving Maryland communities? If so, consider applying for the Charles W. Riley Firefighter and Ambulance and Rescue…
Show MoreCatholic United Financial Post-High School Tuition Scholarship
The Catholic United Financial Post-High School Tuition Scholarship is funded by Catholic United Financial, an organization that financially protects and connects members through faith and joyful service at every step…
Show MoreICF First-Year College Scholarship
Are you a Roman Catholic high school senior who lives within the Roman Catholic Dioceses or where the Branches of Federation were established in California, Arizona, Illinois or Nevada? If…
Show MoreThe National CCAA First-Year Scholarship
The National CCAA First-Year Scholarship is funded by the National Catholic College Admission Association, an organization of Catholic colleges and universities committed to promoting the value of Catholic higher education…
Show MoreEmmett J. Doerr Memorial Scout Scholarship
Are you a service-oriented, Catholic high school senior actively involved with a Scout Troop, Venturing Crew, or Sea Scout Ship? Furthermore, have you been awarded for your involvement and do…
Show MoreBriana Tigue Medina Nursing Scholarship Fund
Are you a high school senior planning to study nursing in Arizona? If so, you may be eligible for the Briana Tigue Medina Nursing Scholarship Fund! The scholarship is open…
Show MoreNewman Society Essay Scholarship Contest
Are you a high school senior who values both higher education and your Catholic faith? The Newman Society Essay Scholarship Contest may just be a great opportunity for you! The…
Show MoreTop scholarships at Catholic colleges
In addition to private scholarships, Catholic students should consider Catholic colleges and universities. Institutional financial aid can include generous merit scholarships, as well as need-based financial aid.
Some of the top Catholic Colleges are:
Boston College (Chestnut Hill, MA)
- Boston College only offers one merit scholarship program, the Presidential Scholars Program, which is a full tuition scholarship that 15 students per year will receive.
University of Dayton (Dayton, OH)
- The University of Dayton considers all accepted students for merit scholarships. These awards range from $59,000 to $109,000 over four years.
Fordham University (Bronx, NY)
- Fordham offers a variety of merit scholarship programs ranging up to the Cunnliffe Presidential Scholarship which is a full ride scholarship that includes tuition, room, board, other fees, and up to $20,000 over four years for academic enrichment.
- Since Fordham is a test-optional college, students do not need to submit the ACT or SAT to be considered for merit scholarships.
Georgetown University (Washington, D.C.)
- Georgetown does not offer merit scholarships, but does meet 100% of demonstrated financial need for all admitted students.
- To receive financial aid from Georgetown, students must submit both the FAFSA and the CSS Profile.
College of the Holy Cross (Worcester, MA)
- While most of Holy Cross’ financial aid budget is focused on supporting need-based aid, there are some merit scholarships available (many of these merit scholarships also have a need-based component).
Loyola Marymount University (Los Angeles, CA)
- Loyola Marymount offers merit scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $25,000 per year. All students who apply and are accepted to LMU are considered for these scholarships so no additional application is needed!
University of Notre Dame (South Bend, IN)
- Notre Dame offers the Notre Dame Scholars Program, which is a renewable scholarship worth $25,000 per year that 20 students will receive per year.
- Notre Dame also offers the Stamps Scholarship which is a full tuition scholarship that also includes $12,000 of additional funding for students.
University of San Diego (San Diego, CA)
- University of San Diego considers all applicants for merit scholarships that range from $18,000 to $25,000 per year.
- Since USD is test-optional, ACT and SAT scores are not required parts of the scholarship review process.
Santa Clara University (Santa Clara, CA)
- Santa Clara merit scholarships include awards that are full ride, full tuition, and half tuition.
- There are also specific scholarships for legacy students, as well as for students talented in theater, art, and music.
Villanova University (Villanova, PA)
- The Villanova Presidential Scholarship is a full ride scholarship for high-achieving students who are also leaders in their communities.
- Villanova’s other merit scholarships also have a need-based component, so the only pure merit scholarship is the Presidential Scholarship.
How to win Catholic scholarships
Because Catholic schools are mostly all private, they can come with some higher tuition rates than other schools, which means finding and winning scholarships is important!
Take advantage of our article for how to write a winning scholarship essay and our ultimate guide for how to find scholarships and win them!
Applying to many scholarships means each one will have its own challenge. Review the various scholarship essay prompts that are out there and how you can write a scholarship resume to help you tackle those challenges!
Tips for Catholic students
Applying for scholarships that are specific to Catholic students means you might be asked to talk about your faith. Writing about your faith is something you should become comfortable with. Ask friends or adults in your life for some suggestions on how you can do this better. They may have even had to do the same thing when they were a student!
Resources
Campus ministries
As a catholic college student your faith is something you’ll probably care deeply about. Finding a campus ministry to be involved with is a great choice. Catholic colleges will have their own ministries and churches associated with them. However, even if your college is not specifically a catholic college, you’ll likely be able to find college ministries like Campus Crusade for Christ.
