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 at Catholic colleges
- How to win Catholic scholarships
- Tips for Catholic students
- Resources
- Frequently asked questions about Catholic scholarships
- Additional scholarship categories
Top 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.
Frequently asked questions about Catholic scholarships
Does the Catholic Church give scholarships?
Do Catholic schools offer scholarships?
Explore these other scholarship categories
- Top scholarships for adults
- Top scholarships for high school seniors
- Easy scholarships to apply for
- Top scholarships for women
- Top scholarships for college students
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