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.

Jump ahead to:

• Top Catholic Scholarships
• Top Catholic Colleges
• Summary of Catholic Scholarships
• Scholarships that are closed, but will open soon

Keep on reading to learn more about the top Catholic scholarships for 2021 including eligibility, award amounts, and application deadlines.

Top Catholic Scholarships

$2,500 Christian Connector Scholarship

• Eligibility: To be eligible for this scholarship, students must be a current high school freshman, sophomore, or junior interested in attending a Christian university or college.
• Amount: $2,500
• Deadline: May 31, 2021

$500 Hailey Julia “Jesus Changed My Life” Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to Christian high school and undergraduate students who write an essay about how their lives changed because of Jesus
• Amount: $500
• Deadline: April 14, 2021

Italian Catholic Federation Scholarships

• Eligibility: High school students living in California, Arizona, Nevada, or Illinois.
• Amount: Up to $1,000
• Deadline: March 15, 2021

Knights of Columbus Scholarships

• Eligibility: High school students who will enroll at a Catholic college or Catholic university in the United States. They must be members in good standing of the Knights of Columbus, a son or daughter of such a member, or of a such a deceased member
• Amount: $6,000 ($1.500 per year for a total of four years)
• Deadline: April 1, 2021

National Catholic College Admission Association Scholarship

• Eligibility: High school seniors planning to attend a member college of the National Catholic College Admission Association (CCAA)
• Amount: $1,000 (16 awards will be given out)
• Deadline: April 1, 2021

Catholic United Financial Scholarship

• Eligibility: Students must be members of the Catholic United Credit Union for at least two years
• Amount: Up to $500
• Deadline: April 30, 2021

Young Christian Leaders Scholarships

• Eligibility: High school seniors or college student who are active in their churches and permanent residents of Connecticut, New Jersey, or New York
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: Rolling through August 30th

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.

Summary of Catholic Scholarships

1. $2,500 Christian Connector Scholarship
2. $500 Hailey Julia “Jesus Changed My Life” Scholarship
3. Italian Catholic Federation Scholarships
4. Knights of Columbus Scholarships
5. National Catholic College Admission Association Scholarship
6. Catholic United Financial Scholarship
7. Young Christian Leaders Scholarships

Scholarships that are closed, but will open soon

Newman Society Essay Scholarship Contest 

• Eligibility: High school seniors  who sign up and explore the Newman Society’s tips for navigating the college search
• Amount: $5,000
• Deadline: February 15, 2021