Scholarships that Open the Door to Catholic Education

We believe every child deserves the best possible education, which is why we offer a variety of tuition assistance and scholarship programs. If you want your child to experience a well-rounded Catholic education, look no further than the Catholic schools in the Diocese of Orlando. Families of children who attend our schools have received more than $10 million in tuition and fee allowances. Here are some of the assistance programs that your child can benefit from at our schools.

Step Up For Students

One of two private scholarship funding organizations in Florida, Step Up For Students makes Catholic school affordable for families who may not have had the option in the past. This organization provides two great scholarships to Orlando Catholic Schools, the Florida Tax Credit scholarship, which helps with tuition for low-income families, and the Family Empowerment Scholarship, which helps families pay for products and services that assist children with disabilities. The state of Florida recently expanded scholarship eligibility, allowing Step Up For Students to provide financial assistance to even more families. 

“It is such a blessing to see more families eligible for scholarships to help pay tuition at Catholic schools,” Catholic school liaison for Step Up For Students Lauren May said.

Family Empowerment Scholarship

This scholarship program allows families to purchase products and services that make school more accessible for their children. Scholarship recipients include children with a documented intellectual disability, speech or language impairment, an emotional or behavioral disability, or a specific learning disability. There’s no need for children to have previously attended public school to qualify. Check this page to see if your child is eligible for the Family Empowerment Scholarship.

Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program

Florida recently became one of the first states to offer free prekindergarten to all 4-year-olds regardless of family income. Children in Pre-K programs learn at their own pace based on their stage of development, building a strong foundation for academic success. To apply for this scholarship, your child must live in Florida and be 4 years old on or before September 1 of the current school year. 

AAA Scholarship Foundation 

The AAA Scholarship helps economically disadvantaged families and those whose children have disabilities with tuition and fees. These annual scholarships make academic achievement accessible by helping children get into schools that support their needs. This program works directly with the Florida School Choice movement. To apply for this scholarship, start by filling out an application to determine your eligibility.

McKay Scholarship

The Florida Department of Education’s McKay Scholarship allows students with disabilities to attend a school of their choice. This scholarship covers a portion of tuition and fees. Students who qualify for this scholarship include K-12 students who have a documented intellectual disability, speech or language impairment, an emotional or behavioral disability, or a specific learning disability. You can find qualification requirements on this list. The McKay Scholarship will combine with the Family Empowerment Scholarship in the 2022 school year to allow even more students with disabilities to attend Catholic school. 

“The expansion of scholarship eligibility in Florida allows Catholic schools to open their doors to more families and impact more lives,” Lauren May said.

For more than 50 years, the Diocese of Orlando, which includes the top Catholic schools in Orlando, has been helping children grow to their fullest potential and become leaders within their communities. With the help of scholarship and tuition assistance programs, we are able to accept even more students into our Catholic school communities. We offer unique and dynamic learning environments that engage students and encourage them to become confident and responsible adults. To learn more about what makes us different, contact us today.