Information about Financial Aid

Saint Mary's High School has a long tradition of creating opportunities for any child to be able to receive a Catholic education. An education from our institution is an investment into your child's future, and we believe it is one of the best investments you can make. With that investment comes the actual cost of our education through our school's tuition. In order to help offset that cost, we have provided a financial aid process for all of our families. Our financial aid process is divided into two areas; Tuition Assistance and Scholarships.

 

 

TUITION ASSISTANCE

 

Tuition Assistance is need-based and determined by a variety of factors, including family size, income, net worth, number of children for whom the family pays tuition, and other data. This data is collected through FACTS, a third-party company that specializes in collecting and evaluating information.

 

 

 

 

 

Saint Mary's offers freshmen scholarships in three categories. Two incoming freshmen students will be awarded from each category. While these scholarships are merit-based, all applicants must also apply through FACTS with our FACTS application(listed above.) These merit-based scholarships will all require essays to be submitted in the area of concentration for the scholarship.

 

Saint Francis de Sales Scholarship for Academic Excellence is awarded to students who are at the top of their class and have demonstrated a great work ethic and academic excellence.

 

Saint Francis de Sales Scholarship for Community Services & Leadership is awarded to students who have helped make our world a better place through their service and/or leadership.

 

Saint Francis de Sales Scholarship for Visual & Performing Arts is awarded to students who, through their efforts, have demonstrated a great passion, dedication, and talent for the Visual and/or Performing arts.

 

 

1. Go to ServSafe.com- complete ServSafe Food Handler California Online Course & Assessment $15- Print Certificate 
2. Go to ServSafe.com- complete ServSafe Alcohol California Online Course- $15- Print Certificate
3. Go to California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and Register with ABC as a server on the RBS Portal- $3- Print Registration Card

CUT TUITION COSTS THROUGH YOUR EVERYDAY SHOPPING

 

Did you know? Your regular spending on groceries, gas, coffee, home improvement, clothing, or dining out can earn you more than $1,000 yearly toward tuition or other school-related costs. Put simply, your everyday expenses can help you save money!

 

Here’s how it works:

1. Join Saint Mary's RaiseRight program and buy physical, eGift, or reloadable gift cards to use as payment for your everyday expenses.Sign Up for RaiseRight here!
2. Brands automatically give up to 20% of every gift card purchase back to the school.
3. The school then credits that percentage directly to your tuition account.
4. Share the above link with family and friends to help you earn even more!

Plus, with a mobile app available for instant access to eGift cards and reload purchases, you can shop with gift cards and earn anytime, anywhere. 

 

If you'd like to learn more about Saint Mary's RaiseRight Program or have questions, contact Maia Aguirre at [email protected]. If you already have the enrollment code, visit RaiseRight.com/Enroll to sign up and get started. 

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

 

How are tuition assistance awards determined?

 

As mentioned above, Tuition Assistance is determined entirely from the data that comes from FACTS. The Saint Mary's High School Tuition Assistance Committee will review FACTS applicants and determine the amount of assistance we can provide each family individually based on available funds, how many families apply, and each family's needs.

 

How are scholarships awarded?

 

Much like Tuition Assistance, our Scholarship Committee will review your Scholarship application and the data we receive from the FACTS application to determine which scholarships you will be awarded.

 

Are there scholarships based on specific extra-curricular activities?

 

Yes! On the scholarship application, we will ask you to provide a list of extracurriculars your student is involved with. These answers will help us to determine which scholarships they may be able to receive.

 

How much tuition assistance can my family be awarded?

 

There is no pre-determined level of earnings that will automatically disqualify a family from tuition assistance. Applicants with similar income levels but different factors(number of students, assets owned, etc.) can receive different levels of assistance. Each applicant is treated as an INDIVIDUAL case. Therefore, we cannot give a range of assistance that could be awarded. Awards are determined on a case-by-case basis.

 

How do I apply for Tuition Assistance and/or Scholarships?

 

Applications for the coming school year will open December 1, and you can begin the financial aid process by completing your FACTS application(listed above). FACTS will charge a $40 fee to apply for Tuition Assistance. Go to "Parent Login," click "Payment Plan/Financial Aid," create an account, and complete the Application. Once you've completed the FACTS application, you can apply for scholarships by filling out the Saint Mary's Scholarship Application and providing the required information. 

 

When do I need to apply by and what happens after I fill out the application?

 

Our tuition assistance and scholarship applications will close on February 16th, 2025. Applications received after the deadline are not guaranteed financial aid. It is a common misconception that FACTS awards financial aid. Unfortunately, they do not. Instead, they calculate the family’s estimated need and the school works to provide tuition assistance knowing that our funds are limited since the school’s financial aid funding comes from designated donor support. We work very hard to allocate the limited funds available to us in a fair and equitable manner.

 

If I have a student currently attending Saint Mary's High School, do I need to complete the FACTS application every school year?

 

Yes. You must complete your FACTS Application to be considered for Financial Aid every year. Students must maintain a 2.0 GPA and remain in good disciplinary standing to be eligible for continuing assistance.

 

When will I be notified whether I have received tuition assistance or a scholarship?

 

For new students, once your child has officially entered the enrollment process in late March, your tuition assistance or awarded scholarships will be listed on your Financial Agreement. For current students, during the enrollment process of their next school year, they will be listed on your Financial Agreement.

 

Are there other opportunities to make tuition and fees more affordable?

 

Yes, families can apply for the Arena Volunteer Program(listed above) or families can also apply for extended payment plans through YourTuitionSolution.com by clicking on the thumbnail below.

 

Extended payment plans are available from Your Tuition Solution. Plans range from 24 to 84 months and cover tuition amounts to $50,000. Interest rates are fixed and can be as low as 4.99% APR. There are no application or origination fees and no prepayment penalty which allows parents to pay the loan off early if they’d prefer. Call (800) 920-9777, email [email protected] or visit their website at yourtuitionsolution.com