Catholic School Tuition Assistance

The Catholic Education Foundation scholarship program enables students and their families to obtain the promise of a Catholic education.  The program is open to K-12 students with demonstrated financial need currently enrolled or applying for the next school year in any CEF-supported Catholic schools within the Diocese of Joliet. The standard CEF scholarship is $1,000 per student.

Phase II of the Catholic Education Foundation is now open, and the application is posted online. Families can access the application HERE. Please be advised that there are limited funds available for Phase II. Applications for Phase II are due on July 1, 2025. Families will be notified of a decision on or before July 15, 2025.

Scholarship Applications

A family must apply each year through FACTS Grant and Aid Assessment to qualify for a scholarship. All awards are made based on financial need. Complete only one FACTS application per family. Families are encouraged to apply early. Limited funds are currently available during Phase II, and award notifications will be emailed in July. The application can be filled out by clicking on the link above.

CEF Grant Application Timeline for the 2025-26 School Year:

Phase I

Application posts online: January 1, 2025

Application due date: April 1, 2025

Award notifications will be emailed to families: April 15, 2025

PHASE II

Application reopens online:

Application due date:

Award notifications will be emailed to families:

Helpful Tips:

Questions on how to complete the application form can be answered by calling the FACTS Helpline directly at 1-866-315-9262. 

For additional information about the Catholic Education Foundation’s tuition assistance program, contact Shirley Roberson at 815-221-6127 or by email at SRoberson@dioceseofjoliet.org

The Catholic Education Foundation Board is committed to helping families navigate the challenge of keeping their children enrolled in Catholic schools following the sudden termination of the Invest in Kids Scholarship Program.

As a result of the Illinois General Assembly not extending the Invest in Kids Scholarship Tax credit program, the Catholic Education Foundation Board of the Diocese of Joliet unanimously approved a $1 million one-time expenditure from its endowment. This allocation is being made to offset the $7 million loss in Invest in Kids scholarships families in the diocese received last year. This $1 million one-time expenditure from the Foundation provides additional financial assistance from the upcoming 2024-2025 school year for kindergarten through eighth grade students attending Catholic schools in the Diocese of Joliet. The Foundation is helping to cushion the blow to those families who previously received 100 percent funding through Invest in Kids.

Grade school students (K - 7) who previously attended a Diocese of Joliet school and received a 100 percent scholarship through the Invest in Kids Tax credit program will receive a $1,200 bridge grant, if they are still financially eligible for assistance. This is in addition to any other Foundation grants the student is eligible for such as the CEF grade school grant or the Hispanic Initiative Scholarship, etc.

If a family has already applied through FACTS, there is nothing else they need to do. If a family has not yet applied through FACTS Grant & Aid, they should do so before April 1, 2025, in order to be considered for the Bridge Grant.

Kazma Family Scholarship

The Kazma Family Foundation, in conjunction with the Catholic Education Foundation, offers four-year scholarships to 8th grade students enrolling in one of the Catholic Education Foundation supported Catholic high schools. 

Eligibility

Only Students from the Class of 2029 are eligible for this scholarship. Students must be active in their Catholic faith through their parish, have demonstrated financial need, and plan on attending one of the following schools:

• Benet Academy, Lisle

• Bishop McNamara Catholic School, Kankakee

• IC Catholic Prep, Elmhurst

• Joliet Catholic Academy, Joliet

• Montini Catholic High School, Lombard

• Providence Catholic High School, New Lenox

• St. Francis High School, Wheaton

Kazma Class of 2029 Application

Instruction Sheet for Kazma Application Class of 2029

Leaders for the Future

The Catholic Education Foundation recognizes the invaluable contribution of our strong principals and inspiring classroom teachers in the life of our Catholic schools. For this reason, the CEF wishes to support the training of leaders for the future. The CEF is committed to providing the financial support needed in the professional development of transformative leaders for our Catholic schools.

The Leader for the Future Program is a loan-to-grant initiative offered by the Catholic Education Foundation for principals and teachers pursing graduate level studies or certifications to further their educational career path within the Diocese of Joliet. The Foundation provides up to $6,000 in tuition reimbursement for diocesan educators pursuing in-demand leadership roles in our schools.

Once the educator completes two years of employment with the Diocese of Joliet, the no-interest loan converts to a grant and is forgiven.

If you are interested in learning more about the Leaders for the Future Program, contact Shirley Roberson at SRoberson@DioceseofJoliet. or click below to find the Leaders for the Future Application and Loan Agreement.

Application and loan agreement

• Leaders for the Future application

• loan agreement

endowed and current use scholarships

What is a scholarship?

Scholarships are funds established by Individuals, families, businesses, or groups of donors to provide aid to students in the Diocese of Joliet. The Catholic Education Foundation manages over 30 scholarship funds created by donors. Scholarships may be named in someone’s honor or memory - a friend, a teacher or loved one. The Catholic Education Foundation offers two kinds of scholarship funds: endowed scholarships and current use (unendowed).

Endowed Scholarships

An endowment is a permanent fund, often named for the donor(s) or other individuals. Endowed scholarships exist in perpetuity and often grow in size. An endowed scholarship is created with a minimum gift of $25,000. Endowed scholarships may be used for general use scholarships or for special restricted purpose. Endowed scholarship award amounts are determined by the Catholic Education Foundation scholarship committee policy.

Donations can be added to the endowment at any time to grow the principal, thereby increasing the award amount.

Current Use (Unendowed) Scholarships

Current use scholarships require a minimum donation of $5,000 and can be spent in the same it is established. The scholarship allocation is dependent on the donor’s interest and level of donation. This type of donation may not earn interest. Additional gifts can be added to the fund. This scholarship is terminated when the fund balance has been fully spent and additional gifts are not received.

How are scholarships awarded?

Families apply online for scholarships through a third-party financial grant management company. Scholarship applications are reviewed, and the Catholic Education Foundation distributes awards to the students’ schools. Distributions from endowed scholarships are made according to the specified requirements of each fund. For example, an endowed scholarship might be restricted to an eighth-grade student enrolled at St. Joseph’s school in Downers Grove.

The McShane Family Scholarship Fund is a current use scholarship fund restricted to Latino students attending St. Mary School, Plano.