Tuition Assistance

“Wherever possible, Catholic schools should remain available and accessible in all areas of a diocese for children who are from poor and middle-class families who face major economic challenges. In addition, Catholic schools should be available to students who are not Catholic and who wish to attend them. This has been a proud part of the history of Catholic schools in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. We must continue this outreach in the new millennium.” [From the Statement on Catholic Schools by the USCCB]

St. Mark Catholic School’s Tuition Assistance Program is available to admitted St. Mark students.

All tuition assistance is given on the basis of demonstrated need. In order to provide impartiality and fairness to all families, need is assessed by FACTS Grant and Aid Assessment, a third-party provider. Only families who complete the FACTS evaluation process are eligible for tuition assistance. Awards are not renewable, and families must reapply every year. 

All applications are strictly confidential. Applications are reviewed by a Tuition Assistance Committee. The committee is a small group of individuals organized for the purpose of reviewing funding requests for tuition assistance. The group itself is anonymous and all information it reviews, financial or otherwise, is held in strict confidentiality. 

Applications for financial aid are accepted from February 1 to February 28. For 2024-2025, applicants are asked to submit their applications by February 28, and provide all required documentation by March 15. Award determinations are announced by April.

Since there are usually more families requesting assistance than there are available resources, submitting a late or incomplete application will negatively affect the likelihood and/or amount of an award.

The committee will only consider families whose financial standings have been verified by FACTS. Submitting an application does not mean that the application has been verified. FACTS will require copies of financial documents in order to verify an application. Families should work directly with FACTS to provide information in a timely manner.

The Tuition Assistance Committee will provide the family an opportunity (via confidential email or letter) to further clarify their tuition assistance needs for the coming year, including any unique circumstances or details that provide clarity to the numbers in the FACTS.

For additional information, please review the St. Mark Tuition Assistance Guidelines.

St. Mark Catholic Church & School is proud to offer five (5) needs-based scholarships for families enrolling a Pre-K student.

All families applying for enrollment for their Pre-K child are invited to apply.

The Pre-K Scholarship Program is designed to offer our high-quality Catholic formation and education program to families who might not otherwise afford this opportunity. Funding for the program is provided through the generosity of our school and parish community.  Each Pre-K Scholarship provides the cost of one student’s tuition for the 2024-2025 school year.

Families can apply for Tuition Assistance and the NC Opportunity Scholarship in the following years to help with the cost of tuition in grades K – 8.

HOW TO APPLY:

1. Apply for enrollment to St. Mark Catholic School
2. Complete the FACTS financial application. (opens February 1)
3. Prepare a one-page statement that explains why you want your child to attend.
4. Email your statement to Lisa Erling, Director of Admissions, at admissions@smcsnc.org.

The deadline to complete steps 1-3 is February 28, 2024.  Applicants will be notified once the application is reviewed.

If you have any questions, please contact admissions@smcsnc.org or (910) 398-6532. See our flyer for more information. 

The Diocese of Raleigh and the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA) currently have several opportunities to help families consider, afford or continue Catholic education for their children.