Affording Catholic School
While maintaining fiscal responsibility, our primary goal is to make our school a reality for all interested families. Please do not let financial constraints keep your family from joining our community. We will work with you. Tuition is payable through FACTs, a third party company that facilitates both family Payment Plans and our Tuition Reduction Program.
FACTs: In order to receive reduced tuition, families must apply through FACTs Tuition Assistance by April 15. Families must reapply each year. Income information for both parents is required. If you have children in other Catholic schools, only one application is required and tuition is coordinated between schools.In addition to FACTs, the following scholarships, tax breaks, and assistance are available to help defer tuition costs:
Richard & Catherine Gourde Scholarship: Richard and Catherine Gourde sent all of their 11 children to Saint Olaf Catholic School starting on opening day in September 1960 into the early 1990’s. Their dedication and testimony to the value of Catholic Education and Faith led to the creation of this need-based scholarship. Catholic families applying for FACT's are encouraged to apply. The Gourde Family wishes that every child would have access to Catholic Education, especially at Saint Olaf Catholic School where their family lived, learned and served.
Skaggs Tuition Assistance: This is a grant given to the school to help offset significantly reduced tuition for families and is income based. The school will notify families of eligibility and will request the required forms be completed. The Skaggs Scholarship is one way Utah Catholic Schools ensure all students have access to a Catholic education. Contact the school office for more information.
Carson Smith Scholarship: The Carson Smith Special Needs Scholarship Program (CSS) is a parent choice model for Utah residents that provides tuition assistance for eligible special needs students enrolled in eligible private schools. The scholarship is for students who would qualify for special education and related services in public schools. Check sources for details.
Children's First Education Fund: A brand new Special Needs Program is now active and available to all Utah K-12 students with an IEP or Multidisciplinary Team qualifying diagnosis meeting IDEA criteria allowing parents/families even more flexibility with scholarship funds to apply toward ensuring the best education for their student. Please check out this new scholarship opportunity as applicable to your student.
My 529 Savings Plan: A qualified tuition program (QTP), also referred to as a section 529 plan, is a program established and maintained by a state, or an agency or instrumentality of a state, that allows a contributor either to prepay a beneficiary's qualified education expenses at an eligible educational institution or to contribute to an account for paying those expenses. Contact a financial planner for further details. Qualified higher education expenses include tuition expenses in connection with a designated beneficiary's enrollment or attendance at an elementary or secondary public, private, or religious school, i.e. kindergarten through grade 12, up to a total amount of $10,000 per year from all of the designated beneficiary's QTPs.
Child & Dependent Care Tax Credit: Federal tax credits that allow families to deduct child care expenses, including PreK programs and extended day programs for older siblings. Deductions are up to $3,000.00 per child. You may be able to claim the child and dependent care credit if you paid expenses for the care of a qualifying individual to enable you (and your spouse, if filing a joint return) to work or actively look for work. Generally, you may not take this credit if your filing status is married filing separately. The amount of the credit is a percentage of the amount of work-related expenses you paid to a care provider for the care of a qualifying individual. The percentage depends on your adjusted gross income.
How to apply for the ACE Scholarship using FACTS: The ACE Scholarship eligibility is completely income based (2023 ACE Scholarship Financial Guidelines) and will require financial information and a completed FACTS application. The scholarship provides up to $3000.00 per student, annually, for tuition to private school, can be combined with other scholarships, and is available to siblings within a family who qualify. Applying for ACE Scholarships is relatively simple and done directly through your FACTS account. By clicking on the ACE Scholarship box, you can complete both the tuition forgiveness and the ACE Scholarship all in one. Saint Olaf Catholic School is an ACE partner school.
Utah Fits All Scholarship: The UFA Scholarship is for any Utah student seeking alternative education to public school, even part time. Parents receive $8000 per student through an Educational Savings Account for tuition or other educational expenses like tutoring or counseling. This scholarship is available for the 2024-25 school year with the application portal open February 28, 2024. For questions, explore the FAQ page or our contact page.