STATE TAX CREDIT SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR FAMILIES WITH NEED
These awards are be granted to qualified candidates on a first-come, first-served basis.
Applications for the 2021-22 school year open in mid-January. If you qualify, please plan to be on a fast computer with good wifi to complete your application IMMEDIATELY. This gives you your best/only chance to be offered a scholarship.
- BIG SHOULDERS FUND SGO APPLICATION OPENS JANUARY 12
- EMPOWER ILLINOIS APPLICATION OPENS JANUARY 13
- Additional IMPORTANT Empower Illinois Application information can be found HERE.
Even once you have applied for a State Tax Credit Scholarship through Empower Illinois and through Big Shoulders Fund SGO, we ask that you ALSO please submit a FACTS Grant and Aid Application as you may not be offered a TCS scholarship.
These scholarships cover tuition and certain applicable fees, paid directly to the private school of choice for an Illinois student/family, if the family qualifies and funding is available. Scholarships can potentially cover 50%, 75% or even 100% of tuition, depending on the adjusted gross income and size of the family.
WOULD YOU QUALIFY? Check the chart below.
Note:
- If more than eight people in your household, for each additional person, add $4,180 (2017), $4,320 (2018), or $4,420 (2019) to the baseline FPL number for a family of 8 ($41,320 – 2017 or $42,380 – 2018) and then multiply by 1.85, 2.5 and 3 to arrive at the corresponding income limits.
- Foster children are deemed to have a household income that does not exceed 185% of the federal poverty level.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
In the fall of 2017, the Illinois legislature passed the Invest in Kids Act which provides a 75% Illinois state tax credit for donors who contribute toward scholarships for students from Kindergarten through Senior year in high school.
Contributions from donors will be made through qualified Scholarship Granting Organizations (Empower Illinois and Big Shoulders), and the scholarships will be awarded through the SGOs beginning sometime in the spring .
The Archdiocese of Chicago Office of Catholic Schools has contracted with Empower Illinois to be the SGO of choice for all of our Catholic Schools. Big Shoulders Fund is also a qualified SGO and, as an applicant through our school, you are asked to complete an application through BOTH SGOs.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON TAX CREDIT SCHOLARSHIPS, PLEASE VISIT THE ARCHDIOCESE OF CHICAGO CATHOLIC SCHOOLS SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION PAGE AT https://schools.archchicago.org/applying-for-a-tax-credit-scholarship