The Empower Illinois tax credit scholarship application will open on Tuesday, February 27 at 7pm. Click on the image for more information.
Beginning with the 2017-18 school year, young men in 8th Grade who will form the Class of 2022 will be awarded academic scholarships based on their scores on the St. Rita Scholarship Test held in December. Students will be tested in (3) subject areas: Math, English and Reading, and the average of their three sub-scores* will determine the amount of the academic scholarship. St. Rita will award automatic academic scholarships based on the National Percentile (NP) scores*. The test given will be the HSPT (High School Placement Test). The criteria below will be used to determine the academic award amounts:
National Percentile Score* based on their three sub-score average will earn:
96-99+ Score = $10,000 per year
90-95 Score = $5,000 per year
85-89 Score = $2,000 per year
*In order to qualify for an academic scholarship, students must test at St. Rita*
Financial Aid Information
All students who wish to enroll at St. Rita are welcome to apply for financial aid. In order to be considered for financial aid, a family must apply online (above). During the 2016-17 school year, financial aid awards ranged from $500 up to $10,000 with the average amount being between $2,000 and $2,500. In order to receive aid a family must demonstrate need and the student must be able to make a positive contribution to the St. Rita Family and community through academics, activities, or both. Legacy, merit and service awards are included in the dollar amount that a family receives. After filling out the online form for financial aid, it takes roughly three weeks for St. Rita High School to determine the amount of aid a family will receive for their son(s).
St. Rita offers need-based financial aid in addition to academic scholarships. All students may apply for financial aid throughout their four years at St. Rita. Through the generosity of St. Rita alumni, donors and benefactors, we are able to award over $1 million in financial aid, grants and awards to current St. Rita families. When awarding financial aid, many factors are reviewed, including (in no particular order) the students' number of siblings (and brothers at St. Rita), legacy connections to St. Rita, student involvement in grade school, student grades and test scores in grade school, parent and family employment status/income status, and other factors as well.
*Please Note: When applying for financial aid, a copy of your most recent taxes will be needed. It is acceptable to use last year's taxes to begin the process.
Financial Aid Q-and-A
Q: What is St. Rita's philosophy regarding financial aid?
A: St. Rita is committed to keeping the cost of a Catholic secondary education affordable for all families. As such we provide financial aid to families that that can show a demonstrated need.
Q: What is “demonstrated need?”
A: A "demonstrated need" is defined as the difference between the total amount a family can be expected to contribute based on their financial situation, and the cost of tuition. All families attending St. Rita are expected to contribute something toward their child’s education.
Q: What percent of St. Rita students receive financial aid?
A: In a typical year, approximately 70% of students at St. Rita receive some kind of financial aid.
Q: What was the average amount of financial aid awarded last year?
A: The average financial aid award for the freshmen class for the 2017-18 school year was approximately $2,500.
Q: What effect does a financial aid application have on my child’s admission application?
A: None. Your child will be accepted based on the results of the Entrance Exam, their elementary school transcripts, and their completed application.
Q: When will I receive a decision regarding my financial aid award?
A: Your financial aid package will be made available after your child takes the Entrance Exam at St. Rita and is formally accepted, but prior to the registration process.
Q: How do I apply for financial aid?
A: To apply for financial aid, please see the Facts Management link at the top of this page. You can contact Mrs. Rosemarie Boldt, Director of Financial Aid, at rboldt@stritahs.com for questions regarding Financial Aid.
Q: Do I have to re-apply for financial aid each year?
A: Yes you must apply each year due to the fact that your financial circumstances may change from year to year.
Q: Who has access to my financial information?
A: All financial information is highly confidential and only released to the financial aid committee.