Scholarships – Aim Higher Foundation

The Aim Higher Foundation Scholarship

The Aim Higher Scholarship is a $1,000, student-based scholarship awarded to K-8 students from families with demonstrated financial need. Once a student is awarded the scholarship, they will continue to receive an additional $1,000 scholarship each year up to and through 8th grade as long as the yearly financial aid application continues to show need. The scholarship will also follow the student from year to year if he or she transfers to another Catholic school in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

To be eligible for the Aim Higher Scholarship, a student must be in enrolled in grades K-8 or have plans to apply to a K-8 grade, in a K-6, K-8, or K-12 Catholic school in the St. Paul and Minneapolis Archdiocese. Returning scholars, in grades 6, 7, or 8 are also eligible if they are enrolled in, transfer to, or plan to enroll in a 6-12 or 7-12 Catholic school. Eligible students must demonstrate financial need as determined by the TADS financial aid application.

Scholarships for the 2025-26 school year will be awarded during the following periods: :

November 1, 2024 through February 28, 2025
May 31, 2025 through August 25, 2025

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The Catholic Services Appeal /Aim Higher Scholarship

The CSA/Aim Higher Scholarship is a $1,000 student-based scholarship awarded to five students in grades K-8 from families with financial need at each eligible Catholic school. The scholarship is awarded annually based upon demonstrated financial need.

To be eligible for the CSA/Aim Higher Scholarship, a student must be enrolled in or have plans to apply to the grades K-8 in an eligible Catholic school in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Eligible students must demonstrate financial need as determined by the TADS application. Families fill out only one application to be considered for all available scholarships.

HOW DO I APPLY?

The primary application for the 2025-26 school year opens November 1, 2024 and remains open through February 28, 2025. Families who are currently enrolled in a Catholic school are strongly encouraged to complete an application for 2025-26 during this application window. Families fill out only one application to be considered for all available scholarships.

When the application period is open, apply by visiting TADS and completing the application for the school or schools to which your child is enrolling. Here’s how to begin:

Visit TADS, then click on the TADS “Financial Aid Assessment” tab to begin the application.
Create an account or login to your existing account.
Fill out the online Financial Aid application form. (This form has 23 sections. We recommend that you download and complete the 2025-26 Financial Aid Worksheet first and then transfer the information to the online application form.) A 2025-26 Financial Aid Worksheet (Spanish) is also available.
You will receive a TADS Reference Number once the online form is submitted. Note: Families have the opportunity to submit an optional “Letter of Special Circumstances” as an attachment to the TADS online application, allowing the family an opportunity to explain changes in financial or personal circumstances in the past year.
Near the end of the application, you will be asked to enter your child’s name in order to apply to either or both of the scholarships above.
Upload required documentation to your application.
The required documentation varies by applicant, but TADS recommends having your most recently filed federal taxes, W2s, and paystubs close by.
TADS reviews your application.
Once you have submitted the 2025-26 application online, TADS will audit your application to ensure accurate household need. This audit can result in a period of communication (email or phone requests made by TADS to you) and also may result in a request for the family to submit additional documentation to TADS.
The Aim Higher Foundation will automatically receive your application if you designate one or more K-8 Catholic grade schools to receive the application. Aim Higher Foundation and the school will review your application to determine aid. This process and notification timeline looks different for each of our partner schools.
TADS is available to help at each phase of the financial aid application. Please click the green “Need Help?” button on the right of your screen to find frequently asked questions. You can contact them via email, chat or phone for assistance. Support hours are 8:00 AM-6:00 PM CST Monday-Friday.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

When will I learn if my child received a scholarship?
For the 2025-26 school year, initial decisions will be communicated on or before March 24, 2025.

If my student receives other forms of tuition assistance, are they eligible for Aim Higher scholarships?
Yes. A student may receive tuition assistance from his or her school or another organization without affecting his or her eligibility for one of Aim Higher’s scholarships.

If my student received a scholarship last year, do I need to reapply again this year?
Yes. To be eligible for any of Aim Higher’s scholarships, both returning and new scholars must submit an application via TADS.

If my student is awarded a scholarship, when do we get the money?
The scholarship will be sent to the school on the student’s behalf after their enrollment has been verified in October. It will be applied directly to the student’s tuition amount by your school.

What happens if a student is awarded a scholarship but then declines it or has their enrollment application denied by a school?
An Aim Higher Scholarship that is declined or denied is returned to the Aim Higher Foundation.
A CSA/Aim Higher Scholarship that is declined or denied is awarded to the next eligible student.

If my child is awarded a scholarship and then transfers to another eligible school midway through the school year, does my scholarship follow my child to that school for that year?
The Aim Higher Foundation treats each scholarship as fully applied to the total cost of tuition at the time of the student’s enrollment verification in October. Therefore, Aim Higher Scholarships only follow the student to another eligible school at the beginning of each new school year up to eighth grade. CSA/Aim Higher Scholarships do not follow the student.

My child attends a 5-12 or 6-12 Catholic school. Are they eligible to receive a scholarship?
Students at 5-12 or 6-12 Catholic schools are eligible only if they are in grades 5-8 and were awarded an Aim Higher Scholarship in the previous year. The scholarship will follow them through 8th grade at whichever school they attend in the Archdiocese.

Other Questions?
Please contact Mike O’Keefe at 612-819-6711, ext 107 or by emailing Mike at [email protected].