Scholarships

Various scholarships to help reduce the out-of-pocket tuition cost for families are available to those attending St. Bernard Catholic School. See below for information regarding the available scholarships. Questions can be emailed to the School Principal, Tony Ertel, at [email protected].

Ohio EdChoice Scholarship
St. Bernard Catholic School is registered with the State of Ohio as an Educational Choice (EdChoice) Provider School. The EdChoice Scholarship Program provides students from designated public schools the opportunity to attend participating private schools. There are two types of EdChoice Scholarships: Traditional and Expansion.

The Traditional EdChoice Scholarship provides State of Ohio funded scholarships to Ohio residents who would otherwise attend underperforming schools. This program is based on the student's residence.

The EdChoice Expansion Scholarship is based on a student's family income. The EdChoice Expansion program offers scholarships that are determined by a family's Adjusted Gross Income (AGI). EdChoice Expansion Scholarships benefit families of all income levels. Click here for more information on the EdChoice Scholarship.

• State law establishes that students cannot be dually enrolled in the EdChoice and Jon Peterson Programs. Parents of students receiving the Jon Peterson Scholarship should speak directly to School Administration with any questions. 

Active Parishioner Scholarship
The St. Bernard Active Parishioner Scholarship is a tuition scholarship from St. Bernard Parish granted to students who meet certain essential criteria. The scholarship is made possible by the members of St. Bernard Parish who generously support St. Bernard School as an important ministry of the Church. The scholarship plays a double role of providing aide to families in need as well as encouraging families to fuller participation in the Church. The best and fullest education experience at St. Bernard School is one that is complemented by a student's (and family's) active and regular participation in Sunday Worship and Sacraments.

The Active Parishioner Scholarship has different structure for the 24-25 School Year. This year each of the 3 eligibility criteria comes with a specific financial award, up to a maximum amount of $1,750 per child.

To be awarded the Active Parishioner Scholarship, parents or guardians must meet the following criteria:

1. The student's family must be registered as members of St. Bernard Parish.
2. The student's family must meet all registration and tuition payment deadlines established by the School.
3. The student's family must be regular worshipping members of St. Bernard Parish Community and make every reasonable effort to bring their child to Mass. "Regular" here refers to a minimum of 30 Sundays during the course of the Calendar Year. For this particular eligibility criteria, these days will be tracked by the offertory envelope (with or without a monetary contribution) that is placed in the basket at Sunday Mass. (Financial Award= $750)
4. Charitable giving is an essential part of Christian living and that it is through the generosity of St. Bernard Parishioners that the Parish maintains its ability to support the School. As a parishioner a family has some obligation to participate in this giving. Though there is no minimum requirement for how much to include in the parish envelope (or online donation), a family must commit to giving something as a sign of participation and as a witness to their child of this integral part of being a Parish member. (Financial Award= $500)
5. Being an Active Parishioner entails giving of our time and talents. Though there is no minimum requirement for how much a family volunteers in the Parish and School, a family must commit to volunteering at least once during the year as a sign of participation in the life of the community and as a witness of proper stewardship to their child. (Financial Award= $500)

• Students in need of additional tuition assistance may be eligible for Need-Based Financial Aid. All Need-Based Financial Aid will be determined through the FACTS Management system.
• If a family's financial circumstances change during the current school year, creating a hardship for the family to pay tuition, parents are responsible for contacting the Parish Business Manager who will work together with the family to identify a reasonable payment plan, which may include Need-Based Financial Aid.