It's More Affordable Than Ever!
Our goal is to provide a Catholic education to all families that want one for their child(ren). Our supporting parishes, tuition assistance, and gifts from generous donors cover the gap between what it costs to educate a child and the tuition families pay. Please contact us if you have any questions about affording a Catholic education. Many more families will qualify for an ESA this year, resulting in zero out-of-pocket cost for tuition.
Tuition Assistance: School Tuition Organization (STO) Grants
The STO application window opens in January each year. If you are eligible for an ESA (see below) you should still apply for tuition assistance if eligible. Tuition assistance is used first, potentially leaving extra in your ESA for use in future years.
The Our Faith School Tuition Organization (STO) is a charitable organization representing Catholic K-12 schools in the Archdiocese of Dubuque. The STO receives donations and allocates those funds as tuition assistance grants to Iowa school children for use at one of the schools represented by the STO.
Applications for tuition assistance are accepted online each year through FACTS Management. The deadline to apply for fall 2024 awards is May 3, 2024. Completed tax returns from the previous year are required for submission. For assistance completing the application, contact Tom Hogan, School Operations Manager.
Potential 2024 Income Qualifying Levels
# in Household 400% of Poverty Rate
2 $81,760
3 $103,280
4 $124,800
5 $146,000
6 $167,840
7 $189,360
8 $210,800
This means a family of four might qualify for fall 2024 tuition assistance at $124,800 annual income.
Education Savings Accounts (ESAs)
Eligible students can use their ESA to cover the listed tuition at BCSS next fall!
The Students First Act makes state funding available to support the success of every K-12 student in Iowa. Education Savings Accounts may now be used by eligible families to cover tuition, fees, and other qualified education expenses for Bosco Catholic Schools. If you are eligible, the state will fund your child's account to cover the K-12 tuition at Bosco Catholic Schools. Scroll down for eligibility information and learn more about ESAs at the Iowa Department of Education website.
In 2023, most people learned of their acceptance within minutes of applying for an ESA. A few families applying by income eligibility needed to submit additional information so we suggest applying early just in case.
If you are eligible for tuition assistance through the STO program you will need to apply for that as well as this funding is first applied to your tuition, potentially leaving extra in your ESA for future use.
Let us know if you have any questions about tuition, tuition assistance, and ESAs.
THE DEADLINE TO APPLY IS JUNE 30, 2023.
Eligibility
YEAR TWO: 2024-2025
- All entering kindergarten students
- All students enrolled in a public school
- Any student enrolled in a non-public school with a household income at or below 400% of the 2024 Federal Poverty Guidelines ($124,800 for a family of four.) These amounts are the same as those above for STO.
YEAR THREE: 2025-2026
- All K-12 students in Iowa - regardless of income
Local Tuition Assistance Fund
Bosco Catholic School System (BCSS) also provides tuition assistance to qualifying families. Please inquire.
Iowa Tuition and Textbook Credit
The Iowa Tuition and Textbook Tax Credit (TTC) is available to individual income taxpayers who have one or more dependents attending grades K-12 in an accredited Iowa school. The credit is equal to 25.0% of the first $2,000 paid for eligible education expenses for each dependent. If eligible education expenses qualify for both the TTC and for a distribution from a Section 529 plan, taxpayers may claim both the TTC and receive the benefit of the tax-free Section 529 plan distribution.