The Office of Catholic Education and the Diocese of Cleveland offers tuition assistance based on financial need.

Beginning in January, applications for Diocesan Tuition Assistance are available online, in Trinity's business office or through the Diocese. An independent company, Private School Aid Service (PSAS), is used for the financial review. Diocesan Tuition Assistance comes from the Diocese of Cleveland, not from PSAS or Trinity High School.

Diocesan Tuition Assistance is accepted and evaluated in two rounds. The application deadline for round one is March 1 and families are notified in early May if assistance has been awarded. The application deadline for round two is June 1 and families are notified in early July if assistance has been awarded. The Diocese awards 80 percent of available funds in the first round. No Diocesan funds will be available after June 1.

Families with a student currently enrolled in the eighth grade who completed the PSAS early application form for Trinity, or any other high school in the Diocese of Cleveland, will automatically be evaluated for first round Diocesan Tuition Assistance.

Click here to download a copy of the 2013-2014 interactive PSAS application.
Click here to visit the Diocesan Tuition Assistance Web page.

The Catholic Education Endowment Trust (CEET) was established in 1976 by the Cleveland Catholic Diocese to promote Catholic education, provide support for religious education programs, and to offer tuition-aid scholarships to families with financial need who desired a Catholic education for their children. As part of this initiative, CEET sponsors a scholarship program to encourage the pursuit of excellence in Catholic education. This program is the Bishops' Scholarship for Excellence.

Now in its 15th year, this scholarship awards:

• Six $2,500 scholarships to current 10th and 11th graders applicable to their 11th and 12th grade years, respectively.
• Sixteen $800 scholarships to current 6th and 7th graders applicable to their 7th and 8th grade years, respectively.

Guidelines/Criteria:

• The family is required to first complete a PSAS/Diocese of Cleveland application for the upcoming school year (see "Diocesan Tuition Assistance and PSAS" above). A copy of the PSAS/DOC application must be included with your Bishops' Scholarship for Excellence application. The original PSAS/DOC application should be mailed to PSAS for processing.
• There must be a documented financial need demonstrated by the family based upon the PSAS/DOC application.
• The completed Bishops' Scholarship for Excellence application should include:
  • A typewritten essay written by the student-applicant (minimum of two pages/maximum of three pages, double spaced) on the topic:
    "Our Catholic Faith teaches us to do the right thing. In your experience how do you know that you are doing the right thing and how does your faith influence you to do so. There are many times and instances where your friends and society ask you to do something other than the right thing. How do you explain your actions based on your faith? Give an example."
  • A letter of recommendation from two of the student-applicant's teachers.
  • A copy of the PSAS/DOC application.
    
    
• Each application must be returned to the student's principal by March 1, 2013.
  • Principal’s comments and signature are required.
  • A copy of the student's academic record should be attached.
    
    
• The Bishops' Scholarship for Excellence is awarded to a geographic cross-section of the Diocese.
• Recipients will be notified via U.S. Mail if a Bishops' Scholarship for Excellence has been awarded. A copy of the letter will be sent to the students' principals and pastors. All recipients will be invited to an awards ceremony and luncheon at a date and place to be announced.

To obtain a copy of the Bishops' Scholarship for Excellence application, please visit Trinity's Business Office.

The Geis Family Education Endowment Fund was established in December 2010 to ensure qualifying students are provided access to quality, Catholic education regardless of their ability to pay. The first Geis Scholars scholarships were awarded in the 2011-2012 academic year. The Erwin and Katherine Geis family has a long history of supporting Catholic ministries, and established this Fund as a lasting legacy to this family's commitment to providing a quality, Catholic education to eligible students. The Fund provides academic scholarships to students enrolled in selected Catholic high schools located in Cuyahoga County, Diocese of Cleveland, who have a demonstrated financial need and record of academic success. Trinity students qualify for this program.

Academic scholarships of $5,000 each will be awarded to students meeting the criteria cited below, with an opportunity for annual renewal with evidence of sustained excellence in faith, academics, community service and positive peer relationships. Principals may recommend three new students for the scholarship award in addition to resubmitting renewal applications. Ten scholarships are awarded annually. For the 2013-14 academic year, there are potentially 6 renewal and 4 new scholarship opportunities.

Criteria (students selected to apply:)

• Are currently enrolled in grade 8 or secondary Catholic Schools located in Cuyahoga County in the Diocese of Cleveland
• Can demonstrate financial need as evidenced by a completed Private School Aid Service (PSAS) application
• Can document a minimum scholastic achievement of 3.0 GPA
• Are involved in school life and consistently demonstrate positive character traits
• Are willing to participate in an informal gathering hosted by the Office of Catechetical Formation and Education with Geis family representatives. Geis Scholars would have the opportunity to meet their grantor(s) and express how they have benefited from the grant and from their Catholic education.
• Are willing to register on the National Student Clearinghouse prior to high school graduation.

Requirements

• Principals provide recommended students with the application materials.
• New and renewal students complete the Geis Student Essay section of the application.
• Parents complete the Geis Parent section of the application and attach documentation:
  • Copy of their completed PSAS form. (Note: Parents should send the original PSAS form and required tax documents directly to PSAS.)
  • Copy of the student's most current report card.
• Parent sends the complete package (Application, copy of PSAS, copy of report card) to the principal by February 15, 2013.
• Principals complete the school section of the Geis Scholarship application, reviews required documentation submitted by the family to ensure completion, and forwards the completed information to the Office of Catechetical Formation and Education by February 27, 2013.

In May, the grant coordinator in the Office of Catholic Education will send written notification to each of the recipient families and respective Catholic school principals. Call the grant coordinator in the Office of Catholic Education at 216-696-6525, or toll-free 800-869-6525 (Judy Nakasian, ext. 3250 or Peggy Lipinski, ext. 2830).

To obtain a copy of the Geis Scholars application, please visit Trinity's Business Office.