Aim Higher Scholarship Opening Soon
Offered by Aim Higher Foundation
About This Scholarship
The Aim Higher Foundation is a Catholic education foundation serving the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, and its flagship Aim Higher Scholarship helps families with demonstrated financial need afford Catholic grade school. Awards are $1,000 or $1,500 per student depending on grade level, applied directly to tuition at a K-6, K-8, or K-12 Catholic school in the archdiocese.
What makes this program unusually valuable is its renewal promise: once a student is awarded, the scholarship renews every year through eighth grade as long as the family's annual financial aid application continues to show need. A kindergartner who qualifies can carry the award for nine school years, turning a $1,000 scholarship into a five-figure commitment.
Families apply through the TADS financial aid platform — the same application most Twin Cities Catholic schools already use for tuition assistance — so one application covers the Aim Higher Scholarship and every other award the foundation offers, including the CSA/Aim Higher Scholarship that grants $1,000 to five students per eligible school. The primary application cycle for the 2027-28 school year runs from November 1, 2026 through February 26, 2027, with decisions typically communicated in late March.
Eligibility
- Student enrolled in, or applying to, grades K-8 at a K-6, K-8, or K-12 Catholic school in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis
- Demonstrated financial need through the TADS financial aid application
- Renewal each year through 8th grade requires the annual financial aid application to continue showing need
How To Apply
- Create an account on the TADS financial aid platform
- Complete the TADS financial aid application and upload required documentation such as tax returns and pay stubs
- Submit during the primary cycle (November 1, 2026 - February 26, 2027) for the 2027-28 school year; one application covers all Aim Higher Foundation scholarships
- Watch for decisions after TADS completes its audit, typically in late March 2027
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my child have to already attend a Catholic school?
No. Students planning to enroll in grades K-8 at a Catholic school in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis are eligible alongside currently enrolled students.
Is the scholarship really renewable every year?
Yes. Once awarded, the $1,000 or $1,500 scholarship continues each year up to and through 8th grade, as long as the family's yearly financial aid application continues to demonstrate need.
What if we miss the winter deadline?
A summer cycle for the 2027-28 school year runs June 1 through August 23, 2027, though applying in the primary cycle gives the best chance at available funds.