Affording a St. Catherine’s Education

St. Catherine’s School is proud to offer an all-girls Episcopal education for girls ages 3 through grade 12. We are committed to providing an exceptional opportunity to talented girls from across the Richmond region. Inquire to learn more about affording a St. Catherine education for your daughter. 

We firmly believe that a stellar education for your daughter is an investment in her future. We, too, invest in girls by providing need-based financial assistance to qualified students.
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St. Catherine's Parent

From the moment we decided to enroll our daughter at St. Catherine's School, the support we received from the school's financial assistance and admissions office was exceptional. They worked closely with us to grant a financial aid package that made it possible for our family to join the Saints community. The transparency in the process, along with the genuine commitment of the school to make quality education accessible, eased our financial concerns.

2024-2025 Tuition

Additional Fees apply. See the detailed breakdown of Tuition and Fees.

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  • Lower School

    Early Learners (age 3): $19,600
    Junior Kindergarten: $21,100
    Kindergarten: $26,360
    Grades 1-2: $27,100
    Grades 3-4: $28,550
  • Middle School

    Grades 5-8: $30,975
  • Upper School

    Grades 9-12: $33,400

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  • Payment Plans and Financing Options

    • Option 1: Full tuition paid by June 1 
    • Option 2: Tuition paid in three installments of 40% by June 1, 40% by September 1 and the remaining 20% by February 1. There is an annual $45 Blackbaud Tuition Management fee for this plan. 
    • Option 3: Ten monthly payments plan (May–February). There is an annual $45 Blackbaud Tuition Management fee for this plan. 
  • Tuition Insurance

    St. Catherine’s offers the option to purchase Tuition Refund Plan (TRP) insurance before the start of the school year. The School strongly recommends purchasing Tuition Refund Plan coverage to protect your tuition investment. After June 1, there are no tuition refunds unless TRP coverage has been purchased and there is a qualified event under the TRP Plan.
Our Financial Assistance program helps bridge the gap between a family’s ability to pay and the total cost of education by reducing a family’s contribution through a financial aid award.

Financial Aid by the Numbers

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  • 22%

    of students receive financial assistance
  • $3 Million

    total assistance awarded
  • $14,589

    average need-based financial assistance grant

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  • Need-Blind Admission

    Qualified students are accepted for admission regardless of the family’s ability to pay. Once accepted through the admission process, a separate and confidential financial aid process is conducted. 
  • Need-Based Awards

    Financial assistance grants are awarded on the basis of a family’s demonstrated financial need. Eligibility for assistance is determined by the School’s Financial Assistance Committee based on its evaluation of the Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS), which is conducted by the School and Student Services (SSS) by National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), and a copy of the family’s current and complete Federal Income Tax forms, supporting schedules and W-2 forms.
  • Parent Responsibility

    The primary responsibility for tuition rests with the family. In evaluating financial information, St. Catherine's Financial Assistance Committee takes into account the number of children in the household, ages of children, schools of children, additional dependents, assets and all sources of income. In addition, the School considers lifestyle choices, debts, expenses and spending priorities. Financial assistance applicants are expected to adhere to all application deadlines and must submit all paperwork on time.
  • Confidentiality

    The School upholds the confidentiality of personal financial data throughout the financial assistance process and expects families to maintain the confidentiality of awards granted.
  • Awarding

    Applying for financial assistance does not guarantee award eligibility. Eligibility for financial assistance does not guarantee that financial aid funds are available.
  • Renewal

    Financial assistance is evaluated each year based on several factors. The family must continue to demonstrate financial need and maintain favorable financial standing with the School's Business Office.
  • Priority

    A family must complete the Parent Financial Statement and submit all required documentation via SSS prior to all deadlines. Priority is given to current students who have received aid previously, followed by new students or current students whose families are applying for aid for the first time.

The Financial Assistance Process

Families interested in applying for Financial Assistance complete an application with the School and Student Services for Financial Aid (SSS), a division of the National Association of Independent Schools, and submit the supporting documentation. 

Based on the information provided by the family, SSS calculates what funds are available for their child(ren)’s education. The Financial Assistance committee reviews this information and determines the amount of aid we can offer. 

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  • Application Process

    As early as September 1, go to the SSS Portal. St. Catherine’s School Code is 6370.

    Click on the prompt to begin your Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS). You only need to complete one PFS, even if you have more than one child applying to St. Catherine’s.

    You will be given instructions about submitting supporting documents. All supporting documentation must be sent to SSS either electronically or by mail. Our office will not accept documentation. You will need:
    • A complete copy of your 2022 Federal Income Tax return along with all supporting schedules.
    • A complete copy of your 2023 Federal Income Tax return with all supporting schedules by May 1, 2024
    • A complete copy of your 2023 return as soon as possible but no later than February 15, 2024.
    • A copy of all parents’ 2022 W2s or 1099s
    • Business tax returns (2022 and 2023) for families who own their own businesses.
    • Additional documentation as requested from our office.
    Note: All Financial Assistance awards are verified using your Federal Income Tax 1040 form. St. Catherine's reserves the right to amend financial aid awards in the event the self-reported information on the PFS differs from the information included on the Federal Income Tax 1040 form.
  • Financial Assistance for Extended Day

    If your Junior Kindergarten-Grade 8 daughter will be enrolled in the after-school Extended Day program at St. Christopher’s School and you would like to be considered for a financial assistance grant for the program, please indicate so in your PFS on Question 21d., -included the number of days per week and the hours you will need care (3 or 5 days per week, until 4 p.m. or 6 p.m.). St. Catherine's Financial Assistance Office will communicate directly with St. Christopher's Financial Assistance Office when considering awards.

Important Dates & Deadlines

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  • Current Families

    • Nov. 1, 2023: For families who have requested financial aid information on the admissions application, St. Catherine’s will send detailed instructions electronically.
    • Dec. 12, 2023: Deadline for completing Financial Assistance applications and supporting documents. 
  • Applicant Families

    • Dec. 1, 2023: For families who have requested financial assistance information on the admissions application, St. Catherine’s will send detailed instructions electronically.
    • February 1, 2024: Deadline for completing Financial Assistant applications and providing supporting documents. 

First Citizens Merit Bank Scholarship for Upper School Students

Made possible by the Robert P. Holding Foundation, St. Catherine’s offers one merit scholarship opportunity annually to new students who apply to St. Catherine’s School in grades 9, 10 or 11. A separate scholarship application process is required. The Scholarship Application process will open in October 2023 for 2024-2025 Enrollment consideration. For more information, contact Jennifer Cullinan at jcullinan@st.catherines.org. 
Located in the heart of Richmond, Virginia, St. Catherine’s School is a private, all-girls pre-K, kindergarten, elementary, middle and high school. We provide a well-rounded educational experience for girls from communities across Richmond, Chesterfield, Henrico and all of central Virginia. St.Catherine’s all-girls educational experience is rooted in more than a century of history and tradition. From our revolutionary past to our dynamic present, St. Catherine’s has always focused on preparing students for a boundless future.