Roman Catholic grants and scholarships
Roman Catholic High School is committed to making a transformative education accessible to students and families of all backgrounds. Thanks to grants and scholarships, we can open more doors for students at every high school grade level.
Below, you can explore all available scholarships. Click on each scholarship name to see eligibility requirements, deadlines, and application links. Internal scholarships are managed by Roman Catholic’s administration, while external awards direct you to the sponsoring organization for details.
Please note: A completed and verified FACTS Financial Aid application is required for any student to be considered for scholarship funding.
Internal grants and scholarships
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The Aloysius F. Barr Scholarship was established in 2020 by his son, Eugene Barr, in honor of his father’s legacy. Aloysius served with distinction in the Philadelphia Fire Department and instilled in his sons the importance of academic excellence.
Scholarship criteria:
Applicants must be in in good academic standing and in need of financial assistance to attend Roman
Top priority will be given to a student or students whose parents are Philadelphia firefighters
Second priority will be given to a student or students whose parents are Philadelphia emergency medical technicians (EMTs) or police officers
Recipients and scholarship amounts will be selected by Roman Catholic High School
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This scholarship is awarded annually to recipients over a four-year span. Two art scholarship recipients and two music scholarship recipients will each receive $1,500 per year.
In addition to uploading a file of their work for consideration, applicants should carry at least a 3.0 (equivalent of an 85 or better) average and be involved in a minimum of one extracurricular activity. Recipients will be determined by their application and their financial need based on their FACTS Grant and Aid application.
Music audition requirements
Flute, clarinet, saxophones, trumpet, trombone, baritone horn, tuba, violin, viola, cello, double bass, guitar, bass guitar, and piano players must perform:
1-2 octaves of two major and/or minor scales, played in quarter notes with a minimum tempo of 80 bpm
Minimum 16 measures of a solo piece or etude of the student’s choosing
Mallet percussionists must perform:
Two octaves of two major and/or minor scales each, played in quarter notes at a minimum tempo of 80 bpm
Minimum 16 measures of a solo piece or etude of the student’s choosing
Snare drum/unpitched percussionists must perform:
Five drum rudiments including single-stroke roll, double-stroke roll, paradiddle, flam, and five-stroke roll
Minimum 32 measures of a snare drum solo/etude
Art requirements
Each applicant must submit a portfolio containing a minimum of three art pieces of the student's choice.
Academic requirements for both music and art applicants
Active member of his school's music or art department
Maintain at least an 85 average utilizing the final grades of the current school year
Earn a final conduct average of 85 or above during the first trimester or equivalent of the 8th grade
Accumulate minimal absences and lateness
Extracurricular and community service participation will be considered favorably toward a candidate’s selection
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This memorial scholarship was established by the parents-in-law and immediate family of David Kedra ’06, a PA state trooper who tragically died on September 30, 2014 from a firing exercise gone wrong. Five students receive this scholarship each year, sharing a total of $5,000 awarded equally.
Scholarship criteria:
Applicants must have at least one parent who is a police officer, EMT, or first responder
Recipients will be selected by Roman Catholic High School
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On May 8, 2006, Officer Gary Skerski was tragically killed while responding to an armed robbery. At the time, his son Robert was a freshman at Roman; he later graduated in 2010. This scholarship was created in Officer Skerski’s honor to support Roman students who are growing up without a father. The award is granted for one year and is typically presented to one to three students annually.
Scholarship criteria:
This scholarship is intended for students with financial need who have lost their fathers
Students from the Port Richmond/Bridesburg area are preferred but not required
Recipients and scholarship amounts will be selected by Roman Catholic High School
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Michael Varga ’73 enjoyed a distinguished career as both a diplomat and an author, with his work appearing in The Empire in 2014 and 2015. In 2015, he generously gifted $25,000 to Roman Catholic to honor his mother’s legacy, establishing the Rita Varga Memorial Scholarship — a $1,000 annual award for deserving students.
Scholarship criteria:
Recipients should be seniors who display financial need and are actively involved in the yearbook, newspaper, and/or literary magazine
Recipients and scholarship amounts will be selected by Roman Catholic High School
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In 2021, Joseph O’Dea Jr. established the Joseph O’Dea ’37 Memorial Scholarship Fund to honor his late father and recognize students who demonstrate the same personal integrity that Mr. O’Dea ’37 embodied throughout his life.
Scholarship criteria:
Applicants must be in good academic standing, demonstrate financial need, and display great personal integrity
Recipients and scholarship amounts will be selected by Roman Catholic High School
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In 2021, Patricia Hoban established the Edward Hoban ’71 Memorial Scholarship Fund to support Roman students who have shown resilience and perseverance while facing significant personal challenges. Patricia created this fund in memory of Ed, who lost both his father and sister during his sophomore year at Roman. Ed often credited the Roman community as a central source of strength that helped him through such a difficult time.
Scholarship criteria:
Applicants must be upperclassmen who have exhibited resilience and perseverance in facing exceptional challenges while attending Roman
Recipients and scholarship amounts will be selected by Roman Catholic High School
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The James McGirr Kelly ’47 Scholarship was established in May 2024 in honor of Judge Kelly’s distinguished legacy as a prominent member of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Funded through the Philadelphia Foundation, this scholarship awards a $2,500 grant to a deserving Roman student.
Scholarship criteria:
Applicants must be rising seniors who demonstrate financial need and have a strong academic record
Recipients and scholarship amounts will be selected by Roman Catholic High School
External grants and scholarships
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This $1,000 scholarship is available to all high school juniors and seniors. To apply, write an essay following this prompt: “Describe your educational career and life goals. Explain your plan for achieving these goals. Include your degree/major, why you selected it, and how this degree/major will help you achieve your goals.”
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This grant is for full-time employees of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia who work in a parish, school, or AOP setting. Grants apply to high school tuition, and recipients may only use the grant at one AOP high school.
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Since 1990, the Colgan Foundation has sponsored Colgan Scholars at Roman Catholic High School every year to honor Charles P. Colgan ‘45. Scholarships are renewed annually.
Scholarship criteria:
First generation Roman Catholic High School student
Demonstrated need for financial assistance
Strong Catholic faith
Kindness and support to peers
Exceptional academic record
Impeccable conduct
Recipients and scholarship amounts will be selected by Roman Catholic High School
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On March 13, 2020, Corporal James “Jimmy” O’Connor was shot and killed during a SWAT operation while serving a murder warrant. He was posthumously promoted to Sergeant. At 46 years old, he had dedicated 23 years to the Philadelphia Police Department.
Jimmy came from a large and deeply committed police family. He is survived by his wife, Terri, and their two children: His son, also named Jimmy, who is a Philadelphia police officer, and his wife Nicole; and Kelsey, who was serving in the U.S. Air Force at the time of his passing. He is also survived by his parents, Carol and James — himself a retired Philadelphia police officer — his brother John, and his granddaughters, Callie and Sadie.
Jimmy was a graduate of Visitation Grade School and North Catholic High School. This scholarship was created in his honor to support students pursuing a Catholic education. Recipients receive $1,000 toward January tuition payments.
Scholarship criteria:
Applicants must be children or grandchildren of police officers
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Scholarship criteria:
Hold and maintain a 3.3 GPA or an 86% average
Demonstrate good character and citizenship
Has not received demerits or been subjected to serious school disciplinary action
Demonstrate leadership through participation in at least one of the following: school extracurricular activities, volunteer work, athletics, peer mentoring, or outside employment
Demonstrate financial need pursuant to the school’s financial aid process.
Preference given to students who received an Ethel Mae Hocker Foundation scholarship as an elementary student, assuming the students’ academic qualifications are at least equal to other candidates
Recipients and scholarship amounts will be selected by Roman Catholic High School
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This foundation supports students by making scholarships available to those in grades K-12 who desire to attend a better school, especially those students who reside within the boundaries of a low-performing school.
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This $8,500 scholarship is meant to support high-potential students whose families have very limited financial means.
Scholarship criteria:
A cumulative 85 average or above reflecting the final grades of the 7th grade and the first trimester or equivalent of the 8th grade at the time of application
A final conduct average of 85 or above during the first trimester or equivalent of the 8th grade
Total Score-National Percentile (NP) of 70 on the 7th grade TerraNova test (or the equivalent). Exceptions will be made, by mutual assessment, on a case-by-case basis.
Full financial need supported by the family’s FACTS application
Minimal absences and lateness
Extracurricular participation and community service participation will be considered favorably to a candidate’s selection
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The Josephine C. Connelly Achievement Award is a tuition grant presented to 8th grade students who best demonstrate the value of a Catholic education by striving to achieve their full academic potential.
The four-year grant covers 40% of the student’s tuition. An annual review by the high school president determines renewal of the Connelly Foundation’s yearly commitment to each student.
Scholarship criteria:
8th grader currently attending Philadelphia parish or regional Catholic elementary schools
Please contact your grade school administrator to learn more about this program.
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The St. Anthony Di Padova Society of Southwest Philadelphia has partnered with the Lawrence and Phyllis Rebbecchi Sr. Memorial Scholarship to award scholarships for the 2025-2026 school year.
This year, they will award five $2,500 scholarships to students attending high schools associated with their Society members. They will also offer four $5,000 scholarships to students attending select local Catholic colleges.
Scholarship criteria:
Enrolled in high school for the 2025-2026 school year
Practicing Catholic
Report card showing a B or better average
1,000-word maximum essay on “how has Catholicism impacted your life”
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Offered by Apex Hosting, a Minecraft server provider dedicated to supporting both new and experienced server administrators, this scholarship provides $2,000 to one applicant who best writes about how Minecraft can positively influence one’s education and career development.
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This scholarship supports Catholic Black students with exceptional academic ability who are in need of financial assistance. Scholarships are awarded annually based upon the determination of the selection committee.
Scholarship criteria:
Catholic and Black
In good academic standing with at least a cumulative B average at the time of the scholarship award
Eligible for financial assistance as determined by a completed FACTS Grant and Aid application (online)
Committed to serving his community
Interested in, or currently attending, an AOPS high school
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This grant is funded by the alumni of Northeast Catholic High School, which has awarded over a quarter million dollars to children and grandchildren of North Catholic graduates who attend Catholic high schools in Southeast Pennsylvania and South Jersey.
Scholarship criteria:
Current high school students who are children, grandchildren and/or great-grandchildren of North Catholic grads
Currently enrolled at a Catholic high school in the Philadelphia area or South Jersey
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This scholarship provides tuition assistance to students who are related to, or recommended by, a St. Thomas More alumnus.
Scholarship criteria:
Active in school, sports, or church activities
Have a strong academic record
Participate in community service
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This scholarship provides $10,000 for students to use toward school.
To apply, students should write an online written response to the prompt, “Would you rather be smart, funny, or rich?”
Grants and scholarship FAQs
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Students can apply for as many scholarships as they like.
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Academic scholarships are offered automatically based on students’ HSPT (High School Placement Test) percentile scores.
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We do not currently offer legacy scholarships.
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The largest scholarship amount a student can earn is $8,500 via an academic scholarship.
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We do not currently offer athletic scholarships.
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Internal scholarships are managed by Roman Catholic’s administration and cannot be stacked with other internal awards or financial aid packages. External scholarships are managed outside the school and can be stacked with other awards and packages.
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Awards are typically announced the second week of February.
Still have questions about scholarships?
Get answers by contacting our office of finance.
