Tuition & Financial Assistance

Tuition

At St. Mary’s Catholic School, we believe that a Catholic education is a meaningful gift that nurtures a child’s faith, character, and future. While tuition is a necessary part of supporting our school and its mission, we are deeply committed to ensuring that financial concerns do not stand in the way of a family seeking a St. Mary’s education.

We approach this process with understanding and compassion, working alongside families to make attendance possible whenever we can. Our hope is that every family who feels called to St. Mary’s will know they are welcome, supported, and valued as part of our school community. 

St. Mary’s is happy to share that there is a “cap” on tuition for larger families at $10,000 to make sure that Catholic education, although a sacrifice, is not an impossibility or burden. In addition, any differentials in tuition cost for students from outside of the parish will be eliminated. We want to invite all students to attend St. Mary’s Catholic School!

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Financial Assistance

Financial assistance is available to help make a St. Mary’s education possible for families who may not be able to meet the full cost of tuition. We welcome the opportunity to meet with you, listen to your needs, and guide you through the application process. Families are encouraged to contact the St. Mary’s Business Office at 507-794-4841 with questions or to schedule a confidential appointment.

Tuition Assistance Program – FAIR

Our tuition assistance program is determined by an Eagan, Minnesota-based company, Financial Aid Independent Review, Inc (FAIR). FAIR provides independent and confidential services as it calculates each family’s “Disposable Income” to determine their ability to pay tuition.  Assistance is then awarded by FAIR based on need.  If St. Mary’s does not have enough assistance to cover the need, we will allocate the assistance on a pro-rata basis.

Apply for Tuition Assistance

 
School Code: 124
Pswd: smse124

We also offer tuition incentive programs to help offset tuition costs, such as:

SCRIP

SCRIP is a fundraising program that allows you to earn “free money” to lower your tuition costs and support the school. “Free money” is earned every time you purchase SCRIP gift certificates and cash cards for groceries, gas, clothes, and gift purchases that you make every day. You purchase the SCRIP certificates for full face value and receive full face value when you redeem them at the participating retailers. The school buys the SCRIP at a discounted price and that discount, which turns into a profit, is split between the family and the school.

Cookie Sale Fundraiser

An annual cookie sale is available to families specifically for tuition purposes. They come in boxes ready to bake, quick and easy. This is a sale you can choose to participate in. A percent from this fundraiser is credited to families’ tuition statements and, the more you sell, the bigger the bonus!