Scholarship Giving
Hopes Fulfilled. Lives Changed.
The Advantage: Carmel campaign to expand and refine all aspects of Carmel Catholic High School has taken root. Robust investment in places, people, and programs has bolstered interest in Carmel among families. Our next step is to ensure prospective Corsairs make their way to Carmel, even if the tuition costs present challenges for them.
Students needing tuition assistance come from all parts of the three-county area attending Carmel Catholic High School. As the primary Catholic high school in Lake County, Carmel has a responsibility to provide an unrivaled education to as many students as possible, regardless of a family’s financial standing.
Each year Carmel receives an increasing number of financial aid applications. Despite more than 25% of Carmel Catholic’s students annually receiving need-based financial aid, the unmet need continues to grow. Too many students decide against Carmel due to financial reasons. We must remain competitive and diverse, and expand our capacity to welcome students whose families would otherwise be unable to afford a Carmel education.
Ways to Give to a Scholarship Fund
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Scholarship Program
This scholarship program is designed to allow a family, regardless of financial means, an opportunity to attend Carmel Catholic. Alumni, parents and friends of Carmel Catholic who contribute to the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Scholarship Program will make a positive and significant impact on current and future Carmel Catholic students’ lives.
Endowed Scholars Program
Generous benefactors have the opportunity to provide a life-long, everlasting gift to Carmel Catholic students by
establishing an endowed scholarship or contributing to an already existing one. Often named in memory of loved ones, these scholarships provide financial assistance to students seeking a Carmel Catholic education. When the principal balance of the endowed scholarship reaches $25,000, the interest earned is provided to students in the form of a scholarship award.
2050 Program
The 2050 Program aims to break the cycle of poverty through education. The program is designed to assist and support students who are first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented. Students admitted into the 2050 program will receive financial, academic, and social support to help them grow and flourish while at Carmel Catholic and beyond. The purpose of the “2050” name is that the first graduates of the program, who will have graduated from a university, will give back and support other 2050 Program students starting in the year 2050.
Corsairs for Corsairs Fund
Carmel Catholic is committed to meeting the emerging and ongoing needs of our Carmel community during the COVID-19 pandemic. A number of our families are experiencing personal and financial hardships. To address these challenges, we have launched a new initiative: the Corsairs for Corsairs Fund. Donations support Carmel Catholic families who have been negatively impacted by the pandemic.
Illinois Tax Credit Scholarship Program
The Illinois Tax Credit Scholarship Program allows individuals (and corporations) to use their tax money to support Carmel Catholic families who fall below the federal poverty level. More than 10% of Carmel students will qualify for these funds. By supporting this program, benefactors will receive a 75 percent credit on their Illinois state taxes.
Individual donors give to a Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO) that distributes scholarships to qualifying students. Donors may direct their gift to a specific institution in Illinois, such as Carmel Catholic High School.
Corsair families whose household income is below 300 percent of the federal poverty level ($73,800 for a family of four) are eligible to receive a scholarship. Priority is given to those whose household income falls below 185 percent of the poverty level ($45,510 for a family of four).