Financial Aid & Scholarships

Catholic Theological Union (CTU) is committed to providing need-based financial aid to qualified students in order to make theological and ministerial education accessible. Resources for financial aid are drawn from a range of scholarship funds, matching grants, loans and student employment.

Special Scholarships

Award recipients are selected on the basis of academic performance, talent, or other criteria.

Bernardin Scholarship Program
Available to M.A. and D. Min. students who want to focus on the signature issues of Cardinal Bernardin's vision: reconciliation and peacemaking, interreligious dialogue, healthcare, the role of religion in society, the consistent ethic of life, and the Catholic Common Ground initiative. Applications must be submitted by March 1. (100% tuition)

Augustus Tolton Scholarship Fund
Available to Black Catholic lay students preparing for ministry in the Archdiocese of Chicago. Applications must be submitted by May 31. (100% tuition)

Oscar Romero Scholarship Fund
Available to Hispanic/Latino students preparing for ministry in the Archdiocese of Chicago. Applications must be submitted by May 31. (100% tuition)

International Women’s Scholarship Fund
Available to women from developing countries who are seeking credentials for Roman Catholic ministries in their countries. The recipients agree to work in their country after the completion of their program. Applications must be submitted by March 1. (Tuition, books, and housing)

General Scholarship Fund

Awards are available to lay men and women, women religious, and international diocesan priests in degree programs. The current awards for tuition remission are from 25 to 40 percent. Students applying for any of the scholarship funds below are asked to fill out the Application for Financial Aid - General Scholarship Application. The following memorial scholarships are available within the General Scholarship Fund:

Browne Family Scholarship
Given in memory of Joseph and Christopher Browne.
Awarded to male or female students in degree
programs.

Maryjeanne R. Burke Scholarship Fund
Scholarship is offered to degree seeking students with
preference given to those involved in health care.

Chiarelli Scholarship Fund
Scholarship is offered towards tuition associated with
the student's participation in the CTU Fall Biblical
Studies & Travel Program, Part B (Israel/Jordan/Egypt).
Students working on a degree with a concentration in
Biblical Studies will be the preferred candidates for the
scholarship. Applications must be submitted by
March 1.

Zenaida Corpuz Scholarship Fund
Scholarship is offered to degree seeking students.

Mazza Scholarship Fund
Benefits U.S. residents who are lay men and women
studying for ministry in the following concentrations:
health care mission leadership, campus ministry,
interreligious dialogue, cross-cultural ministry, social
justice ministry, or pastoral theology.

McCauley Scholarship Fund
Benefits women students studying for ministry.

Native American Scholarship Fund
Benefits students of Native American descent.

Stuhlmueller Scholarship Fund
Benefits biblical spirituality students. International
women students are given priority.

Wheeler Scholarship Fund
Awarded to men and women lay students who
demonstrate financial need. Preference is given to
students needing assistance for the Fall Biblical Study
and Travel Program, or Hispanic, African-American
or other minority students.

World Mission Scholarship Fund
Benefits international men and women seeking
a graduate degree and who plan to return to their country.

Application Deadline
Unless otherwise noted new General Scholarship Applications for the fall semester must be received by May 1 and the deadline for the spring semester is November 1. Applications to renew a scholarship must be received by April 1. New students may apply for financial aid along with their application for admission. All scholarship applicants must be admitted as students to CTU before they will be considered for a scholarship. Students who have received a scholarship in the past year are sent a scholarship renewal application.

The Financial Aid Committee meets in May and November to review applications. Recipients will be notified by mail following the Financial Aid Committee meeting.

Note: Since the Financial Aid Committee attempts to allocate funds based on need, CTU asks that you be as comprehensive as possible on your Financial Aid- General Scholarship Application. If you would like to include additional worksheets or comments for the committee, feel free to attach extra pages to your application.

Matching Grants

Recipients of grants must demonstrate financial need and meet other eligibility criteria. To qualify for Matching Grants, the student is asked to acquire sponsorship from an institution, e.g. parish, school, diocese, hospital, and other agencies. If the sponsor agrees to fund the student a portion of their tuition costs, CTU will match this contribution up to 25% of tuition. Students are asked to submit a letter from the institution on their letterhead attesting that it will provide the student with funding. These grants must be applied for each semester. Grants from the following institutions will be matched by CTU:

Chicago Archdiocesan Leadership Program For Archdiocesan employees.
Contact the Archdiocese of Chicago for information. Matched at 33%.

“Together in God's Service”
Contact the Archdiocese of Chicago for information.
Matched at 33%.

Parishes, schools, diocese, hospitals and other Agencies
Matched up to 25% for degree students.

U.S. Federal Stafford Loan

Sponsored by the federal government, this loan offers low interest rates and flexible repayment options. U.S. lay students, diocesan clergy and resident aliens studying for degrees must be enrolled at least half-time. Further information is available from the Admissions Office.

Catholic Organizations

If you or family members have been active in any Catholic organization, or a religious community has educated you, you may want to write and ask if they have a scholarship fund. Many organizations have aid available for education.

Employment

There are opportunities on and off campus for student employment, and they are offered to need based candidates. Applications are available in the Student
Services Office.

Payment Plans

Tuition and fees are due on the first day of the semester.
A thirty-day grace period is allowed prior to any late fee
charges. Contact the Business Office to make payment plan
arrangements.
 

To Apply

Financial Aid/Scholarship applications are available from the Admissions Office.
Contact:
Kathy Van Duser
Director of Admissions and Recruitment
Ph: 773.371.5450
Fx: 773.371.5452
E-mail: admissions@ctu.edu

Catholic Theological Union awards financial aid incrementally each academic term, for a period of one year or less.