At West Catholic, we believe every family that desires a dynamic, excellence-driven Catholic education should have access to it. Our strongest financial aid program to date, the Falcon Family Tuition Plan, builds on our long tradition of supporting families and expanding our commitment to affordability more than ever before. The plan ensures that cost will never be the reason a student cannot attend West Catholic.
Meeting 100% of Demonstrated Need
Through the Falcon Family Tuition Plan, West Catholic meets 100% of every student’s demonstrated financial need. This completely covers the gap between the cost of attendance and what your family can reasonably contribute.
The 2025-2026 academic year offered more than $1.5 million in need-based financial aid, a level of support that reflects our enduring mission to make Catholic education accessible to all. The average aid package was $7,549 per student, thanks to our multiple sources of support.
Our Approach
The Falcon Family Tuition Plan is built on a personalized, family-centered approach to financial aid:
- Aid awards are based on need, ensuring resources go where they are most needed
- Every family’s circumstances are considered through a secure, holistic review process that looks at income, assets, family size and unique situations
- Aid packages are crafted with the goal of making West Catholic affordable for every family that seeks it
- We meet with families one-on-one to walk through the process and accompany them every step of the way
We are also dedicated to transparency in how aid is allocated, helping families better understand the assistance they are receiving.
If your family faces special or uncommon financial circumstances, our admissions team will work with you directly to ensure you receive the support you need.
Learn More
Each September, we host our Financial Planning: K-12 & Beyond event, where families learn about strategies for making a West Catholic education affordable! For those who were unable to attend, check out an abridged version of the presentation below. And learn more about how the Falcon Family Tuition Plan can benefit your family by watching the FFTP overview video also linked below.
Affordability by the Numbers
2025-2026 Tuition:
Parish Rate: $12,090 (after the $885 parish support)
Non-Parish Rate: $12,975
46%
Students Receiving Aid
$1,589,584
Need-Based Aid Provided
$7,359
Average Aid Package
100%
Demonstrated Need Met
*A West Catholic education is valued at $16,900. Thanks to the generosity of Bishop Walkowiak, our pastors, donors and legacy-endowed funds, no family ever pays the full cost of tuition.
Competitive Rate Promise
We recognize that affordability plays an important role in choosing a high school. Through our tried-and-true process, we are awarding more financial aid than ever and introducing our Competitive Rate Promise: a commitment to carefully review and consider other Catholic or private school offers so families can be confident they are receiving the most competitive tuition rate we can provide. This ensures that no family has to look elsewhere because of cost.
Support Resources Within the Plan
The Falcon Family Tuition Plan brings together multiple streams of support to make Catholic education possible:
- Blackbaud Financial Aid Management
- West Catholic Legacy Funds (named and endowed scholarships)
- Parish Support
- Bishop’s Scholarship Fund
- Diocesan Employee Discount Certificates & WC Staff Discounts
- Referral Tuition Credits
- International Host Family Tuition Credits
- SCRIP
Blackbaud
Families must apply through Blackbaud Financial Aid Management (School ID: 13306) if they wish to be considered for tuition assistance or scholarships.
Blackbaud is an aid application service that helps parents streamline and submit their financial aid applications. The program collects relevant data and documents, identifies available grants and scholarships, expedites the review of materials and awards aid directly to accounts.
To get started with Blackbaud, visit our Applying for Aid page.
Named Scholarship
After completing a Blackbaud application (School ID: 13306), families may choose to apply for a variety of merit and need-based scholarships.
Scholarships are due in mid-December with award notifications going out in the beginning of February.
For more information about scholarship criteria and the application process, please visit grwestcatholic.org/scholarships.
Parish Support
There is no substitute for a quality Catholic school education. As a result, parishes in the Diocese of Grand Rapids support the ministry of Catholic schools through a high level of financial investment in the Catholic schools that serve the children of registered and active parishioner families, even if their parish does not have its own school.
This significant financial support is contributed by the family’s parish directly to the Catholic parish/school so that parishioner families can receive the “in-parish tuition rate.” This parish support is a substantial benefit to families by making them eligible to receive the parishioner rate of tuition rather than the higher non-parishioner rate.
You do not need to demonstrate financial need to receive parish support. See the Parish Support Form below for details.
*Please contact your Parish Office to find out if your family qualifies for parish support toward your high school tuition. Each parish may have different guidelines for qualification.
Bishop's Scholarship Fund
The Bishop’s Fund for Catholic Education is an endowed fund within the Catholic Foundation of West Michigan which provides tuition assistance for students attending a diocesan Catholic school. Parents are asked to fill out a Blackbaud form which is used to determine who qualifies for tuition assistance through the Bishop’s Fund. Applications are available through the Business Office or the West Catholic Main Office.
One in four families receive tuition grants through the Bishop’s Fund. Information about applying for Blackbaud can be found in the tab above this section along with necessary forms. Only one form per family is required regardless of how many children you have within the K-12 Catholic schools.
When applying for tuition assistance, family need, academic standing and discipline records are all considered. Need is determined by an evaluation of an applicant’s tax returns, information provided on the application form and the Letter of Special Circumstances. Students must also possess a passing cumulative GPA along with a satisfactory discipline record.
*All active/registered parishioners who apply through Blackbaud will be automatically considered for the Bishop’s Scholarship Fund. (Please be sure to indicate your Parish Code and School Code on the Blackbaud form.)
Partner School/Parish Employee Discount
We appreciate all the great work you do with the students under your care. Thank you! In a demonstration of our commitment to support Catholic schools are offering the following discounts for the upcoming school year:
- Full-time staff at your school/parish are eligible to receive a 25% discount on tuition for their children who attend our school.
- Part-time staff (20 hours or more) at your school/parish are eligible to receive a 12.5% discount on tuition for their children who attend our school.
Staff must work one year at your school/parish to qualify for this discount. If other discounts are earned, West Catholic High School will use the higher of the discounts. Further grants or scholarships are available should the financial aid application indicate they are needed. An application for financial aid is not required to receive this discount.
Please complete this Partner School/Parish Employee Discount Certificate form and submit it to your principal/priest and have him/her fill out the bottom section. Once complete, principals/priests should email this form to kbozym@grdiocese.org.
Referral Tuition Credits
Our Referral Incentive Program rewards your efforts to bring more families to West Catholic. If a new* family you refer comes to WC for an official visit, you will earn a $100 tuition credit. If a student from that family chooses to attend West Catholic, you will receive a $500 tuition credit.
Click here to fill out our referral form.
*New families do not include families from West Catholic partner schools, those who have already established contact with the West Catholic Admissions Office, or families who have previously had students attend West Catholic High School. Other exclusions may apply. Please contact Admissions Director Julie Herdegen for any questions or clarifications on the program.
International Host Family Tuition Credit
Each year, West Catholic welcomes dozens of international students to experience life and learning in the United States. We invite you to be part of this adventure by opening your heart and home to serve as a host family! Host parents receive a monthly stipend ranging from $500-$700 to offset additional expenses for food or gas. In addition, $1,000 will be waived from your child’s tuition at West Catholic or set aside for an international, school-sponsored trip.
If you are interested in becoming a host family or simply want to learn more, contact our International Program Coordinator, Leann Garrison, at 616-233-5938 or leanngarrison@grwestcatholic.org.
To learn more about becoming a host family, CLICK HERE.
SCRIP
The Catholic Schools of Grand Rapids participate in the Scrip program. Scrip allows families to shop with gift cards in everyday situations to make purchases at grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants and more with a percentage of each gift card purchased contributing directly to your school tuition.
Credits from partner schools may be applied to secondary school tuition. Families must notify their Scrip coordinators of their Catholic Schools tuition account number and request that credits be applied to their high school tuition.
Your high school tuition account may be opened before your child attends high school if you wish to get a jump start on building credits toward your high school tuition. Please contact the business office to set up an account at (616) 233-5981.
You Can Afford West Catholic
The Falcon Family Tuition Plan represents the strongest commitment in our school’s history to affordability and accessibility. By combining need-based aid, scholarships, parish support and other discounts, we ensure that every student who seeks a West Catholic education can pursue it.
Get Started!
1) Apply to West Catholic
Families must first complete the admissions application to be considered for enrollment.
2) Apply for Financial Aid
Once you have applied to West Catholic, you may submit your financial aid application through Blackbaud Financial Aid Management. Assistance with both applications will be provided upon request.
3) Apply for Additional Sources of Aid
Families are encouraged to explore and apply for parish support, named/endowed scholarships and other special funding opportunities that may further reduce tuition costs. Feel free to contact our admissions office to determine which programs your family may qualify for.
4) Receive and Review Your Aid Package
After your initial financial aid package has been prepared and sent to you, your family will be invited to schedule a one-on-one meeting with a member of our admissions team to review your results, ask questions, understand the details of your award and discuss any additional need or special circumstances.
CONTACT US TO GET STARTED!
Julie Herdegen
Admissions Director
616-233-5920
julieherdegen@grwestcatholic.org
Dr. Jill Wierzbicki
President/CEO
616-233-5905
jillwierzbicki@grwestcatholic.org