TL;DR: The 14 Catholic schools registered in the Pinellas district all carry the state's flag for the Private School Scholarship, so a Pinellas child starts with $8,643 a year toward a parish elementary in 2026-27. After that, families turn to the school: income-based assistance the Diocese of St. Petersburg says is available through each school, plus any parish or sibling pricing. New applications for 2026-27 close November 15.
Do all Pinellas Catholic schools accept the Florida scholarship?
Yes. Every one of the 14 schools in the Pinellas file that reports a Catholic affiliation is flagged for FTC/FES-EO in the state record pulled October 28, 2026. Together they report 4,527 students, roughly a fifth of all private school enrollment in the county.
That makes the scholarship the dependable first layer at any of them. A Pinellas student is funded at $8,643 in grades K-3, $8,059 in grades 4-8 and $7,868 in grades 9-12 for 2026-27, according to Step Up For Students' district award table. The amount follows where the child lives, not the parish the family attends.
Which Catholic schools are in the Pinellas file?
| School | City | Grades | Reported students |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clearwater Central Catholic High School | Clearwater | 9-12 | 578 |
| St. Petersburg Catholic High School | St. Petersburg | 9-12 | 496 |
| St. Cecelia Catholic School | Clearwater | PK-8 | 472 |
| St. Jude Cathedral School | St. Petersburg | PK-8 | 462 |
| Espiritu Santo Catholic School | Safety Harbor | PK-8 | 444 |
| St. Paul Catholic School | St. Petersburg | PK-8 | 354 |
| Blessed Sacrament Catholic School | Seminole | PK-8 | 326 |
| Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School | Dunedin | PK-8 | 238 |
| Sacred Heart Catholic School | Pinellas Park | PK-8 | 229 |
| Guardian Angels Catholic School | Clearwater | K-8 | 225 |
| St. Raphael Catholic School | St. Petersburg | PK-8 | 201 |
| Holy Family | St. Petersburg | K-8 | 195 |
| St. Patrick School | Largo | PK-8 | 192 |
| Morning Star School of Pinellas Park | Pinellas Park | K-12 | 115 |
Nine of the elementary schools report pre-K students. The two high schools list Cognia as their accreditor, and the other twelve list the Florida Catholic Conference's accreditation program. You can browse them all on our Catholic schools page.
How do families cover tuition above the award?
Most follow the same order. First comes the state scholarship, applied for through Step Up For Students and paid to the school by quarter. Second comes the school itself. The Diocese of St. Petersburg's schools office says school and diocesan financial assistance is available to families who qualify based on income, and it directs families to their local Catholic school for details.
Third come pricing differences the school sets, such as parishioner rates or sibling discounts where a school offers them. Because each school runs its own aid timeline, ask the business office when its application opens and whether it wants your scholarship award letter first. Our worked examples show how the gap changes at different price points.
Parish elementary or Catholic high school: how is the math different?
The award shrinks as grades rise while tuition usually climbs, so the gap grows in high school. A kindergartner brings $8,643; a ninth grader brings $7,868. At the elementary level, the scholarship often covers most of the bill. At St. Petersburg Catholic or Clearwater Central Catholic, families should expect income-based aid to carry more of the load.
High school families have one more tool that is easy to miss. St. Petersburg College offers dual enrollment to eligible private school students in grades 6-12 and lists no tuition, application or required-textbook cost for Pinellas students on its campuses. College credit earned that way does not reduce private school tuition, but it can shorten and cheapen college later.
What should you ask a Pinellas Catholic school before applying?
Five questions cover most of what the state record leaves out:
- What is tuition for my child's grade, and what do we owe once the $8,643, $8,059 or $7,868 award is applied?
- Do you offer a parishioner rate, and what counts as an active parish family?
- When does your income-based aid application open, and which service handles it?
- Which fees are billed separately from tuition, such as registration, uniforms, technology or activities?
- For pre-K: are you a VPK provider, so the four-year-old year is free?
Write the answers down for each school you visit. Side by side, they usually show that the cheapest sticker price is not always the lowest family share.
What the scholarship is not
The Private School Scholarship is not a parish subsidy and it is not need-based aid. It does not depend on parish membership, and it does not replace the school's own financial aid application. It also does not pay for aftercare, lunch programs or transportation, which remain family costs at every school. If your child has a qualifying diagnosis or an IEP, compare it with the Unique Abilities Scholarship, which can also pay for therapy and tutoring.
Frequently asked questions
Do all Pinellas Catholic schools accept the Florida scholarship?
Yes. All 14 schools with a Catholic affiliation in the Pinellas file carry the FTC/FES-EO flag as of October 28, 2026.
How do families cover tuition above the award?
Through the school: income-based school and diocesan assistance, which the Diocese of St. Petersburg says is handled by each local school, plus any parish or sibling pricing.
Parish elementary or Catholic high school: how is the math different?
The award falls from $8,643 in K-3 to $7,868 in grades 9-12 while high school tuition is usually higher, so aid matters more in high school.
Related questions
- What does Catholic school cost in Pinellas after the award?
- How does diocesan aid work with the scholarship?
- Which deadlines are still open for 2026-27?
Sources
- Step Up For Students: 2026-27 scholarship amounts by district (FTC, FES-EO, PEP)
- Diocese of St. Petersburg: Financial assistance
- Florida Department of Education: Private School Directory
- Step Up For Students: FAQs for 2026-27 scholarship deadlines and payment schedules
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