Navigating the Arete Scholars Program in Louisiana: Eligibility and Opportunities

The Arete Scholars Program offers K-12 private school scholarships to lower-income students in both Georgia and Louisiana, aiming to provide exceptional educational opportunities. In Louisiana, as in Georgia, Arete scholarships are primarily funded through donations from corporations and philanthropic partners. These scholarships are portable and can be used at any participating school. This article delves into the eligibility requirements for the Arete Scholars Program in Louisiana, application processes, and other essential details for families seeking tuition assistance.

Understanding the Arete Scholars Program

Since 2010, Arete Scholars has awarded nearly 25,000 scholarships in Georgia and Louisiana. The program operates under the Tuition Tax Credit Scholarship Program in Georgia. Depending on the state, donors may receive a 95-100% state tax credit for their contribution.

Initial Eligibility Criteria

Generally, first-time Arete students must transfer from a local public school to a private school and meet the income guidelines for the federal free and reduced lunch program. To be eligible for a Scholarship, students must have a family income that does not exceed 250% of the federal poverty guidelines and must be entering kindergarten or enrolled in a public school with a C, D, or F grade.

Key Aspects of the Application Process

The scholarship application process is designed to be as simple as possible for parents. Applications are generally opened in February or March for the following school year. It is important to note that new applications are accepted only if funds are available for new scholarships. Applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given to returning students and students already receiving scholarship support.

To gain more information about K-12 private school scholarships from Arete Scholars, families could attend a Public Information Session. For instance, a session was held on March 2, 2026, at the East Bank Regional Library in Metairie. These sessions offer the opportunity to meet with Arete’s dedicated team and ask questions about eligibility.

Application Fee

Families must pay a $42 application and processing fee for each applicant.

Application Submission

Students apply directly to Arete Scholars for a scholarship. Once a student has received a scholarship from Arete, the student applies directly to the nonpublic school for enrollment.

Scholarship Amounts

Scholarship amounts are reset each year and cannot exceed the lesser of either the school’s tuition and mandatory fees or 80% of the state average per pupil funding for elementary and middle school students and 90% of the state average per pupil funding for high school students. Families are responsible for paying school tuition and fees that exceed the amount of the scholarship.

Required Documentation

While the specific documentation may vary, it is essential to have certain documents ready when applying. These typically include:

Rental lease agreement or mortgage statement
Electricity / gas bill
Telephone bill (must be landline -- cellular phone bills will not suffice)
Cable / internet service bill
Sewage / water bill
Current official letter from government agency (DSS,DHH)
Homestead exemption notice
Property tax notice

If a family does not own or rent the home they live in (for example, they are temporarily staying with relatives during a housing search), the owner/renter of the house they are living in must submit a notarized letter confirming the family lives with them.

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Tuition Assistance at St. Charles Catholic High School (SCC)

St. Charles Catholic High School is committed to helping families enroll their children in a Catholic school and has a limited amount of funds budgeted for tuition assistance. SCC utilizes TADS to process online financial aid applications for parents applying for tuition assistance from the school.

Because the ARETE scholarship organization also uses TADS for its applications, TADS can process the information from the ARETE application for SCC’s financial aid. If a family has already completed an application for the ARETE scholarship, there is no need to complete another one for the school’s financial aid award.

Applying for Tuition Assistance from SCC

Applications can be submitted starting April 15 and initiated on TADS until May 15. To create a TADS account, applicants must click on “Create a New Account” button. On the next page, click on the link titled “click here to apply for financial aid” at the top of the page. After submitting the information, applicants will land at a Welcome screen which explains the four phase process.

The application process begins by selecting the state and town of the school, then selecting St. Charles Catholic. Applicants are required to answer all questions asked on the application and upload any document information requested. A fee is also required for the application. Once the review of the application has been completed, the information will be forwarded to the school for a final determination in awarding tuition assistance, and applicants will be notified by the school of the results of their application.

Additional Program Features

The program may offer up to $4,500.00 toward a student's Catholic Education for qualifying students. To donate to the program through state income taxes, enrollment forms need to be filled out.

Read also: Foundation Scholarship Details

Testing Requirements

By law, TDC scholarship recipients are required to take state tests in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math while enrolled in the applicable grades/courses. Results do not impact future participation for families or schools.

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