Considering Catholic Middle School? Here’s What It Costs and What Help Exists
Seventh grade is when a lot of families take a fresh look at where their child goes to school. Elementary is ending, high school is suddenly visible on the horizon, and the question of whether private school is possible stops being hypothetical.
If that is where you are, this page is for you. Here is what our middle school program offers, what it costs, and — importantly — what help is available at this grade level.
Financial Aid Is Available for Grades 7 and 8
We will lead with the things families most need to know.
Montgomery Catholic does not provide financial aid to students in K3 and K4. But by seventh grade, your child is fully eligible for all the assistance programs we offer. If you looked at us when your child was younger and concluded it was out of reach, the math may be different now.
What You Would Be Paying For
Our Middle School Campus serves grades 7 and 8 at 5350 Vaughn Road. It co-exists on our high school campus but runs as its own program, with its own curriculum, schedule, and administrative team.
- 12:1 teacher-to-student ratio, with 115 students
- College preparatory academic schedule, with honors options in English and Mathematics
- An exploratory program offering a diverse array of curricular choices
- Beginning and intermediate band
- A competitive athletic program sanctioned by the Alabama High School Athletic Association
- Mass is offered on campus five times each week
Our middle school building is named for Dr. Thomas Doyle, who served as our principal and president from 1973 to 2001.
One practical advantage of enrolling in seventh grade: your child moves into our high school already knowing the campus, the teachers, and the expectations. The transition that unsettles many ninth graders is one they will have already made.
Reach the Middle School Campus directly at (334) 272-2465.
What It Costs
Tuition rates vary by grade level and by whether your family is a registered parishioner. Current rates are published on our Tuition and Fees page, approved annually by the MCPS Financial Committee and Advisory Committee.
Beyond tuition, there is a non-refundable $250 registration fee per student, due when you complete your tuition contract, and a $750 capital assessment fee per family.
You will choose between two payment plans: a lump sum due July 15, or twelve monthly payments from June 15 through May 15, which include a 6% payment plan fee. Our tuition payment plans page walks through both.
Discounts that may apply. A second enrolled child receives $1,000 off, and a third receives $1,500. Families with four or more students may qualify for a tuition cap. Registered, tithing parishioners at one of our nine partner parishes qualify for reduced parishioner rates.
Four Ways Families Get Help
Variable Tuition
This is where most families should start, and the one most often overlooked.
Tuition at Montgomery Catholic is not one-size-fits-all. Any family, current or new, who is concerned about affording the full rate may apply. We consider income, assets, unusual expenses, and family size in determining what a family can reasonably pay.
Three things worth knowing. Applications are confidential. They are submitted to SmartAid, an independent third-party agency, not evaluated by us directly. And applying does not affect your admission or re-enrollment decision — we make those separately.
Details are on our Variable Tuition and Financial Assistance page.
The CHOOSE Act
Alabama’s Education Savings Account program. See our CHOOSE Act page for eligibility and application information.
Alabama Accountability Act SGOs
Scholarship Granting Organizations operating under the Alabama Accountability Act. Details on our SGO page.
Montgomery Catholic Scholarships
Our own endowed and school-funded awards are listed on our scholarships page.
Two honest caveats. Financial aid never covers 100% of tuition — every family pays a portion, plus the capital assessment fee. And these programs stack differently for different families, which is exactly why a conversation beats a calculator.
Getting the Timing Right
Order matters here, and getting it backward costs families money.
Apply for admission first, then apply for assistance. You must be admitted or re-enrolled before an assistance application can be finalized. Regardless of financial need, start the admission process as early as you can.
Assistance decisions are typically finalized in April or May. Once yours is determined, a revised contract reflecting your award replaces the original.
To be eligible to apply for aid, you must be fully enrolled — online contract completed and the $250 registration fee paid.
If your child is in sixth grade now, the fall is the right time to tour and apply.
How Admission Works for Grades 7 and 8
Our Catholic mission calls us to an inclusive admission process, and we are proud to serve students of all academic skill levels. We welcome students and families of all faiths and creeds.
We ask that applicants demonstrate they can succeed in a college-preparatory program, which we assess through previous grades, nationally standardized test scores, disciplinary record, and a previous school recommendation. In some cases, we may request an interview or a pastoral recommendation.
For a seventh or eighth-grade applicant, the online application requires a state-issued birth certificate, a current immunization record, an unofficial transcript or most recent report card, your child’s latest nationally standardized test scores, and the School Recommendation Form for Transferring Students. An application is not complete until all documents are received.
Our Admissions Checklist has the full list.
For Military Families
We offer rolling admissions, so you can apply year-round, including summer and mid-year transfers. Our middle school campus is 9.7 miles from Maxwell Air Force Base, and about 21% of our middle school students come from military families.
Our teachers, faculty, and administration have all been trained through the Military Child Education Coalition. See our Military Families page.
Talk to Us
Admissions — Julie Emerson, Director of Admissions (334) 318-3777 · jemerson@montgomerycatholic.org
Billing and payment questions — MCPS Business Office David Schwarz · Lauren Huss · (334) 272-7220 dschwarz@montgomerycatholic.org · lhuss@montgomerycatholic.org
If cost is the thing holding you back, call before you rule us out. We would rather have that conversation than lose a student to an assumption.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is financial aid available for middle school students? Yes. Financial aid is not provided in K3/4, but students in grades 7 and 8 are eligible for all of our assistance programs.
How do we apply for tuition assistance? Apply for admission or re-enrollment first, then apply for Variable Tuition through SmartAid. Applications are confidential and do not affect admission decisions.
Does applying for assistance hurt our chances of getting in? No. Admission and financial assistance are decided separately, and an application for Variable Tuition does not affect the admission or re-enrollment process.
When will we know what we owe? Assistance is typically finalized in April or May. A revised contract reflecting your award then replaces the original.
What state programs can help? The CHOOSE Act, Alabama’s Education Savings Account program, and Scholarship Granting Organizations under the Alabama Accountability Act. Both have dedicated pages on our site.
Will financial aid cover the full cost? No. Aid never covers 100% of tuition. Every family pays a portion, plus the $750 capital assessment fee.
What grades does the middle school serve? Grades 7 and 8, on our Vaughn Road campus alongside the high school, with its own curriculum, schedule, and administrative team.
Can we transfer in for seventh or eighth grade? Yes, and many families do. Seventh grade is a natural entry point. You will need a transcript or recent report card, standardized test scores, and a recommendation from your child’s current school.
See It for Yourself
Numbers only tell you so much. Schedule a tour of our Middle School Campus during a regular school day, and bring your child — our administrators and faculty would like to meet them. Tours run 45 to 60 minutes.
