Last verified: October 2026. Agencies revise these programs every year, so confirm details with the office named in each section.
How do Tulsa families pay for Catholic school?
Most start with the Parental Choice Tax Credit, then apply to the Saint Francis of Assisi Tuition Assistance Trust by April 15, and add a GO for Catholic Schools scholarship or parish support where available.
The Trust began in 1999 with interest on a $5 million endowment pledge and reports more than $6 million awarded to about 7,000 students since 2000. It is need-based, open at every accredited Catholic school in the diocese, and expects every family to pay part of the tuition.
How many Catholic schools serve the Tulsa metro, and do they take the credit?
The diocese counts thirteen Catholic schools in eastern Oklahoma and about 4,500 students; our four-county directory has 12 Catholic schools, 11 of them in the Tax Commission's September 2026 registration file.
Ten are diocesan schools, including Bishop Kelley High School, Holy Family Classical School and the parish elementaries; three are private Catholic schools run independently: Cascia Hall, Monte Cassino and San Miguel. Two of the thirteen, in Bartlesville and Muskogee, sit outside our four counties.
Where does the Catholic School Aid fit among Oklahoma's other programs?
| Source | What it is | Who can use it | How much | How the money moves | What it isn't |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parental Choice Tax Credit (PCTC) | Refundable Oklahoma income tax credit | Oklahoma residents from pre-K at age 4 through grade 12 at an accredited, registered private school; every income level | $5,000-$7,500 per student by AGI tier, never more than tuition and fees | Tax Commission check mailed to the school in the parent's name | Not an ESA, not a debit card, and not usable for outside tutors or devices |
| Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarship (LNH) | OSDE scholarship for students with disabilities and a few other groups | Children from PK3 up on an IEP, plus several foster, military and homeless-school routes | Computed per child from the state aid formula; never above the school's charges; OSDE keeps up to 2.5% | Warrant to the parent, mailed to the school and endorsed over | Not usable at a school OSDE hasn't approved |
| Homeschool tax credit | Refundable Oklahoma income tax credit | Families teaching at home under Oklahoma's homeschool exception | Up to $1,000 per student per tax year | Claimed on the state return for the year you paid | Not a tuition credit, and it excludes internet service and out-of-state trips |
| SGO scholarships (GO for Catholic Schools, OSF and others) | Donor-funded private scholarships | Set by each organization, often need-based | Set by each organization | Usually paid to the school | Not guaranteed; awards depend on what donors give |