The Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston covers all of West Virginia and runs 24 Catholic schools, 18 elementary and 6 high schools. Three of them are in our area: Sacred Heart Grade School and Charleston Catholic High School, a block apart near the Capitol, and St. Francis of Assisi School in St. Albans.
The diocese's Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) awards grants of up to 50% of a child's tuition each year. Families apply through FACTS, the online tuition-assessment service the diocese uses to measure need. The diocese's own enrollment page also points families to the Hope Scholarship.
Hope and diocesan aid answer different questions. Hope is a fixed amount ($5,435.62 for a full 2026-27 year) that any eligible student can get; TAP depends on income and family circumstances. A family can ask the school's office how the two are applied to a tuition bill, since the school sees both.
Hope can also pay costs around Catholic school tuition: required uniforms, lunch fees at a participating school, AP exam fees and dual-credit courses at the high school level. That can matter for a Charleston Catholic family whose TAP grant already covers a share of tuition.
Combining it with other sources
Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston Tuition Assistance can usually be used alongside the school's own aid. Rules differ by source, so the funding check maps which ones fit together for your child.
Common questions
How does a family apply for Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston tuition assistance?
A family applies for Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston tuition assistance by completing the FACTS tuition assessment, the online financial-need review the diocese uses. The diocesan Tuition Assistance Program then awards grants of up to 50% of a child's tuition for the year. Application windows can differ by school, so the family should ask the Catholic school's office for this year's dates.
Which Catholic schools in the Charleston area belong to the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston?
Three Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston schools are in the Charleston area: Sacred Heart Grade School on Quarrier Street, Charleston Catholic High School on Virginia Street East, and St. Francis of Assisi School on Holley Street in St. Albans. The diocese lists 24 Catholic schools across West Virginia, and each of these three is on the Hope Scholarship participating-school list.
Does a non-Catholic family qualify for Catholic school tuition aid in Charleston?
The Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston describes its Tuition Assistance Program as need-based, and its public page does not limit the program to Catholic families. A non-Catholic Charleston family should ask the school's office directly about eligibility and any parish-related priority, then complete the FACTS application. The Hope Scholarship, by contrast, has no religious condition at all.