EITC (Educational Improvement Tax Credit) Scholarships

EITC Scholarships

BLOCS provides over 17,000 need-based scholarships annually for value-based, Catholic education for Pennsylvania students through the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program.

Geographic Scope

• Pennsylvania statewide
• Greater Philadelphia area (5-county region)
• Serves 130 economically disadvantaged schools

Eligibility Requirements

• Income limits: Families with one dependent must have annual income less than $136,483 ($116,055 + $20,428)
• Additional dependents: Add $20,428 per additional child to income limit
• Student religion: Open to students of any religion
• Grade levels: Pre-K through high school, plus special education
• School type: Must be enrolled in partner Catholic or private schools

Funding Details

• Need-based scholarships only
• Total program budget: $60 million with no cap for corporate donors
• Funded through Pennsylvania's Educational Improvement Tax Credit program
• Recent $125 million state budget increase enables assistance for 10,000 additional students

Focus Areas

• K-12 Catholic and private school tuition assistance
• Values-based education
• High-quality faith-based education
• Special education programs

Contact Information

• Address: 555 Croton Rd., Suite 120, King of Prussia, PA 19406
• Phone: 484-704-2300
• Website: blocs.org

Background

• BLOCS is the largest scholarship organization in Pennsylvania
• Operating for over 40 years
• Over 100,000 scholarships awarded historically
• More than 96¢ of every dollar donated goes directly to need-based scholarships

How to Apply

1. Contact your child's school directly - This is the primary application pathway
2. Request financial aid information - Ask the school for BLOCS EITC scholarship application details
3. Provide income documentation - Schools use state-provided guidelines to verify income eligibility
4. School determines eligibility and awards - Partner schools make final scholarship decisions based on state criteria

Qualifications

• Income verification required
• Scholarship eligibility determined by school partners using Commonwealth of Pennsylvania guidelines
• Need-based determination by individual schools

Application Process

• Schools handle applications and eligibility verification directly with families
• No specific centralized deadline mentioned
• Application timeline coordinated through individual partner schools