TL;DR: Knoxville Catholic High School lists 2027-28 tuition of $17,100 for Catholic students and $18,500 for non-Catholic students, plus $900 in fees and $600 for textbook rental. Its FACTS tuition-assistance deadline is Friday, December 11, 2026, and the school asks every aid applicant to apply for the Education Freedom Scholarship too. At this year's $7,530, EFS would cover about 40% of the Catholic total.
How much does Knoxville Catholic High School cost for 2027-28?
Knoxville Catholic High School (KCHS), the Diocese of Knoxville's high school on Fox Lonas Road, publishes a 2027-28 total of $18,600 for Catholic students and $20,000 for non-Catholic students. Each total is tuition plus a $900 student fee and $600 for textbook rental.
| 2027-28 published cost | Catholic student | Non-Catholic student |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $17,100 | $18,500 |
| Student fees | $900 | $900 |
| Textbook rental | $600 | $600 |
| Total | $18,600 | $20,000 |
| Left after a $7,530 EFS award | $11,070 | $12,470 |
The last row uses the 2026-27 EFS amount, because TDOE sets the 2027-28 figure later and ties it to the state's TISA base. Payment runs through FACTS: in full by July 1, or monthly from July through April, quarterly or twice a year.
When is the KCHS tuition assistance deadline?
The deadline is Friday, December 11, 2026. Families apply through FACTS, pay a $45 application fee and upload the most recent tax return, W-2 or 1099 forms and recent proof of income. Catholic applicants also turn in a signed parish stewardship form.
KCHS says it considers aid only for current students and students who have applied for admission, that incomplete applications are not fully considered, and that FACTS can take up to ten business days to verify a file. It also warns that funds are limited and not guaranteed from year to year, so the December date is worth treating as firm.
Does KCHS require families to apply for the Education Freedom Scholarship?
KCHS's tuition page says every student applying for tuition support should also apply for EFS, and the school is on TDOE's 2026-27 registered list. The same page says 2027-28 EFS application dates will be updated soon.
The timing is awkward. The KCHS aid file closes in December, while the last EFS cycle opened to new students on January 13 and closed January 30. A family applying for both should file with FACTS first and keep the EFS documents ready: one proof of U.S. citizenship or two of lawful presence, two current proofs of Tennessee residency, and the household's Form 1040 if claiming an income priority. Our deadline calendar keeps both tracks in one list.
Where does Catholic tuition aid in Knoxville come from?
Need-based help for families at the diocese's Knoxville-area schools comes from the Knoxville Regional Catholic Schools Operating Fund (KRCSOF). A letter from the diocese's superintendent, posted on the KCHS site, says area pastors administer the fund with help from others, that recommendations rest on the financial information families provide, and that donors, parishes, parishioners, the Catholic Education Trust Fund and the St. Mary's Legacy Foundation support it.
At Sacred Heart Cathedral School, the process is spelled out: families apply through FACTS, KRCSOF tuition counselors interview them and recommend support, and parish pastors make the final decision. Details are on our diocesan tuition assistance page.
How does KCHS compare with a Knoxville Catholic elementary school?
The gap after EFS is much smaller in the lower grades. Sacred Heart Cathedral School publishes 2026-27 K-8 tuition of $10,650 for one child at the Catholic rate, so a $7,530 award leaves $3,120 before grade-based fees; the school's non-Catholic rate is $14,000. For 2027-28 Sacred Heart lists $11,100 at the Catholic rate.
Because EFS pays the same amount in kindergarten and senior year, a family moving from a parish elementary to KCHS should expect the out-of-pocket share to rise sharply, which is why the aid application matters more at the high school level.
Upperclassmen at KCHS can tap one more state program. Through the Dual Enrollment Grant, TSAC covers as much as $620.55 per college class for a student's first five in 2026-27, and leftover EFS money (if any) may go toward dual-enrollment and exam fees. Neither reduces the KCHS bill directly, but both lower what a family spends on college later.
What is EFS not, for a KCHS family?
EFS is not need-based aid and does not replace the KCHS application; it is a state scholarship paid to the school toward tuition and fees. It also does not cover everything a high schooler costs.
- It is: $7,530 for 2026-27, paid in four installments through the EFS portal.
- It is not: usable for food, athletics, field trips or extracurricular fees, which the EFS handbook lists as unallowed.
- It is not: guaranteed for 2027-28; every family reapplies each year, and new seats are handed out by priority tier.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Knoxville Catholic High School cost for 2027-28?
KCHS publishes $18,600 for Catholic students and $20,000 for non-Catholic students, each including $900 in fees and $600 for textbook rental.
When is the KCHS tuition assistance deadline?
Friday, December 11, 2026, through FACTS, with a $45 application fee.
Does KCHS require families to apply for the Education Freedom Scholarship?
KCHS says every student applying for tuition support should also apply for EFS, and the school is on the 2026-27 registered list.
Where does Catholic tuition aid in Knoxville come from?
From the Knoxville Regional Catholic Schools Operating Fund, reached through a FACTS application and decided by parish pastors on counselors' recommendations.
Related questions
- Catholic school tuition across the Knoxville area
- What's left after EFS: six Knoxville examples
- Catholic schools in the directory
- Dual Enrollment Grant money for juniors and seniors
Sources
- Knoxville Catholic High School: Tuition
- Knoxville Catholic High School: Education Freedom Scholarship
- Sacred Heart Cathedral School: Tuition and affording SHCS
- Diocese of Knoxville superintendent letter on tuition assistance
- TDOE: Education Freedom Scholarship Program
See which programs fit your child →
