Admissions

Tuition & Financial Aid

Investing in Your Daughter’s Future
Thank you for considering a Mercy education for your daughter.

At Mercy, we seek to admit talented and motivated students, regardless of family resources. Diversity of thought, background, and experience benefits the entire Mercy community and exposes our students to broader perspectives and critical thinking opportunities that prepare them to be leaders for good in the world. 

For many families, investing in an independent school education requires careful financial planning. The investment in Mercy pays off. With a reputation for being well-rounded and well-prepared, 100% of OLM graduates are accepted into college.

If you have questions or concerns about affording a Mercy education, please reach out! We are happy to discuss your family’s specific needs and how we can help.

Financial Aid at Mercy

  • 80%

    of families who apply for aid receive assistance

  • $6,120

    average grant for middle school students

  • $8,730

    average grant for high school students

  • $1.6+ million

    awarded in scholarships & financial aid annually
1/4

How to Apply for Financial Aid

  2. Submit current year W2(s)
  3. Submit previous year tax return(s)
  4. Pay the FACTs processing fee ($45)
*Additional documentation may be requested e.g. families that are separated/divorced, additional dependents, multiple people in tuition bearing institutions, etc.

List of 3 items.

  • Financial Aid Deadlines

    • Early January - Financial Aid Applications become available
    • February 9th - Financial Aid deadline for Priority Decision candidates
    • March 13th - Final Financial Aid Deadline for new and returning families

    Families can begin their financial aid application in early January for the following school year and should have their financial aid application AND all supporting documents completed by March 13th. 

    Priority Decision Families who wish for their daughter to be considered for merit scholarships must complete their financial aid application (with all supporting documents) AND complete the Mercy admissions process (including entrance exam) by February 9th. 

    Financial aid applications completed and verified with supporting documents after March 13th will be considered on a rolling basis if funds remain available.

  • Financial Aid Requests & Appeals

    Financial aid requests have no impact on the admission decisions made by the Admission Committee. All scholarship and financial aid decisions are determined separately from admission decisions. As such, scholarships and financial aid will not be awarded until after a student has been accepted to Mercy. Families are encouraged, however, to begin the financial aid application process prior to acceptance. Financial aid is awarded on a yearly-basis; families must reapply each year.

    Appeals
    Financial aid appeals will be considered if there has been a significant change in circumstances since the financial aid application was completed (loss of job, unexpected medical expenses, etc.). Appeals must be made in writing to Vice President of Finance, Our Lady of Mercy School for Young Women, 1437 Blossom Road, Rochester, NY 14610 or via email at finance@mercyhs.com.
    Submit an appeal

  • Financial Aid FAQs

    Who can apply for aid?
    Parents and/or legal guardians who are financially responsible for newly admitted or re-enrolling students are eligible to apply for financial aid. You may start a financial aid application while your daughter is in the admissions process, but you will not receive a decision until she has been accepted to Mercy.

    When can I apply for financial aid?
    The online application typically opens the first week of January. Because eligibility is based on need, we encourage all families considering enrollment at Mercy to apply for financial aid as soon as possible to allow time for any follow-up materials that FACTS may request.

    How do I start a financial aid application?
    The Mercy financial aid application is completed online via FACTS Management, and can be accessed at this link: https://online.factsmgt.com/signin/3MK03

    Who should I contact with questions on my application or to check the status of my application?
    If you receive an error message or have any questions about the application process or your application status, please contact FACTS directly at (866) 441-4637 as they are best suited to assist.

    What will I need to submit?
    The application will ask you to provide information about your income from your most recent pay stub, your 2024 or 2025 tax return, and your 2025 W-2’s. You will also be asked questions regarding your family size, assets such as savings and investments, and expenses such as rent or mortgage payments and other debts. 

    If you have a child in college and/or a child in another private school, you will be asked to provide a recent copy of that school’s tuition bill or financial aid award letter to verify the net amount you are paying to that school.

    If you are divorced or legally separated, you will be required to provide a copy of the agreement showing specifics regarding each parent’s financial responsibilities for the student. If both parents are responsible for paying tuition, each parent should apply for financial aid separately using only their total household income and expenses. If there is more than one adult in the household, income from both adults must be included in the total household income on the financial aid application.

    Read More

Scholarships

In addition to need-based financial aid, Mercy also offers multiple-student tuition benefits as well as academic/merit-based scholarships.

List of 6 items.

  • Multiple Daughter Benefit

    Mercy provides a tuition benefit to families who have more than one daughter enrolled at the school. Every family with more than one student enrolled at Mercy will receive a $500 credit toward the tuition of each additional student(s). A financial aid application is not required for this benefit.

  • McAuley Middle School Scholarships (Grades 6-8)

    Deadline: February 28th

    McAuley Middle School Scholarships award up to $500 per year to incoming middle school students (grades 6-8) and the award continues throughout the students’ middle school years. Scholarship recipients are selected based upon the results of the grade-specific entrance exam. 

    Students who wish to be considered for this scholarship must have all admission application materials, including entrance exam, completed by February 28th.

  • Rising 9th Grade Academic Scholarships

    Deadline: February 28th

    Rising 9th grade academic scholarships are awarded through an invitation-only scholarship application. Invitations are based on a student’s entrance exam results, and in some cases, specific scholarship criteria. In addition to new, incoming 9th graders, all current Mercy 8th grade students are invited to apply.

    9th Grade Academic Scholarships include:
    • Sister Mary Francesca Alumnae Scholarship
    • William J. Stoltz Scholarship
    • Presidential Scholarship
    • Circle of Mercy Scholarship
    These scholarships award students $500/year for four years, for a total scholarship value of $2,000. 

    Students who wish to be considered for this scholarship must have all admission application materials, including entrance exam, completed by February 28th. If you qualify, a member of the Admissions Office will contact you with additional information.

  • Emerging Leaders Scholarships (Grades 6-12)

    Deadline: February 28th

    Mercy is proud to recognize a commitment to leadership and promote the development of leadership skills in our students. The Emerging Leaders Scholarships are awarded to incoming students in grades 6-12 who have demonstrated leadership skills and display the potential to be a leader at Mercy. 

    Each scholarship is a one-year, $1,000 award to be applied toward a student’s first year of tuition at Mercy.

    To apply, students must submit a student essay and a recommendation from a non-family member. Recommendations must be submitted through the form provided; teacher recommendations submitted in the general admissions process will not be considered for this scholarship. 

    All admission application materials, including entrance exam, as well as the additional student essay and recommendation, must be submitted by February 28th to be considered.

    Click here for application materials

  • Community/Third-Party Scholarships

    Students applying to Our Lady of Mercy may wish to pursue scholarship opportunities available from organizations in the Greater Rochester area. 

    The Rochester Area Community Foundation provides many scholarship opportunities for both middle and high school students. 

    Residents of the Diocese of Rochester may be eligible to apply for the Reddington Scholarship, in conjunction with Canandaigua National Bank. 

    Children of nursing employees at St. Ann’s Community may be eligible for tuition scholarships directly from St. Ann’s. 

    Our Lady of Mercy is not affiliated with the organizations listed and is not involved in the awarding of or decisions related to third-party or community scholarships.

  • Leadership Scholarships (Current Students)

    A variety of leadership scholarships are granted annually to current students based on teacher nominations and a panel review.
    • Colleen Harrington Scholarship (grades 8-12): $500 each for one year only.
    • Sue Clifford-Alvut Scholarship (grades 6-8): $2,500 for one year only.

Questions?

For questions or concerns about tuition and financial aid, please contact admissions@mercyhs.com or call 585-288-7120 x310.

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Your Daughter Will Thrive at Mercy!
Begin the Journey Today.

1437 Blossom Road, Rochester, NY 14610
Phone: 585-288-7120    |    Fax: 585-288-7966    |    Email: info@mercyhs.com

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Our Lady of Mercy School for Young Women is a sponsored ministry of the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas and a member of Mercy Education.
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