Catholic colleges support low-income students in a number of ways, but the process always starts with FAFSA. Colleges use FAFSA and sometimes the CSS profile to determine the financial need of a student based on their family's income. The CSS profile is run by The College Board, and like FAFSA is used to determine the financial need of an individual. However, CSS may take a more in-depth look at a family's financial situation and is used by institutions or universities to determine how much aid they should give.
Once Catholic colleges have determined a student's financial need, there are multiple ways that they may offer assistance to low-income students. Many Catholic colleges will have need-based scholarships available for low-income students, in addition to whatever financial aid is offered by the government. There are also merit and academic scholarships that students may be able to qualify for. These would be added to whatever is offered based on need.
Some Catholic colleges also offer Endowed scholarships, which are funded through donors or alumni. The amount for these types of scholarship may vary from year to year. Faith-based scholarships may also be available to low-income students who can prove involvement in their Church and faith-based activities.
Federal work study programs are also a common option for low-income students. These programs give students part-time jobs that help pay for school-related costs (such as fees, housing, and materials). Students could also get a part-time job on campus instead of work study. This gives students more flexibility with how the money can be used.
Additionally, many Catholic colleges can offer affordable housing options and food pantry programs for low-income students to make the cost of living and eating more manageable. Some Catholic colleges will also offer assistance to low-income students for getting their textbooks, laptops, and other supplies that they may need for their studies. This could be a textbook or laptop loaner program, or maybe even a stipend to purchase the needed supplies.
These are some of the more common examples of how Catholic colleges support low-income families. It's important to note that not every Catholic college is the same in terms of what aid and scholarships it offers. Be sure to sit down with the financial aid department of the college(s) you are interested in and ask them specifically about what sort of aid they can offer to you, low-income or not.