K-12 Tuition Assistance
The Learning Lamp offers tuition assistance to K-12 students attending private schools through Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program. As an Opportunity Scholarship and Scholarship Organization we accept tax credit donations from businesses, and use those donations to fund tuition assistance for area families.
These are not full scholarships, but will help your family to afford private school. Award amounts depend on the amount of donations we receive each year. Applicants living in The Learning Lamp’s primary service area of Cambria, Somerset and Bedford counties receive first consideration. Funding must be applied for each year and is not guaranteed from year to year.
ELIGIBILITY
Students who live in the tri-county area are eligible to receive partial tuition assistance for K-12 students if their household income does not exceed $136,483 plus an additional $20,428 per household dependent, as determined by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
Tuition assistance awards are made in August until the funds are gone. Families who receive tuition assistance must complete five (5) hours of volunteer service to The Learning Lamp during the school year. If you do not fulfill this requirement, you are not eligible to apply for tuition assistance the following year. Time is tracked and monitored.
PLEASE NOTE: This application is for children in grades K-12 only. Preschool tuition assistance is available for students who qualify and who are currently enrolled in The Learning Lamp preschool programs. For more information on preschool tuition assistance, reach out to Laura at 814-262-0732 x288 or email lhenderson@thelearninglamp.org or Kathy Morrell at kmorrell@thelearninglamp.org or 814-262-0732 x233.
APPLICATION PROCESS
PLEASE NOTE: Applications for K-12 tuition assistance will only be accepted from June 1 through June 30, 2026.
K-12 tuition assistance applications for the 2026-27 school year will be available online starting June 1, 2026.
Applications will be accepted from June 1 through June 30, 2026 only. Applications will not be considered if submitted outside of those dates. Questions can be directed to Kathy Morrell at kmorrell@thelearninglamp.org or 814-262-0732 x233.
When applying for tuition assistance:
- The application MUST be completed in full and submitted online with the first page of your 2025 tax return showing your adjusted gross income. Incomplete applications will not be considered. All items must be submitted at the same time.
- Your child MUST be enrolled in the school that you are seeking tuition assistance for.
- Applications are accepted June 1-30, 2026 only. Applications submitted outside of this time period will not be considered.
- If awarded tuition assistance for the 2026-27 school year, you will receive a letter in the mail in late August.
- Schools receive funding directly towards the end of September or early October.
- All applicants receiving tuition assistance from The Learning Lamp are required to complete 5 hours of volunteer services with our organization. If you do not fulfill this requirement, you are not eligible to apply for assistance the following year. Time is tracked and monitored.
Additional information
- The Learning Lamp does not provide assistance to families transferring to another public school district.
- Tuition assistance is offered once per year. If a student transfers in the middle of a school year, we are unable to assist with tuition.
- The Learning Lamp does not provide school transfer assistance, only tuition assistance.
OTHER APPROVED DONOR ORGANIZATIONS
To access a list of other approved organizations please select from the following: