Tuition and Financial Aid

Achieve provides four-year high school scholarships to underserved, low-income students at three Bay Area private schools: Archbishop Riordan High School and Mercy High School in San Francisco and Holy Names High School in Oakland. As a year-round program, Achieve provides students with extensive academic support, mentoring, summer internships, and cultural and community service activities. It is the ultimate goal that all Achieve students go on to college, graduate, and become successful citizens who will give back to the community. More information about the program and information about how to apply can be found here.

The Achieve Application Deadline is TBD for the 2024-25 school year. 

Learn more about Riordan graduates in the Achieve Program in this article.

Updated 8-7-23

The Archdiocese of San Francisco offers a limited number of scholarships and grants to families. Consideration for these scholarships is indicated on the TADS application. Your must also submit a Clergy Recommendation Form from your Pastor. Families do not need to be Catholic to apply, but must be active in a church of any denomination. More Information

A nonprofit Bay Area network hub for change through education, Bay Scholars exists to make it possible for promising low-income scholars to have access to and flourish at successful college preparatory Catholic high schools in the SF/Bay Area. Awards are determined based on financial need and family size and are renewable for four years as long as the student is in good standing with the Catholic high school. More information and how to apply can be found at www.bayscholars.org.

Boys Hope Girls Hope Academy San Francisco Bay Area helps academically capable and motivated children-in-need to meet their full potential and become men and women for others by providing after-school academic support and tutoring, service learning, career exploration, and college-related literacy, tuition assistance, and financial support. More information can be found here.

In 2014, Hope Academy moved their operations to Riordan’s campus. Read more about the program in this article.

The Michael and Sally Mayer Family Foundation is pleased to offer four scholarships of up to $4,000 each to eighth grade applicants whose parent is currently a law enforcement officer.

For Students Applying to Riordan’s Freshman Class of 2028

The following is required to apply for this scholarship:

• A minimum national percentile rank of at least 50% on the High School Placement Test (HSPT)
• A letter of recommendation from the applicant’s 8th grade teacher or grammar school principal attesting to their character and potential to fully participate in student life at Riordan
• An essay of 400-500 words addressing the following question: How has your parent’s job as a law enforcement officer inspired you? The essay should be signed and contain the following statement: “I attest that this essay is my own work.”

Essay and letter of recommendation must be received by January 16, 2024.

Please send to:
Sally O’Connell
175 Frida Kahlo Way
San Francisco, CA 94112

You can also email Mrs. O'Connell at saoconnell@riordanhs.org.

For Currently Enrolled Students

Scholarships will range from $1,000-$2,500. The following is required to apply:

• A cumulative GPA of at least 2.75 for the last two semesters
• Parent must currently be a law enforcement officer  
• A letter of recommendation from a Riordan faculty member attesting to the applicant’s character and full participation in life at Riordan

Essay Prompt: What are the three biggest challenges that high school students face? What skills are necessary to cope with and overcome these challenges?

• The essay should be about 1,000 words, spell-checked and written in six paragraphs.
• Paragraph 1 – “Tell me what you are going to tell me.”
• Paragraphs 2-4 – One paragraph on each challenge.
• Paragraph 5 – One paragraph on the skills needed to cope with and overcome these challenges.
• Paragraph 6 – “Tell me what you told me.” Summarize your essay.
• The essay must be signed and contain the following statement: “I attest that this essay is my own work.”
• Essays that do not follow these instructions will not be accepted.

All essays and letters of recommendation must be submitted by March 1, 2024. Please submit to mveracruz@riordanhs.org. “We are fortunate to be able to help law enforcement officers send their children to Riordan. My dad, my brother, and Sally’s brother were all San Francisco police officers. My two brothers and I, and all three of Sally’s brothers, are Riordan graduates. We hope that scholarship recipients will benefit, as our families did, from an outstanding Riordan education, and that when able these individuals will help future generations of Riordan Crusaders.” - Michael Mayer ’71, past chairman of Riordan’s Board of Trustees.Updated 11-6-23