Tuition & Fees
Through great effort and generosity, tuition at STMA is maintained at an affordable amount. The tuition for the 2024-2025 school year is:
Middle School (grades 6-8) Tuition: $7,000
Upper School (grades 9-12) Tuition: $7,000
Included in the tuition amount are some school books, which are provided on loan and must be properly maintained. There will be some books, however, that the faculty deem important for a personal library. Students will have to purchase these books separately. Individual titles should not be more than approximately $20. Additionally, every effort is made to point students to online titles that are free, or sites where they can be purchased at very low cost.
STMA Fees
St. Thomas More Academy does not have hidden fees. We strive to keep families’ costs down. Other than tuition, our fees include:
- $152 Non-refundable Application Fee ($130) + ($22 FACTS Processing Fee) – These fees are not tuition deductible.
- $300 Non-refundable, tuition-deductible deposit along with Commitment Letter
There are occasional expenses that arise as part of our curricular and extracurricular activities, these include (but may not be limited to):
- Athletics, books (mentioned above), field trips, lab fees, theatre productions, celebrations, food trucks, dress-down days, and formal dances
Click on this link to register for a FACTS account and select a tuition payment plan: https://factsmgt.com
Payment Options
- One full payment, due to the school by July 17th (3% discount will apply to tuition balance; only applicable for families not receiving financial aid/discounts of any kind)
- Two equal payments, paid in August and January through FACTS
- Ten equal payments, paid August to May through FACTS
Financial Assistance
Applicants to STMA may apply for financial aid. Please see the financial aid options that are available below.
North Carolina Opportunity Scholarship
- Families who receive the NC Opportunity Scholarship are welcome to apply to STMA. Please visit the NCSEAA website for more information on applying for the scholarship or to enter STMA as the recipient school if your child has been admitted to STMA.
- Any family who wishes to be considered for financial assistance MUST first apply for the Opportunity Scholarship.
- If a family does not receive an Opportunity Scholarship award, proof of denial must be provided before applying for other types of aid provided by STMA.
- Updates regarding the scholarship for the 2024-25 school year:
- On October 3, 2023, the North Carolina State Budget (House Bill 259) became law. The new law authorizes several changes to the State’s Opportunity Scholarship Program. These changes include:
- Removal of the income cap for families to receive the scholarship; now all North Carolina students in Kindergarten through 12th grade will be eligible for the Scholarship regardless of income.
- Prior public school enrollment is no longer a requirement for eligibility for the scholarship.
- A student’s scholarship amount will be based on household income.
- Scholarship amounts will range from approximately $3,000 to approximately $7,000.
- The Opportunity Scholarship application for the 2024–2025 school year opened on February 1, 2024. Families must apply by March 1 to receive priority consideration. To apply, parents must first create a My Portal account with Opportunity Scholarship. More information about the application process will be available on the program website in January.
- On October 3, 2023, the North Carolina State Budget (House Bill 259) became law. The new law authorizes several changes to the State’s Opportunity Scholarship Program. These changes include:
Merit-Based Tuition Assistance
Annually, St. Thomas More Academy provides limited merit-based financial assistance to families in need. Financial Assistance varies from year to year depending upon the number of qualifying families, their needs, and available funds. All families are expected to pay some portion of the tuition. Families applying for merit-based tuition assistance are required to first complete an application for the NC Opportunity Scholarship. If a reward is not received, proof of denial is required, and the family may complete a financial aid application via FACTS. Please note that the FACTS processing fee is non-refundable regardless of school’s decision. FACTS makes objective recommendations to the Academy based on financial data provided to them. Only enrolled students may be considered for merit-based financial aid.
Financial aid must be applied for annually and is subject to change. There is no guarantee that aid levels will be the same from year to year. Maintaining aid is dependent on academic and behavior standards as outlined in the student handbook. The application for financial aid may be completed via this link: https://online.factsmgt.com/signin.
If you have further questions regarding FACTS, tuition plans, or financial aid please contact Mrs. Ann Cureton.
-
Most Reverent Bishop Burbidge, Bishop of Arlington (Formerly Bishop of Raleigh)
Catholic schools play an essential role in the future of our Church and Diocese. Recognizing that parents are the first and primary educators of their children, Catholic schools enter into a unique partnership with them. STMA is positioned well to assist parents in this endeavor. As a school officially recognized by the Diocese of Raleigh, it is dedicated to the authentic teaching of the Faith and provides families with a valued option in Catholic education. -
Alice von Hildebrand, Professor of Philosophy Emeritus, Hunter College
God is always calling his people to the vital task of “renewing” authentic education. One enterprise that deserves our special praise and gratitude is St. Thomas More Academy. Thanks to the astounding generosity of its founder, Bob Luddy, and the unswerving efforts of its faculty, it has born rich fruit in its many students. We, both laity and clergy, have a great debt of gratitude to those who pour themselves into creating schools like St. Thomas More. Let us support them in every way possible. And let us not miss the chance to give our children the privilege of a real education. -
Timothy Moran, STMA '13
"STMA planted in me the desire to never be satisfied with mediocrity but to always strive for excellence and gave me the tools to navigate in a world that demands complacency. I continue to utilize lessons learned at STMA in my personal life and leadership style in the military. Above all, STMA fosters a desire for greatness in students that I don’t see possible in a different environment. I hold this to be the key difference in my upbringing."
1st Lieutenant, United States Marine Corps. -
Fr. Robert Spitzer S.J., Ph.D., President Emeritus, Gonzaga University
I’ve had the good fortune to present at STMA on multiple occasions. My subject matter, which draws from contemporary physics and philosophy, can be fairly demanding, but the students not only assimilate the material but ask very perceptive questions. I believe that the STMA faculty is the driving force behind these exceptional young people. I’ve been highly impressed by their knowledge and commitment to the students. For preparing teens to meet contemporary challenges brought about by the interaction of faith and secular culture, Saint Thomas More Academy offers one of the finest secondary programs in the nation. -
Sarah Dawod, STMA '15
"STMA leaves a mark on the minds of its students by attending to the formation of their intellect, heart, body and soul. My experience at STMA was nothing less than transformative - this is a result of the time and effort each and every one of the faculty members poured into me. "
NCSU '19 Honors Biology with Concentration in Neuroscience, Minor in Health, Medicine & Human Value, University of Pittsburgh, MA Bioethics '21 -
Dr. Anne Carson Daly, President Emeritus, Mount St. Mary College
It’s a breath of fresh air to walk through the doors of St. Thomas More Academy. The administrators and faculty care about educating the whole person. The students are obviously happy to be there [and] are getting a terrific education that emphasizes what counts and what lasts. Spending time at STMA makes me wish that all students could have the opportunity to study there. -
Adriana Watkins, STMA '16
"STMA opened my eyes to the ways in which different disciplines are connected. I'm grateful to STMA for encouraging me to pay attention to the depth and breadth of truth.”
Boston College 2020, Majors in English & French, Minors in Philosophy and Creative Writing -
Dr. John F. Crosby, Professor and Chair of Philosophy, Franciscan University
My wife and I visited St Thomas More Academy in 2011, and we were greatly impressed by the politeness of the students. I attended an English class that had almost the level of a college course. I gave a lecture to an assembly of all students, and I was struck by the intelligent and articulate questions I received from them. I went away wishing that I could send my own children to a school like St. Thomas More Academy. -
Irene Bethencourt, STMA '17
"I value STMA for its teachers who care about the personal enrichment of each student in and way beyond the classroom. In college, it is almost impossible to have this connection with teachers so I remember it fondly from STMA. It reminds me that there are teachers out there who value more about their students than just their academic performance."
UNC Chapel Hill 2021, Major in Nursing -
Sister Mary Sarah Galbraith, O.P., President Emeritus, Aquinas College
STMA provides a rich environment that allows each student to flourish and become who they were meant from all eternity to be. In fall 2013 a recent graduate enrolled at Aquinas College. I was able to see a direct correlation between the caliber of teaching and learning in a thoughtful, Christ-centered community and the impact that STMA’s integrated formation had on the young man. He brings his good qualities of mind and heart into every aspect of life and by his example encourages others to follow his lead. -
Andrew Mistele, STMA '18
"STMA's community is totally unique in the best way. I formed some of the most meaningful relationships of my life there and grew personally in ways that have prepared me for life and all that comes after high school. As an engineering major, I believe that STMA's liberal arts curriculum taught me to see the world in a different way than most of my peers, which has already proved very advantageous.”
NCSU 2022, Major in Aerospace Engineering, Minor in Mathematics -
Aubrey Leaser, STMA '19
"St. Thomas More Academy is led by a strong and devout faculty that shares a deep love for the Catholic faith and seeks to bestow the same love in the next generations. In the four years that I spent at STMA, I found assurance in my faith and the knowledge to pursue my interests. I was taught how to think critically and to formulate strong arguments. Since entering college, I have realized that I am better prepared than many of my college peers, both academically and socially. I attribute this to my time spent at STMA, as it was there that I learned to love learning and was given the tools necessary to succeed."
University of Virginia Class of 2023, Major in Biology
3109 Spring Forest Rd
Raleigh, NC 27616
Middle School Campus
5605 Spring Court Rd.
Raleigh, NC 27616