Yes, as long as Florida residency is legally maintained and can be documented using a Leave and Earnings Statement or the IRS Declaration of Domicile Form 2058. Please note this option is only available to renewal Unique Abilities or PEP students.
Active-duty military with change of station orders out-of-state may apply for, or renew their Unique Abilities or PEP Scholarships, if they can prove maintenance of Florida residency. You will not be eligible to keep the Private School Scholarship (FTC/FES-EO) to attend private schools out of state.
If you had a Private School Scholarship (FTC/FES-EO), Unique Abilities Scholarship (FES-UA), or PEP Scholarship and enrolled in a public school, your scholarship will end and the remaining funds will be returned to the state.
As a public-school student, you may be eligible for a Transportation Stipend.
If your student was found eligible for the Private School Scholarship (FTC/FES-EO) and you would like to switch to a PEP Scholarship (FTCPEP), this can only be done before that year’s PEP Scholarship acceptance deadline. For 2025-26, the acceptance deadline was May 31, 2025. After that deadline, students are not able to switch from the Private School Scholarship to the PEP Scholarship.
If your student was found eligible for PEP, and you would like to switch to a Private School Scholarship (FTC/FES-EO), do not decline their scholarship in EMA. After accepting the scholarship, call us at 1-877-735-7837 to request this switch.
Florida law prohibits a family from applying for more than one scholarship at a time for an individual student. You can apply for a new scholarship once you’ve been denied or have declined, or withdrawn an awarded scholarship.
Yes. If you are an active-duty member of the United States Armed Forces and have been given permanent change of station orders to move to Florida, you will be eligible for the Private School Scholarship (FTC/FES-EO), Unique Abilities Scholarship (FES-UA) and the PEP Scholarship before you make your move. You can apply with your newly assigned base address or new Florida residential address (if you have one) and upload your permanent change of station paperwork with your application.
You have 30 days to enroll your student in a new private school. If you have not enrolled your student within 30 days your remaining scholarship funds will be returned to the state.
No. Florida law prohibits applying for more than one FTC or FES scholarship at a time for an individual student. You can apply for a new scholarship once you’ve been denied or have declined an awarded scholarship. However, you may apply for both the Transportation Stipend and New Worlds Scholarship Account if your student qualifies.
The student’s scholarship account must be closed and any remaining funds will be returned to the state after:
- Denial or revocation of program eligibility by the Commissioner of Education for fraud or abuse, including, but not limited to, the student or student’s parent accepting any payment, refund, or rebate, in any manner, from a provider of any authorized services received;
- Two consecutive fiscal years without any account activity; or
- A student remains unenrolled in an eligible private school for 30 days while receiving a scholarship that requires full-time enrollment.
- A student was enrolled in public school or received unpaid public school services at any time during the school year in which you received a scholarship.
Yes. If you are an active-duty member of the United States Armed Forces and have been given permanent change of station orders to move to Florida, you will be eligible for the Private School Scholarship (FTC/FES-EO), Unique Abilities Scholarship (FES-UA) and the PEP Scholarship before you make your move. You can apply with your newly assigned base address or new Florida residential address (if you have one) and upload your permanent change of station paperwork with your application.
Scholarships for
Private School
Good news—Quarter 1 scholarship funding has started for renewal students! Families will begin seeing funds in their account soon for returning students whose enrollment was completed in EMA by June 15, 2025, at 8 p.m. ET. Funding will occur on a rolling basis and it may take up to two weeks for all accounts to be updated. If you haven’t received your payment or heard anything about your funding status by August 25, please reach out to us.
The enrollment completion is the "Guardian Approval Date" found in the "My Students" tab under the "Enrollments" section.
Who’s next?
- New and Renewal students enrolled in EMA by July 15, 2025 at 8 p.m. ET will receive their Quarter 1 funding in September.
Everything You Need, Every Step of the Way
Discover
Every Student Deserves A Choice
Just as every student has their own story, every classroom and school has its own character. We believe students learn best and are given the opportunity to excel in academic environments that cater to their learning needs.
At Step Up For Students, we empower Florida students and families to build a stronger future through tailored educational opportunities. Our Private School Scholarships offer tuition assistance and support a range of educational needs through education savings accounts (ESA).
Private School Scholarships
Step Up For Students proudly offers the Private School Scholarship that covers tuition and fees at eligible private schools, and any remaining funds can be used to support your child’s education through expenses like registration, books, testing and other approved fees.
Students, regardless of household income, who are residents of Florida and eligible to enroll in a K-12 public school, can receive a scholarship worth an average of $8,000 to attend a private school that best meets their needs. These scholarships are available through the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program (FTC) and the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO).
How Does It Work?
Scholarships vary by county and grade but are worth an average of $8,000. Once awarded a scholarship, you will work with your selected participating private school to enroll your student through EMA, the Step Up For Students platform. You will be notified when it is time to log into your account to approve scholarship funds to be issued directly to your school electronically.
Scholarship funds must first pay for tuition and fees at eligible private schools. Remaining funds can be accessed through an education savings account (ESA) and used to pay for:
- Instructional material
- Curriculum
- Tuition for full-time or part-time education at an eligible postsecondary educational institution or approved apprenticeship program
- Fees for nationally standardized norm-referenced tests and other assessments
- Contracted services provided by a public school or school district
- Tuition as a private pay student at Florida Virtual School,
- Fees for a “Choice Navigator,” which is an optional service provider intended to help guide parents through the myriad of choices that will become available to them through their ESA.
Award Amounts
Are We Eligible?
Scholarships are available to all students, regardless of household income, who are residents of Florida and eligible to enroll in a K-12 public school.
Scholarships are awarded in the following order of priority:
Students whose household income does not exceed 185% of federal poverty level as outlined in the income priority guidelines or who are in foster care or out-of-home care
Students whose household income is between 185% and 400% of the federal poverty level as outlined in the income priority guidelines.
Other Helpful Documents
Hope Scholarship
The Hope Scholarship, created to support families whose K–12 students have experienced a bullying incident as described here, allows students to participate in the Private School Scholarship Program. Families may apply at any time throughout the year following an eligible incident.
Frequently Asked Questions
Beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, students who have experienced a bullying incident as described in Florida statute may apply for a Private School Scholarship at any time in the school year, regardless of application deadlines by using the Hope Notification Form.
Stepping Up To Success
