Yes, as long as Florida residency is legally maintained. Please note this option is only available to renewal students on the FES-UA or PEP scholarships. Active-duty military with change of station orders out-of-state may apply for, or renew their FES-UA or PEP scholarships, if they can prove maintenance of Florida residency. You will not be eligible to keep FTC or FES-EO scholarships to attend private schools out-of-state.
The 2025–26 award amounts are not available at this time, but they are expected to be released later this summer. In the meantime, you can view the 2024–25 scholarship award amounts here.
If you had an FTC, FES-EO, 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 New Worlds Scholarship Account or 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 Personalized Education Program (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.
If your student was found eligible for the Private School or PEP Scholarship and you are interested in different scholarship, you must decline the scholarship they are currently eligible for before submitting an application for the other scholarship program. To decline the scholarship, please log in to EMA and use the "Decline Scholarship" button.
Florida law prohibits a family from applying for a Private School and Unique Abilities Scholarship at the same time for an individual student. You can apply for a new scholarship once you’ve been denied or have declined a scholarship. However, you may apply for both the Transportation Stipend and New Worlds Scholarship Account at the same time if your student qualifies.
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.
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 active-duty and have been given Permanent Change of Station orders to move to Florida, you will be eligible for the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO), Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA), Personalized Education Program (PEP), or Florida Tax Credit Scholarship (FTC) before you make your move. You can apply with your 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
Attention Renewal Families: The deadline to apply with renewal status is April 30. After this date, your application will be processed as a new family.
Every Student Deserves A Choice
Education isn't one-size-fits-all. Just as every student has their own story, every classroom and school has its own character. 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.
Private School Scholarships
The scholarship can be used for tuition and other related expenses such as registration, books, testing, and other fees.
How Does It Work?
Scholarships vary by county and grade but are worth an average of $8,000. Once awarded a scholarship, 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
- An approved online course
- 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.
Scholarship Award Priority will be given to:
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.
Resources
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 either the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship (FTC) or the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO) Programs.
Families interested in a 2025-26 scholarship should apply for the Private School Scholarship.
Frequently Asked Questions
Beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, students who have experience a bullying incident as described in Florida statute, may apply for either an FTC or FES-EO scholarship at any time in the school year, regardless of application deadlines, by using the Hope Notification Form.
Stepping Up To Success
