Q: Who can apply for these scholarships?
A: According to our application guidelines at Step Up, the following students may apply outside regular deadlines:

• Dependents of active-duty U.S. Armed Forces (Military Families)
• Students in foster care or out-of-home care
• Students who have experienced bullying or harassment in public school and have a completed Hope Scholarship Notification Form (previously the Hope Scholarship)

Q: What does this mean for foster/out-of-home care and Military Family students?
A: Dependents of active-duty members of the United States Armed Forces and students in foster or out-of-home care applying for a scholarship outside of application season do not need to call Step Up to have an application opened for their student. Active-duty US Military and students in foster or out-of-home care can open their own application past the application deadline. Just remember, students cannot use their deadline exception status to switch scholarship programs later in the year. Such exceptions are only for first-time applications

The following documents are requested for the applicable deadline exclusions:

• Dependents of an active-duty member of the United States Armed Forces: Leave and Earnings Statement and Permanent Change of Station orders
• Foster child: A copy of the Foster Placement documentation, or other similar legal documentation

Q: What does this mean for bullied or harassed students?
A: Students who experience bullying in a public school must submit a completed Hope Scholarship Notification Form to Step Up For Students in EMA and can apply without calling to have an application opened for them.

Q: What are the eligible scholarship categories for Deadline Exceptions?
A: These three exceptions apply primarily to these scholarship categories:

• Private School Scholarships (FTC) for all three categories
• Personalized Education Program (PEP) Scholarships (for Military Families and foster/out-of-home care categories only) Note: Exceptions from the application deadline do not exclude students from the PEP scholarship program capacity.

Q: What are the funding guidelines?
A: For a student with a deadline exception to be eligible for scholarship payment, the following requirements must be met:

• Private School (FTC): The student is awarded and enrolled by March 17 for Q3 and Q4 funding, and May 15 for Q4 only funding.
• PEP: Enrollment will be satisfied when the student's current year Student Learning Plan (SLP) and prior year test scores, if applicable, are submitted in EMA.