If you're planning to use an education savings account (ESA) next school year, the first question is usually when you can apply. As of November 4, 2026, two states have published 2027-28 application dates, a handful of programs have windows open right now, and most of the rest haven't posted anything yet.
We checked each program's official site on November 4, 2026. Where a state hasn't posted 2027-28 dates, we show last cycle's window and label it as last year's schedule. Dates can change, so confirm on the official site before you plan around one. If you're new to how these accounts work, start with our guides on what an education savings account is and how to apply for an ESA.
The short version
Confirmed for 2027-28: Alabama's CHOOSE Act application opens Monday, January 4, 2027 and closes March 31, 2027. North Carolina's Opportunity Scholarship and ESA+ applications open the first Monday in February, which is Monday, February 1, 2027.
Open or rolling right now: Georgia Promise (through November 30, 2026), Iowa half-year ESAs (through November 15, 2026), New Hampshire Education Freedom Accounts (rolling), and West Virginia Hope Scholarship (rolling, with a smaller first-year amount the later you apply).
Still waiting on 2027-28 dates: Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Tennessee, South Carolina, Wyoming, Arkansas, Utah, and Arizona. Texas has an interest list you can join for updates.
Alabama: CHOOSE Act (2027-28 dates confirmed)
The Alabama Department of Revenue says the 2027-28 application opens on January 4, 2027 and closes at midnight on March 31, 2027 [1]. The program provides $7,000 for each participating kid enrolled in a participating school and $2,000 for each kid in a home education program, capped at $4,000 per family.
Three changes matter for 2027-28. First, the state says there is no longer an income requirement to be eligible, though a family's adjusted gross income is still used to calculate a percentage of the federal poverty level for award purposes, and awards depend on priority groups and overall funding. Second, kids must be in grades K5 through 12. Third, the school type you select when you apply, participating school or home education program, can't be changed after the March 31 deadline, and it determines your potential award.
New applicants need a birth certificate for each kid, proof of Alabama residency, and proof of income, such as the most recent Alabama income tax return (tax year 2025 or 2026). The state says no application or eligibility documents are accepted after March 31, 2027, so missing paperwork on that date means a denied application. Our CHOOSE Act guide walks through the full process.
North Carolina: Opportunity Scholarship and ESA+ (2027-28 timing confirmed)
The North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority says the 2027-28 application opens on the first Monday in February [2]. That is Monday, February 1, 2027. The same notice appears for both programs on the state's scholarship site: the Opportunity Scholarship, open to North Carolina kids who meet the state's kindergarten age requirement and haven't graduated from high school, and ESA+, which is for kids with disabilities.
Opportunity Scholarship awards range from roughly $3,000 to $7,000 based on household income, and the money pays tuition and required fees at registered private schools. Kids don't have to be enrolled in a private school when they apply, but an awarded kid must be enrolled in and attending a registered private school by October 1 to use the funds for the fall semester. For 2027-28, the state also says families must live in North Carolina when they submit an application, with an exception for military families who have official orders to relocate there.
Because the Opportunity Scholarship is tied to private school tuition, it generally isn't the program that pays for individual online classes. Read our Opportunity Scholarship guide and our ESA+ guide to see which one fits your family.
Windows open or rolling right now
Georgia (Georgia Promise Scholarship). The student application window for the Spring 2027 semester runs November 1 through November 30, 2026 [3]. The scholarship provides up to $6,500 per eligible kid for 2026-27, paid in four quarterly installments. Eligibility is narrower than in most states: kids must have been enrolled in a Georgia public school for two consecutive semesters or be rising kindergarteners, live in an attendance zone on the state's lower-performing-schools list, and have a parent who has lived in Georgia for at least one year. For the spring semester, only households at or below 400 percent of the federal poverty level are considered. The program's site lists 2026 application periods and doesn't post 2027-28 windows yet. See our Georgia Promise guide.
Iowa (Students First ESA). Half-year applications opened October 15 and close November 15, 2026 [4]. A half-year ESA is $4,074 for the spring semester. The full-year window for 2026-27 ran April 16 through June 30, 2026, with $8,148 per kid. To keep ESA funds, a kid must attend an accredited nonpublic school in Iowa and confirm tuition and fee payments through the ESA portal, with a January 14, 2027 deadline for half-year participants. The state's page doesn't list 2027-28 dates.
New Hampshire (Education Freedom Accounts). Applications for 2026-27 are open and rolling [5]. Applications that are complete and verified by July 15 are eligible for a full EFA for the upcoming school year, and families can apply through February for a prorated grant for the current school year. Priority goes to current recipients, siblings of recipients, kids with disabilities, and households at or below 350 percent of the federal poverty level. The scholarship fund hasn't posted 2027-28 dates on that page. Our New Hampshire guide covers the details.
West Virginia (Hope Scholarship). The program accepts applications year-round, and the date you submit a new application sets your first-year amount [6]. For 2026-27, the schedule is:
- March 2 through June 15, 2026: 100 percent of the scholarship
- June 16 through September 15, 2026: 75 percent
- September 16 through November 30, 2026: 50 percent
- December 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027: 25 percent
- After February 28, 2027: no 2026-27 funding, but families can apply for 2027-28
Funds are deposited quarterly, with one fourth placed in accounts by August 15, October 15, January 15, and April 15. The Hope Scholarship Board hasn't posted 2027-28 windows on its page. Read our West Virginia guide.
Still waiting on 2027-28 dates
Arizona (Empowerment Scholarship Account). The Arizona Department of Education's ESA page lists 109,762 kids enrolled for 2026-27 as of November 2, 2026, and links to the application portal for 2026-27 [7]. The page doesn't list 2027-28 dates. See our Arizona ESA guide.
Texas (TEFA). The program's official site hasn't announced 2027-28 dates and invites families to join an interest list [8]. Last cycle ran February 4 through March 31, 2026, with more than 274,000 applications and more than 100,000 awards. Participants in good standing stay in the program automatically and only confirm they want to continue. After the first year, priority goes to siblings of participants, then new applicants, then prior participants who left to enroll in a public or charter school. A sibling who applies in the same period as an accepted kid is accepted too, so apply for all of your kids in the same window. Our TEFA guide for Texas parents covers approved expenses.
Florida (Personalized Education Program and other Step Up scholarships). Step Up For Students says the 2026-27 deadline for renewing and new PEP applicants was April 30, 2026, and invites families to sign up for updates when 2027-28 applications open [9]. PEP is for K-12 kids who aren't enrolled full time in a public or private school, and it's open to families at any income. See our Florida scholarship guide.
Louisiana (LA GATOR). The 2026-27 window ran March 1 through March 16, 2026 [10]. Returning families had to renew during that window or lose eligibility. The Legislature sets funding every year, so meeting the requirements doesn't guarantee an award. No 2027-28 dates are posted. Our Louisiana guide has more.
Tennessee (Education Freedom Scholarship). The 2026-27 window closed on Friday, February 6, 2026 at 4pm CT [11]. The state's applications page doesn't list 2027-28 dates. See our Tennessee guide.
South Carolina (Education Scholarship Trust Fund). The 2026-27 application closed after the program reached its statutory limit of 15,000 kids [12]. No 2027-28 dates are posted, and because of that cap, we recommend being ready to apply the day a window opens. Our South Carolina guide explains the program.
Wyoming (ESA). A supplemental 2026-27 window ran October 27 through October 29, 2026 and is closed. The state says that window finishes filling 2026-27 positions and that the waitlist resumes with the 2027-28 application process [13]. Awards are $7,000 a year. The state also notes that the lawsuit over the program's funding mechanism is still being litigated, so check its page for current status. See our Wyoming ESA guide.
Arkansas (Education Freedom Accounts). The Arkansas Department of Education page covers the 2026-27 school year and doesn't list 2027-28 dates [14]. See our Arkansas guide.
Utah (Utah Fits All). Odyssey administers the program, and the Utah State Board of Education's page sends families to Odyssey's help center for application windows instead of listing dates [15]. See our Utah guide.
Programs we couldn't confirm
We didn't confirm 2027-28 windows from official sources for Colorado, Idaho, Mississippi, or Montana. Check each program's site directly, and see our guides for Colorado, Idaho, Mississippi, and Montana. We'll update this page as states post new dates.
How to get ready before your window opens
Incomplete applications are one of the most common ways families lose a spot. Texas reported that about 25,500 applicants were found ineligible in its first cycle, most often because of pre-K requirements, income that couldn't be confirmed, citizenship or lawful presence that couldn't be confirmed, or Texas residency that couldn't be confirmed [8]. You can get ahead of most of that now:
- Gather your most recent tax return. Texas required a Form 1040 for 2024 or 2025 and didn't accept pay stubs or W-2s to verify income, and Alabama asks for your most recent Alabama income tax return.
- Find proof of residency, like a driver license, utility bill, lease, or mortgage statement.
- Locate each kid's birth certificate or other proof of lawful presence.
- If your kid has an IEP or 504 plan, make sure you have a current copy ready to upload.
- Join the interest list or email updates for your state's program.
- Put January 4 (Alabama) and February 1 (North Carolina) on your calendar now.
Our guides on ESA income limits, the ESA approved expense list, and what to do while you're on a waitlist can help you plan what to document and what you can spend funds on.
Using Outschool with your ESA
Whether you can pay for Outschool classes with ESA funds depends on your state and program. Outschool appears on the Alabama Department of Revenue's list of approved education service providers and is available through ClassWallet for Alabama families. Outschool is also approved on Odyssey for Louisiana's LA GATOR program. In states with reimbursement models, such as Mississippi and Montana, families pay upfront and submit receipts. Programs tied to private school tuition, like North Carolina's Opportunity Scholarship, generally don't cover individual classes. Check your program's approved provider list or expense rules before booking, and keep your receipts.
Outschool teachers lead live classes in math, reading, writing, science, coding, and more, which gives ESA families room to build a schedule around their kids' needs. You can browse homeschool classes to see what's available.
Frequently asked questions
When do ESA applications open for 2027-28?
It depends on the state. Alabama's opens January 4, 2027 and closes March 31, 2027, and North Carolina's opens on the first Monday in February, which is February 1, 2027. Most other states haven't posted dates yet, and Texas invites families to join an interest list.
Do I need to reapply every year?
It varies. Texas says participants in good standing stay in the program automatically and only confirm they want to continue. Georgia families may be asked to re-verify each year and must recertify by May 31. Louisiana's returning families must renew during the application window or lose eligibility.
Does applying late reduce my award?
In some programs, yes. West Virginia scales the first-year scholarship from 100 percent down to 25 percent depending on when a new family applies in 2026-27, and New Hampshire prorates grants for families who apply after the July 15 full-year deadline.
What happens if more families apply than there are funds?
Some programs use a priority order or a lottery. Texas uses priority tiers and a lottery if applications exceed funding, and Louisiana prioritizes by group and then by submission time. South Carolina closed its 2026-27 application after reaching its 15,000-kid limit.
Can I use ESA funds for online classes?
Many programs allow approved online programs or tutoring, though the rules differ. In Texas, online programs qualify if the provider applies and is accepted into the program. Read your state's approved expense list, and see our ESA approved list guide for common categories.
Sources
[1] Alabama Department of Revenue, CHOOSE Act Alabama, program page with the 2027-28 application dates, reviewed November 4, 2026: chooseact.alabama.gov
[2] North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority, Opportunity Scholarship page, reviewed November 4, 2026: k12.ncseaa.edu/opportunity-scholarship
[3] Georgia Education Savings Authority, Georgia Promise Scholarship program page, reviewed November 4, 2026: mygeorgiapromise.org
[4] Iowa Department of Education, Students First Education Savings Accounts, reviewed November 4, 2026: educate.iowa.gov/pk-12/educational-choice/education-savings-accounts
[5] Children's Scholarship Fund New Hampshire, NH Education Freedom Accounts application page, reviewed November 4, 2026: nh.scholarshipfund.org/apply/nh-education-freedom-accounts
[6] West Virginia State Treasurer's Office, Hope Scholarship page, reviewed November 4, 2026: wvtreasury.gov/Citizens/Hope-Scholarship
[7] Arizona Department of Education, Empowerment Scholarship Account page, reviewed November 4, 2026: azed.gov/esa
[8] Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Texas Education Freedom Accounts program site with timeline, funding, and FAQ sections, reviewed November 4, 2026: educationfreedom.texas.gov
[9] Step Up For Students, Personalized Education Program (PEP) scholarship page, reviewed November 4, 2026: stepupforstudents.org/scholarships/personalized-education-program
[10] Louisiana Department of Education, LA GATOR Scholarship Program page, reviewed November 4, 2026: louisianabelieves.com/schools/la-gator-scholarship-program
[11] Tennessee Department of Education, Education Freedom Scholarship applications page, reviewed November 4, 2026: tn.gov/education/efs/applications
[12] South Carolina Department of Education, Education Scholarship Trust Fund Program page, reviewed November 4, 2026: ed.sc.gov/newsroom/strategic-engagement/education-scholarship-trust-fund-program
[13] Wyoming Department of Education, Education Savings Account page, reviewed November 4, 2026: edu.wyoming.gov/parents/education-savings-accounts
[14] Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, Education Freedom Accounts page, reviewed November 4, 2026: dese.ade.arkansas.gov/offices/office-of-school-choice-and-parent-empowerment/education-freedom-accounts
[15] Utah State Board of Education, Utah Fits All Scholarship Program page, reviewed November 4, 2026: schools.utah.gov/utahfitsallscholarship.php
Program details, eligibility, and allowable expenses may change. Visit your state's official program site for current information.
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