What are Florida state-funded scholarship programs (FES-EO, FES-UA, FTC-PEP)?

Florida offers several scholarships to help families create a more personalized K-12 learning path. These programs can be used for private school tuition, homeschool resources, tutoring, and more.

If you're exploring alternatives to your local public school, supporting a child with specific learning needs, or building a home education plan, these scholarships can help fund the path that fits your learner best.

What can Florida scholarships be used for?

Florida scholarships are flexible education funds that families can use for approved learning expenses, like private school tuition, curriculum, tutoring, or online programs. The Family Empowerment Scholarship and the Florida Tax Credit ESA both offer this type of account.

What scholarship options are available in Florida?

Florida offers multiple scholarship programs that provide ESA-style funding. Each one is built to support different student needs, from income-based eligibility to disability diagnoses or academic performance.

• Florida Tax Credit Education Savings Account (FTC ESA): A privately funded scholarship that can be used for private school or personalized education through a homeschool-style program.
• Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA): A flexible ESA for students with qualifying disabilities, covering a wide range of learning and therapeutic expenses.
• Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO): A scholarship that supports private school enrollment or transportation to an out-of-district public school.
• Florida Tax Credit Personalized Education Program (PEP): A scholarship for K-12 students not enrolled full-time in public or private school, allowing parents to direct funds for tutoring, curriculum, and therapies.

Florida Tax Credit Education Savings Account

The Florida Tax Credit Scholarship (FTC) is privately funded through corporate donations and administered by approved Scholarship Funding Organizations (SFOs) like Step Up For Students and AAA Scholarship Foundation. Families who qualify can receive their scholarship as an Education Savings Account (ESA) for greater flexibility. Families wanting to homeschool must enroll in a Personalized Education Program (PEP) to access ESA funds for curriculum, tutoring, online classes, and more.

Eligibility

• Florida resident, grades K-12
• No income limit, but priority given to households at or below 185% of the federal poverty level, followed by up to 400%
• Students in foster care, siblings of current recipients, and homeless students receive priority consideration

Rules and regulations

• Apply through an approved SFO (Step Up For Students or AAA Scholarship Foundation)
• Approved uses: tuition, transportation (up to $750), personalized education programs including homeschooling expenses, tutoring, online courses, instructional materials
• Students must take an approved nationally norm-referenced test annually
• Students cannot receive FTC and another state scholarship simultaneously

Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA)

FES-UA gives families of students with special needs access to flexible ESA funding for private school, homeschooling, therapies, curriculum, or specialized services.

Eligibility

• Florida resident, ages 3-22
• Must have an IEP or documented diagnosis for a qualifying disability (autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, intellectual disability, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, speech/language impairment, other health impairments including rare diseases)

Rules and regulations

• Apply through an approved SFO
• Approved uses: private school tuition, specialized services, tutoring and therapy, instructional materials, curriculum and online education, home education expenses, standardized testing fees, and contributions to Florida Prepaid or 529 plans
• Students cannot participate in both FES-UA and FES-EO simultaneously

Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO)

FES-EO helps Florida families access funding to support private school enrollment and other approved educational expenses.

Eligibility

• Florida resident, grades K-12, eligible to enroll in a Florida public school
• Priority: households at or below 185% of the federal poverty level, students in foster care, siblings of FES-EO or FES-UA recipients, dependent children of active-duty military or law enforcement

Rules and regulations

• Apply through an approved SFO
• Approved uses: private school tuition and fees, transportation up to $750 for an out-of-district public school
• Students in public schools (including charter schools) or virtual schools receiving state funding are not eligible

How to use your Florida scholarship funds on Outschool

Outschool is an approved provider for Florida families using the Family Empowerment Scholarship and Florida Tax Credit programs. That means you can apply scholarship funds toward eligible live classes, tutoring, or curriculum support. Outschool makes it easy to build a custom-fit schedule that supports your learner's needs at home or through hybrid learning.

Families often use scholarship funds on:

• Live, small-group classes led by experienced educators
• Complete curriculums and interest-based learning options
• Flexible scheduling that fits your routine
• Support for homeschooling, private school, or hybrid learning

Frequently asked questions about Florida scholarships

Who qualifies for the scholarships in Florida?

Eligibility depends on which program you're applying for:

• The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO) is open to all Florida K-12 students eligible for public school. Since 2025, this scholarship has used an ESA model, allowing families to spend funds on private school tuition, curriculum, tutoring, testing, online programs, and more.
• The FES-UA supports students ages 3-22 with a qualifying disability, offering flexible ESA funding for private school, therapies, curriculum, and home education.
• The Florida Tax Credit ESA is privately funded and prioritizes lower-income families. It can be used for private school tuition or personalized education, including homeschooling.

How do I apply for the Family Empowerment Scholarship?

Families must submit an application through an approved Scholarship Funding Organization (SFO), such as Step Up For Students or the AAA Scholarship Foundation. The same process applies to the Florida ESA — choose your preferred program and complete the application on the SFO's website.

Can I use the Florida Empowerment Scholarship for homeschooling?

Yes. Families using the Family Empowerment Scholarship or the Florida Tax Credit ESA can use their account for homeschooling expenses including curriculum, online courses, instructional tools, and tutoring.

How much funding will my child receive?

The exact amount depends on the program, your child's grade level, and your county of residence. Funds are typically distributed quarterly and may vary each year.

Can my child receive more than one scholarship at the same time?

No. Students may only receive one state-approved scholarship at a time.

Are there income limits to qualify?

It depends on the program. FES-UA is based on a qualifying diagnosis, not income. FES-EO and FTC ESA prioritize lower- and middle-income households, but income is a factor in priority, not a hard cutoff for all applicants.

What expenses can Florida scholarship funds cover?

For FES-UA and FTC ESA families, approved expenses include: private school tuition, curriculum and instructional materials, online learning programs, tutors and therapists, testing fees and learning assessments, and home education expenses.

How long does the scholarship last?

Scholarships are renewed quarterly as long as your child remains eligible. Most programs continue through high school graduation or until your child returns to public school or turns 21.

Empowering personalized education choices

Florida's scholarship programs give families more control over how their children learn. Whether you need private school funding, specialized support for unique learning needs, or a way to make homeschooling more affordable, there's a program designed to help.

Outschool makes it easy to turn scholarship funding into flexible, high-quality learning. For more on using ESA funds this fall, see our ESA back-to-school planning guide.