The step up scholarship is not a single award. Step Up For Students is a Florida nonprofit that administers several state scholarship programs, and each program carries separate rules, amounts and deadlines. Parents use one name for the whole system, yet a family applies for a specific program such as the Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES) or the Florida Tax Credit (FTC) Scholarship. A Tampa mother searching for private school help and a Jacksonville father directing his son’s education at home both land on Step Up, and the two households end up in different programs. This guide separates the programs, states the 2026-27 amounts and dates, and walks through the application in the Education Market Assistant (EMA) platform.
What Is Step Up For Students?
Step Up For Students is a state-approved Scholarship Funding Organization (SFO) based in Jacksonville, Florida. Florida law authorizes SFOs to verify eligibility, accept applications and move scholarship money to schools and providers. The Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) writes the program rules, while Step Up handles daily work with families. More than 500,000 Florida students receive scholarships through Step Up in a school year. An Orlando family never writes to the state for payment; the family works with Step Up from application day to the final tuition transfer.
Step Up Scholarship Programs Compared
Step Up administers six scholarship programs, and the right program depends on where and how a child learns. Private school students use the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options, the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities or the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship. Home education students use the Personalized Education Program (PEP). Three programs place money in an education savings account (ESA) that parents direct to approved schools and providers. The table below compares the six programs side by side.
| Program | Who qualifies | What it pays for |
|---|---|---|
| Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO) | Any Florida student eligible for K-12 public school, regardless of household income | Private school tuition and related fees |
| Florida Tax Credit Scholarship (FTC) | Any Florida student eligible for K-12 public school, regardless of household income | Private school tuition and related fees |
| Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA) | Florida students age 3 through grade 12 or age 22 with a specific diagnosis | Tuition, therapies, tutoring, curriculum and technology through an ESA |
| Personalized Education Program (PEP) | K-12 students in parent-directed education who are not enrolled full time in a public or private school | Tutoring, curriculum, testing and instructional materials through an ESA |
| Hope Scholarship | K-12 public school students who reported a qualifying incident such as bullying or battery at school | A transfer to another public school or tuition at an eligible private school |
| New Worlds Scholarship Accounts | Voluntary prekindergarten (VPK) and K-5 public school students who struggle with reading or math | Tutoring, after-school and summer programs, instructional materials and curriculum |
A seventh support, the Transportation Stipend, pays $750 per household when a kindergarten through grade 8 student attends a public school other than the assigned school.
The Main Step Up Programs in Detail
Family Empowerment Scholarship: Educational Options and Unique Abilities
The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO) pays tuition at eligible private schools, and the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA) funds students with disabilities through an ESA. FES-EO admits any Florida student who can enroll in a K-12 public school. FES-UA starts earlier, at age 3, and runs through grade 12 or age 22. A student qualifies for FES-UA with a specific diagnosis from a qualified professional or an Individualized Education Program (IEP) on file. One third grader in Gainesville with an autism diagnosis can split FES-UA funds between a private school seat and weekly occupational therapy.
Florida Tax Credit Scholarship
The Florida Tax Credit (FTC) Scholarship pays private school tuition with contributions that businesses make to Step Up in exchange for credits against state taxes. Families file one application that covers both the FTC Scholarship and FES-EO. Step Up awards FTC scholarships first, and eligible students receive FES-EO awards after tax credit funding runs out. Both scholarships share one eligibility test, one priority order and one county funding chart. A Brevard County family files once in February, and the EMA record later shows whether the award carries the FTC label or the FES-EO label.
Personalized Education Program
The Personalized Education Program (PEP) gives parent-directed students an ESA worth an average of $8,000. A PEP student cannot enroll full time in a public school or a private school. Parents file a student learning plan and direct the account toward tuition for eligible programs, tutoring, curriculum, testing and instructional materials. The program can serve up to 140,000 students in the 2026-27 school year. One Lakeland family builds a week from a reading curriculum, two tutoring sessions and a homeschool co-op class, all paid from the PEP account.
Hope Scholarship
The Hope Scholarship serves a K-12 public school student who faced a qualifying incident at school, such as bullying, battery, hazing, harassment, robbery, a sexual offense, threat or intimidation, or fighting. A parent reports the incident to the school, and the report alone starts the process; no proof is required at that stage. Within 15 days of the report, the district must give the family Hope Scholarship information and two options. Families can choose a transfer to another public school with capacity. A family can instead apply through Step Up for private school funding through FES or the FTC Scholarship. Hope funding comes from sales tax contributions that motor vehicle buyers choose to direct at participating auto dealers. Florida’s Hope Scholarship has no connection to the HOPE Scholarship in Georgia, a separate merit program that helps Georgia residents pay for college. After a reported bullying incident in Duval County, one family moved a seventh grader to a private school the next term with scholarship funding arranged through Step Up.
New Worlds Scholarship Accounts
New Worlds Scholarship Accounts support VPK and K-5 public school students who struggle with reading or math, and the accounts replaced the older Reading Scholarship Accounts. The account pays for part-time tutoring, after-school and summer programs, instructional materials and curriculum. Award amounts vary by school year, so families check the current figure with Step Up before they plan purchases. One Tallahassee kindergartner who reads below grade level can attend a summer reading program paid from the account and stay enrolled at the assigned public school.
Who Is Eligible for a Step Up Scholarship?
Any Florida student who is eligible to enroll in a K-12 public school can apply for FES-EO or the FTC Scholarship, regardless of household income. House Bill 1 (HB 1) removed the income limits for both programs in 2023. A family earning $40,000 a year and a family earning $240,000 a year face the same income test, because no income test exists. Kindergarten sets one age rule: a child must turn 5 on or before September 1 of the school year. A Pensacola child who turns 5 on August 30 can start kindergarten with a scholarship that fall; a child who turns 5 on September 3 waits a year. Dependents of active-duty military members with transfer orders to Florida also qualify. FES-UA adds a diagnosis rule, and PEP adds an enrollment rule, since a PEP student cannot attend a public or private school full time.
How Much Does a Step Up Scholarship Pay?
The Private School Scholarship pays an average of $8,000 per student for 2026-27, and PEP pays the same average of $8,000. FES-UA pays an average of $10,000 per student. Exact amounts vary by grade level and county, because the state formula weighs both factors. Step Up publishes a funding chart for every county before each school year. FES-UA amounts follow a services matrix, so two classmates with different needs can receive different awards. A fourth grader in Miami-Dade County and a tenth grader in Liberty County receive different FES-EO amounts even though both students attend private schools.
What Can Step Up Scholarship Funds Pay For?
Private school scholarships pay tuition and related fees at eligible participating schools. ESA programs widen the list for FES-UA, PEP and New Worlds students:
- Tutoring and test preparation
- Therapies and specialist services for FES-UA students
- Curriculum and instructional materials
- Standardized testing fees
- Technology and college savings contributions for FES-UA students
One PEP parent in Fort Myers can pay for a math curriculum, weekly tutoring and a state testing fee from a single account.
Step Up Scholarship Dates for 2026-27
Applications for the 2026-27 school year opened on February 1, 2026. Renewal families held a February 1 to April 30, 2026 window, and state law sets that renewal window every year. New private school students can apply until November 15, 2026 for the 2026-27 school year. Three groups can apply at any point in the school year: dependents of active-duty military members, students in foster care or out-of-home care, and students with a reported Hope Scholarship incident. A family that receives military transfer orders to Jacksonville in October 2026 can still file for the 2026-27 school year.
How Priority Works When Applications Exceed Funding
Income never blocks eligibility for FES-EO or the FTC Scholarship, and income sets the review order only when applications outrun funding. Step Up reviews applications on a first-come, first-served basis inside three priority groups:
- Group 1: households at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL), plus students in foster care or out-of-home care
- Group 2: households above 185 percent and at or below 400 percent of FPL
- Group 3: households above 400 percent of FPL
Renewal students receive review before new students inside each group. Parents may skip income documents entirely, and Step Up then processes the application without priority and records the household above 400 percent of FPL. Two families file on the same March morning; the renewing family at 150 percent of FPL receives review before a first-time family at 450 percent of FPL.
How to Apply for a Step Up Scholarship
Parents apply online in EMA, the Education Market Assistant platform, through stepupforstudents.org. The application follows seven steps:
- Create a parent account in EMA and verify the login.
- Add each student to the household profile.
- Select the scholarship program that matches the student.
- Upload proof of Florida residency, such as a utility bill or a lease, plus proof of the age of the student.
- Add income documents only when the family wants priority review.
- Submit the application and track the decision inside EMA.
- Accept the award in EMA, then finish enrollment with the chosen school or providers.
FES-UA applicants add diagnosis records or the IEP of the student to the same upload step. One Sarasota parent can apply for two children inside a single EMA account, because the platform links siblings under one household.
How the Money Moves After Approval
Parents direct scholarship money, and Step Up pays approved schools and providers from the account of the student. For a private school student, the school confirms enrollment in EMA and the parent approves the payment before tuition money moves. ESA families pay providers directly in EMA or request reimbursement for approved purchases. Families can also order approved books and materials through MyScholarShop, the Step Up online store. One Tampa parent with a FES-UA account approves a speech therapy invoice in EMA, and Step Up pays the therapist from the account balance.
FAQs
Is the step up scholarship a single program?
No. Step Up For Students is the nonprofit that administers several Florida programs, including FES, FTC, PEP and Hope. A family applies for one specific program, and each program sets separate eligibility rules, amounts and deadlines.
Who qualifies for a step up scholarship in Florida?
Florida residency and eligibility to enroll in a K-12 public school cover the main test for FES-EO and FTC. FES-UA adds a diagnosis, and PEP requires parent-directed education outside full-time enrollment in a public or private school.
How much money does the step up scholarship give?
Award amounts vary by program, grade level and county. The Private School Scholarship and PEP average $8,000 for 2026-27, and FES-UA averages $10,000 because a services matrix sets the amount for each student.
When do step up scholarship applications open?
Applications open on February 1 each year. For 2026-27, applications opened on February 1, 2026, renewals closed on April 30, 2026, and new private school applications run to November 15, 2026.
Can a family apply without sharing income documents?
Yes. A parent may decline income documentation inside the application. Step Up then processes the file without priority status and records the household above 400 percent of the federal poverty level.
Can homeschool families use a step up scholarship?
Yes. Homeschool and parent-directed students use PEP, an ESA that pays for curriculum, tutoring, testing and instructional materials. PEP students cannot enroll full time in a public or private school while they hold the scholarship.
What happens after a bullying incident at a public school?
Report the incident to the school. The district must share Hope Scholarship information within 15 days, and the parent can choose a transfer to another public school or apply to Step Up for private school funding.
Does the scholarship money arrive as cash?
No. Funds stay inside the scholarship account. Parents approve payments in EMA, and Step Up pays the school or approved provider directly, or reimburses an approved purchase.
Conclusion
One name hides six programs, so Florida families gain the most when they match the program to the child before they apply. Treat the step up scholarship as a doorway rather than a destination: choose FES-EO or FTC for private school, PEP for parent-directed learning, FES-UA for a student with a diagnosis, and Hope after a reported incident. File in EMA when applications open on February 1, keep residency and age documents ready, and the funding can follow your child to the school or providers you choose.
