Question 1

Who qualifies for the Step Up scholarship in Florida 2026-27?

Accepted Answer

Step Up For Students is one of three state-approved scholarship funding organizations (SFOs) for 2026-27, with AAA Scholarship Foundation and Sunshine State Kids; the scholarships themselves are state programs. For the private school scholarships (FES-EO and FTC), a student must be a Florida resident (or the dependent of an active-duty service member with PCS orders to Florida) and be eligible to enroll in a Florida public school in K-12, or have held a Hope Scholarship in 2023-24. FES-UA also requires a qualifying disability shown by an IEP or a diagnosis, and can start at age 3. Income does not decide eligibility; it only sets priority among new applicants.

Question 2

Step Up income limits 2026-27 for a family of 4?

Accepted Answer

SUFS's 2026-27 chart uses the January 2026 HHS poverty guidelines: a family of 4 is Priority 1 up to $61,050 (185%) and Priority 2 up to $132,000 (400%). Other sizes: 3 people $50,542 / $109,280; 5 people $71,558 / $154,720; 6 people $82,066 / $177,440. Above 400% the application is still processed, just without income priority. We did not find AAA Scholarship Foundation’s or SSK's 2026-27 dollar charts, and the statute does not say which year's HHS guideline SFOs must use.

Question 3

Someone said priority is for families under 300% of poverty, like $93,000 — is that right?

Accepted Answer

No, that is out of date. 300% FPL was the FES-EO eligibility cap in 2019-21, and HB 1 removed income caps in 2023; current law uses the 185% and 400% priority tiers. The "300%" that is current belongs to the separate federal tax-credit scholarships starting in 2027, which use 300% of area median income, not the poverty level.

Question 4

Do I have to send proof of income to get the scholarship?

Accepted Answer

Only if you want income priority; by statute the SFO verifies income for families seeking priority. At SUFS you can opt out of income documentation, and the application is then "processed without priority" and recorded as above 400% FPL. AAA Scholarship Foundation’s 2026-27 flyer says "No income verification required!", while FTC funding priority still follows the income tiers. At SUFS, income-priority decisions cannot be reconsidered after review for 2026-27.

Question 5

Can my kid get a scholarship without a social security number?

Accepted Answer

The eligibility rules in statute are Florida residency (or military PCS orders) and being eligible to enroll in a Florida public school; no other test is listed. At SUFS, a student without an SSN "will only be considered for the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship," because FES-EO and FES-UA require one. FTC money for private-school students is limited: the state's estimating conference forecasts about 1,013 FTC private-school scholarships statewide for 2026-27. We did not find AAA Scholarship Foundation’s or SSK's published SSN rule as of Oct 19, 2026.

Question 6

What scholarships are there for my kid in Florida? (miami dade)?

Accepted Answer

For 2026-27 the state programs are FES-EO and FTC (private school), FES-UA (students with disabilities, from age 3), PEP (an FTC account for students not enrolled full time in a school; closed for 2026-27), and a $750-per-household transportation stipend for some public-school K-8 students. New Worlds Scholarship Accounts are closed to new students, and Hope is no longer a separate scholarship. From 2027 there will also be federal tax-credit scholarships through scholarship granting organizations (SGOs). The rules are the same in Miami-Dade as everywhere else; only award amounts vary by county.

Question 7

How old does my child have to be for kindergarten with the Step Up scholarship?

Accepted Answer

For FTC and FES-EO at SUFS, a kindergartner must be 5 on or before September 1. FES-UA starts earlier: a child who is 3 on or before December 31 of the application year can qualify, and kindergarten may start at any age. Proof of age is required for new kindergartners and for FES-UA children ages 3–5.

Question 8

My son turns 21 this year, can he still use the scholarship?

Accepted Answer

For FTC and FES-EO the student must be younger than 21 on September 1 of the application year; FES-UA allows students younger than 22 on September 1. Turning 21 (22 for FES-UA) or graduating high school stops new deposits. An FES-UA account closes if three years pass after graduation without eligible postsecondary enrollment.

Question 9

Does my child qualify for FES-UA? What diagnoses count for the unique abilities scholarship?

Accepted Answer

FES-UA needs an IEP (SUFS: issued within the last 3 years) or a diagnosis of a listed condition. The statute lists, among others, autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, intellectual disability, speech or language impairment, orthopedic or other health impairment, emotional/behavioral disability, specific learning disability (including dyslexia and dyscalculia), hearing or visual impairment, traumatic brain injury, rare diseases, anaphylaxis, hospital/homebound, and "high-risk child" for ages 3–5 with a developmental delay. The student must also be a Florida resident (or have military orders) and be age 3–4 or eligible for K-12.

Question 10

Is a 504 plan enough for the unique abilities scholarship?

Accepted Answer

No. FDOE's FES-UA FAQ says a 504 plan alone is not enough; you need an IEP or a diagnosis from a qualified professional. If your child has no IEP, you can ask your school district for an IEP and matrix, and the district must finish within 30 days.

Question 11

Who can sign the diagnosis for FES-UA? Can a nurse practitioner do it?

Accepted Answer

The statute lists a physician licensed in Florida, a physician licensed in another state or territory, DC or Puerto Rico, or a Florida-licensed psychologist. SUFS's 2026-27 handbook also accepts a Florida physician assistant signing for a Florida physician (new for 2026-27) and a Florida autonomous APRN. We did not find AAA Scholarship Foundation’s or SSK's list of accepted signers, so confirm with your SFO before you submit.

Question 12

Can my 3 year old get the FES-UA scholarship and still go to VPK?

Accepted Answer

Yes, at a private provider. FES-UA can start at age 3 (3 on or before December 31 of the application year, per SUFS). SUFS says a preschooler can combine FES-UA with VPK at a private provider, but not public-school VPK (unless private-pay) or VPK specialized instructional services (VPK-SIS). FES-UA can also pay private pre-K tuition.

Question 13

Is there a cap or a waitlist for the unique abilities scholarship?

Accepted Answer

State law caps FES-UA (72,615 in 2024-25, growing 5% a year), but many students don't count toward it, including children of military or law-enforcement families, foster and adopted children, and students who were in a Florida public school the year before. The 2026-27 cap number is not published as of Oct 19, 2026. SUFS and AAA Scholarship Foundation both show FES-UA open to new applicants through Nov 15, 2026; SUFS says it "may close early if the program reaches capacity," and AAA Scholarship Foundation says "Funding by the State of Florida is not guaranteed."

Question 14

My child goes to public school — is there any scholarship we can get?

Accepted Answer

A student enrolled full time in a public school can't hold FES or FTC at the same time. K-8 students at a non-virtual public school other than their assigned one (magnet, charter, lab or open enrollment) can apply for SUFS's $750-per-household transportation stipend; the 2026-27 application window is not published as of Oct 19, 2026, and SUFS is taking 2027-28 sign-ups. From 2027, federal tax-credit scholarships will be open to students eligible to enroll in public school, for things like tutoring and supplies, subject to an income limit.

Question 15

Can we use FES-EO for homeschool?

Accepted Answer

No. FES-EO and FTC students must attend an eligible private school full time, and home education doesn't count for those programs. FES-UA can be used with a district home education program (with a letter of intent), and PEP is the FTC option for students not enrolled full time in a school. PEP is closed to new 2026-27 students at SUFS and AAA Scholarship Foundation, and SSK does not offer it.

Question 16

Is PEP the same as homeschooling?

Accepted Answer

No. PEP students register with an SFO (not the school district), file a student learning plan and take an approved norm-referenced test each year; home-education students register with the district. PEP needs no letter of intent, and a family moving from home education should end that registration only after PEP is confirmed and funded. PEP students keep the same flexibility as home-education students for dual enrollment, extracurriculars and admissions.

Question 17

Can I still get the Hope Scholarship? My kid was bullied at school?

Accepted Answer

The Hope Scholarship itself was repealed effective July 1, 2024; what remains is a "Hope Program" referral. After a reported incident such as bullying, harassment, battery or threats, the district must offer a transfer to another public school with space and tell you that you may apply for FES-EO or FTC to attend a private school. At SUFS, a completed Hope Scholarship Notification Form is a deadline exception for the Private School Scholarship (apply until April 15, 2027); it does not reopen PEP. Students who held Hope in 2023-24 remain eligible for FES-EO and FTC.

Question 18

Can I still apply for the $1,200 New Worlds scholarship?

Accepted Answer

No. The law's eligibility section was deleted effective July 1, 2025, and the 2025-26 and 2026-27 budgets have no money for new accounts. SUFS says it is "not accepting applications" because of a lack of new funding. Existing balances can still be spent on reading or math by direct pay, but an account with no spending for one fiscal year (the current one runs Jul 1, 2026–Jun 30, 2027) closes and the money returns to the state.

Question 19

Does my kid have to be in public school first to get the Step Up scholarship?

Accepted Answer

No. The test is being eligible to enroll in a Florida public school, not having attended one. For SUFS's 2026-27 withdrawal-proof rules, a never-enrolled student can use a signed letter or email from the district or assigned school saying the student "is not enrolled as a full-time public school student." Ages 3-4 and new kindergartners are exempt from withdrawal proof.

Question 20

We're military and just got orders to Florida — can we still apply this year?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Dependents of active-duty service members with permanent change of station (PCS) orders to Florida are eligible. Military families are a deadline exception: SUFS accepts their applications until April 15, 2027, and AAA Scholarship Foundation lists military dependents with PCS orders as an any-time category, though funding is not guaranteed. At SUFS, military and foster families now open their own late applications without calling.

Question 21

My child is in foster care — can they still get a scholarship this year?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Students in foster or out-of-home care may apply at any time and share the top income-priority tier. SUFS accepts their applications until April 15, 2027 (documents by April 22; accept and enroll in EMA by May 15, 2027), and AAA Scholarship Foundation lists foster and out-of-home care as an any-time category. For PEP, SUFS says the exception "does not exclude students from the PEP scholarship program capacity."

Question 22

Who decides if my child is eligible, Step Up or the state?

Accepted Answer

The SFO you apply to collects and reviews your documents, then submits eligible students to FDOE for funding. For 2026-27 there are three SFOs (Step Up For Students, AAA Scholarship Foundation and Sunshine State Kids); some FDOE program pages still say "two," but FDOE's SFO list shows three. FDOE also cross-checks scholarship students against public-school enrollment records.

Question 23

Can my child have two scholarships at the same time?

Accepted Answer

No. A student can't receive two Florida K-12 scholarships at once, and a parent can't apply for more than one FES/FTC scholarship for the same student at the same time. The one exception in the law: a public-school student with a leftover New Worlds account may also get the transportation stipend. The 2027 federal scholarships are a separate federal program (see the Federal tax credit section).

Question 24

Who can get the $750 transportation stipend?

Accepted Answer

A K-8 student enrolled full time in a non-virtual Florida public school that is not their assigned school, such as a magnet, choice, charter or lab school, or open enrollment. It is $750 per household per year no matter how many children qualify, paid by check, and SUFS is the only SFO that runs it. Funding is $3 million for 2026-27, renewing households first, then first-come, first-served. It can't be combined with FTC, FES-EO, FES-UA or PEP.

Question 25

What happened to the McKay and Gardiner scholarships?

Accepted Answer

Both were merged into FES-UA by a 2021 law, and FDOE now lists McKay and Gardiner as "Historical." Students who held Gardiner or McKay in 2020-21 get the greater of the current FES-UA amount or their 2020-21 amount.

Florida K-12 scholarship FAQ: eligibility