Florida has four state scholarship programs that families can join for 2026-27 (FES-EO, FTC, FES-UA and PEP), a transportation stipend for public-school choice, and a new federal tax-credit scholarship that starts in 2027. Three nonprofit scholarship funding organizations (SFOs) run the state programs: Step Up For Students, AAA Scholarship Foundation and Sunshine State Kids Foundation. PEP is closed to new students this year. The Hope Program is now only a referral into FES-EO or FTC, and New Worlds Scholarship Accounts are closed except for existing balances.
| Program | Who it is for | 2026-27 status | Award | Run by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FES-EO (Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options) | K-12 students attending a private school | Open to new applicants for 2026-27 | $7,463–$12,217 by county and grade | Step Up For Students, AAA Scholarship Foundation, Sunshine State Kids Foundation |
| FTC (Florida Tax Credit Scholarship) | K-12 private-school students; FTC money mostly funds PEP | Open to new applicants for 2026-27 | $7,463–$12,217 by county and grade | Step Up For Students, AAA Scholarship Foundation |
| FES-UA (Unique Abilities Scholarship) | Ages 3 through 21 with an IEP or a qualifying diagnosis | Open to new applicants for 2026-27 (may close when it reaches capacity) | $9,627–$39,091 by county, grade and matrix level | Step Up For Students, AAA Scholarship Foundation, Sunshine State Kids Foundation |
| PEP (Personalized Education Program) | K-12 students not enrolled full time in a school | Closed to new students for 2026-27 | $7,463–$12,217 by county and grade | Step Up For Students, AAA Scholarship Foundation |
| Transportation Stipend | K-8 public-school students attending a non-assigned school | Not accepting applications for 2026-27 | $750 per household | Step Up For Students |
| Federal Education Freedom Tax Credit | Public and private K-12 students whose household meets an area-median-income test | Not open yet: donations start January 1, 2027 | n/a | SGOs (none official yet) |
| Hope Program | Public-school students who report a listed incident (referral only) | Referral only: not a scholarship | n/a | None |
| New Worlds Scholarship Accounts | Existing account holders only | Closed: existing account balances only | n/a | Step Up For Students |
Programs vs. scholarship organizations
The programs are created by Florida law; the SFOs are the nonprofits the State Board of Education approves to run them. Families apply to an SFO, which checks eligibility, funds the student's account and pays schools and providers. The same program can work a little differently at each SFO, so our program pages say which organization a rule comes from. About the SFOs · Compare them
Where the money comes from
- FES-EO and FES-UA are paid from the state education budget (the FEFP) in quarterly installments.
- FTC and PEP are paid from contributions that taxpayers make to SFOs in exchange for Florida tax credits.
- The Transportation Stipend is a separate line in the state budget.
- The federal credit will be funded by individual donors who claim a federal tax credit for gifts to scholarship granting organizations (SGOs).
Our Family Empowerment Scholarship explainer covers how FES-EO and FES-UA relate.
Retired names you may still see
- McKay and Gardiner scholarships became FES-UA. What changed
- Hope Scholarship is now the Hope Program, a referral into FES-EO or FTC. How it works now
- New Worlds Scholarship Accounts no longer get new money. Using an existing balance
Next steps
- Check eligibility and income priority
- Look up the amount for your county
- See the deadlines and how to apply
- Read the FAQ
Sources
- 2026-27 Scholarship Amounts: FTC/FES-EO/PEP by District · p.1 · as stated by Step Up For Students · verified on
- 2026-27 Scholarship Amounts: FES-UA by District · p.1 · as stated by Step Up For Students · verified on
- SUFS Register for 2027-28 Scholarship Updates · program lists · as stated by Step Up For Students · verified on
- s. 1002.395, F.S. (2026) · (6)(e)1.–6. · as stated by Florida Statutes · verified on
- Ch. 2026-232, Laws of Fla. (HB 5001-E) — General Appropriations Act FY 2026-27 · GAA Specific Appropriation 96; s. 1002.31(7)(d) · as stated by Florida Statutes · verified on
- Treasury/ED EFTC fact sheet (Oct 2026 update) · "Qualified contributions made on or after January 1, 2027, can qualify" · as stated by Internal Revenue Service · verified on
- s. 1002.40, F.S. (2026), The Hope Scholarship Program · (1)–(5) · as stated by Florida Statutes · verified on
- s. 1002.411, F.S. (2026), New Worlds Scholarship Accounts · (1)–(6) · as stated by Florida Statutes · verified on