Step Up For Students questions, answered

Step Up For Students is the organization that runs several Florida education scholarships. It runs the Unique Abilities Scholarship (FES-UA), the Personalized Education Program (PEP), the Private School scholarships (FTC and FES-EO), New Worlds Scholarship Accounts, and the Transportation Stipend. You apply for, accept, and manage your scholarship through Step Up.

It depends on your child's needs and how they are schooled. FES-UA is for students with a qualifying diagnosis, PEP is for students who are not enrolled full time in a school, and FTC and FES-EO help pay private school tuition. Step Up decides eligibility, so use any quiz as a starting point.

The Unique Abilities Scholarship (FES-UA) is for Florida residents ages 3 to 22, or through grade 12, whichever comes first, who have one of 23 qualifying diagnoses. These include Specific Learning Disability (which includes dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia), Language Impairment, Speech Impairment, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Other Health Impairment (which includes ADHD). Step Up reviews the documentation and decides eligibility.

PEP is for K-12 students not enrolled full time in a public or private school, at least 5 by September 1, at any income level. New applications for 2026-27 closed April 30, 2026, so new families are now planning for 2027-28.

Yes. FES-UA and PEP can pay for part-time tutoring, and they are the only scholarships that pay for full-time private tutoring. With FTC and FES-EO, tuition and fees come first, and leftover funds may pay for part-time tutoring.

You apply online through Step Up's official login page. Create a family account, choose the scholarship, and upload the documents listed on Step Up's application checklist.

New FES-UA families typically gather proof of Florida residency, Social Security numbers, a birth certificate for younger children, and documentation of the diagnosis. Other scholarships have their own lists, so check Step Up's application checklist for yours.

It depends on the scholarship. New FES-UA and Private School applications are accepted through November 15, 2026, while new PEP applications closed April 30, 2026.

Step Up has not announced dates for 2027-28 applications. Based on past years, the window is expected to open in early 2027. You can join Step Up's 2027-28 scholarship updates list, or sign up for my reminder email on the key dates page.

Yes, during set windows. For 2026-27, the fall switch window runs October 2 to October 30, 2026, and a fall switch brings only part of the year's funding. Read Step Up's scholarship switching guide before you decide.

After Step Up awards a scholarship, you log in and accept or decline it by a deadline. Accepting confirms you plan to use the award this school year. Funding then follows Step Up's quarterly schedule.

For 2026-27, renewing students accepted by May 31, 2026. New FES-UA and Private School students must accept or decline by December 15, 2026.

No. Step Up reviews each application and decides eligibility and award amounts. A complete application with every document on the checklist helps avoid delays.

Yes. Families renew each year, and for 2026-27 renewals were due April 30, 2026. Watch for 2027-28 dates, which are expected in early 2027; not yet announced.

A student with a Private School, FES-UA, or PEP scholarship who enrolls full time in a Florida public school is no longer eligible for additional scholarship funding. Funds already in the account stay available in EMA. Call Step Up before you make the move so you know what to expect.

It depends on the scholarship, your child's grade, and your county. FES-UA awards are about $10,000 on average, and PEP awards were between $7,700 and $8,500 on average in 2025-26. Your exact amount shows in EMA.

For FES-UA, amounts are $11,054 (ages 3-4 and K-3), $10,452 (grades 4-8), and $10,255 (grades 9-12) at the base need level. For PEP, FTC, and FES-EO, amounts are $8,890 (K-3), $8,288 (grades 4-8), and $8,091 (grades 9-12).

Step Up funds accounts by quarter. For 2026-27, funds reach Step Up August 1 or September 1, November 1, February 1, and April 1, and accounts are funded up to two weeks later. Check your EMA balance before you reserve new sessions.

EMA, the Education Market Assistant, is the online account where your scholarship funds live. You use it to check your balance, find approved providers, reserve funds, and request reimbursements.

The 2026-27 spending year runs July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027. Reimbursement requests for 2026-27 purchases are due by July 31, 2027.

In EMA, you open Marketplace, select Find Providers, and choose an approved provider who bills the scholarship directly. You reserve funds for upcoming sessions, and the tutor bills your account after each one.

Direct pay means Step Up pays an approved provider from your account, so you never pay out of pocket. Reimbursement means you pay first and then ask Step Up to pay you back for an eligible expense. Direct pay is usually simpler for tutoring.

Yes. Part-time tutoring is capped at 720 hours a year for grades K-3 and 900 hours a year for grades 4-12. Most part-time schedules use far fewer hours than that.

The purchasing guides list what each scholarship can pay for, including curriculum and testing fees. Rules differ by program, so check the official purchasing guides before you buy.

Ask whether they are an approved Step Up For Students provider who bills through EMA, how they measure progress, and what a session looks like. Part-time tutors need a qualifying credential, such as a valid Florida teaching certificate.