Financial Aid

Step Up For Students

Income based - Scholarships - FTC & FES-EO

Step Up For Students supports Florida students and families in building a stronger future through personalized education. Our scholarships open doors with private school tuition assistance and help covering the cost of traveling to a different public school.

Opportunities available through:

  • The Florida Tax Credit Scholarship (FTC)
  • The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO)
  • Scholarships for Private Schools
  • K-12 students who meet the income or other eligibility requirements receive a scholarship worth an average of $7,700 to attend a private school that best meets their academic needs.

  • The private school scholarships are available to students of families who either meet the income guidelines or qualify based on the criteria listed below.

    The private school tuition assistance is available, regardless of income, to:

    • Siblings of students participating in the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA)
    • Dependent children of an active member of the United States Armed Forces, including reservists. Includes members of the Army, Navy, Airforce, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Space Force.
    • Dependent children of law enforcement officers
    • Children in foster care or out-of-home care
    • Homeless children
For more information, please visit Step Up for Students website.

Special Needs - Scholarship – FES-UA

A Unique Education for a Unique Child

Children with unique abilities may have different needs when it comes to their education. And we believe they deserve an opportunity to thrive and learn in an environment that will best support their success.

The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA) enables families to personalize the education of their students by directing funds to where they’re needed most. The funds can be used for a combination of programs and approved expenses including therapists, specialists, curriculum, private school, a college savings account and more.

McKay Scholarship

Welcome to families who have been receiving the McKay Scholarship for the 2021-22 school year. We are here to help you with the transition to the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA) that went into effect July 1, 2021.

Under the new legislation, students who received the McKay Scholarship to attend a private school must transition to the FES-UA for the 2022-23 school year. All students who remain eligible will have funding.

Speak with your school about which Scholarship Funding Organization (SFO) is best for your family. McKay families will need to work with an SFO, such as Step Up For Students. Not every school works with every SFO, so it is important to know which SFO your school prefers.

If you want to work with Step Up For Students, please update your contact information if you have not done so already and monitor your email.

For more information, please visit Step Up for Students website.

Step Up for students HOPE Scholarship:

A Fresh Start

A student who has experienced harassment, hazing, intimidation, assault or other types of bullying at school may suffer academically. They may continue to feel threatened in a place where they should feel secure and comfortable.

The Hope Scholarship supports families in finding a safe academic environment where their K-12 students who have experienced bullying can thrive. The scholarship provides funds that can be used to attend a private school or a public school in a different district.

  • The Hope Scholarship is available to Florida public school students in grades K-12 who have experienced reported and documented incidents of bullying, regardless of their family’s income. Bullying includes harassment, threats, intimidation, hazing, battery, physical attack, kidnapping, sexual harassment and sexual assault.

AAA Scholarships

Income-Based Scholarships (FTC & FES-EO)

AAA administers two state-approved Florida income-based scholarship programs: (1) the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship (“FTC”) and (2) the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (“FES-EO”). The same application is used to apply for both scholarships. If a student is found eligible for both scholarships, AAA will grant them an FTC Scholarship.

AAA Special Needs Scholarship:

Disability-Based Scholarships - FES-UA (formerly Gardiner and McKay)

2023-24 school year:

Thinking about applying for the first-time for a scholarship for the 2023-24 school year? Please check back in mid-March 2023.

For more information or to learn how your corporation can participate in the program, visit www.AAAScholarships.org.