Who is eligible
Most Florida students can apply
Since 2023, Florida's scholarships have been open to every family, whatever their income. Here is who can apply for each one, and who is served first when funding is limited.
Three questions to start
Does your child live in Florida?
All three scholarships are for Florida residents.
What grade will your child be in for 2027-28?
Kindergarten through grade 12 for all three. The Unique Abilities Scholarship starts as early as age 3.
Where will your child learn?
At a participating private school, at home with you, or with specialized services. That points you to the right scholarship below.
Private School Scholarship
Your child can apply if they:
- live in Florida;
- can enroll in kindergarten through grade 12 in a Florida public school; and
- plan to attend a participating Florida private school.
There is no income limit. When funding is limited, students are served in this order:
- Families with household income at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty level, and children in foster care or out-of-home care.
- Families with household income above 185 percent and up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level.
- All other families.
You will be asked for income documents if you are seeking income-based priority, or when they are needed to document eligibility or priority status.
Unique Abilities Scholarship
Your child can apply if they:
- live in Florida;
- are 3 or 4 years old by September 1 of the school year, or can enroll in kindergarten through grade 12; children stay eligible until they graduate from high school or turn 22; and
- have a qualifying condition, documented by an Individualized Education Program (IEP), from Florida or another state, or by a diagnosis from a licensed physician or psychologist.
A Section 504 plan on its own is not enough. If your child has a 504 plan, a diagnosis from a physician or psychologist may still qualify them.
- Anaphylaxis
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Cerebral palsy
- Down syndrome
- Dual sensory impairment
- Emotional or behavioral disability
- Hearing impairment, including deafness
- High-risk child (a developmental delay, ages 3 to 5)
- Hospital or homebound (confined to home or hospital for more than 6 months)
- Intellectual disability
- Language impairment
- Muscular dystrophy
- Orthopedic impairment
- Other health impairment
- Phelan-McDermid syndrome
- Prader-Willi syndrome
- Rare diseases (affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the United States)
- Specific learning disability, such as dyslexia, dyscalculia or developmental aphasia
- Speech impairment
- Spina bifida
- Traumatic brain injury
- Visual impairment, including blindness
- Williams syndrome
Note: Florida law and the State Board of Education define each condition. A child who qualifies only as a high-risk child must qualify under another condition to renew after age 5. If you are unsure whether your child's diagnosis qualifies, write to us and we will help.
Personalized Education Program
Your child can apply if they:
- live in Florida;
- can enroll in kindergarten through grade 12 in a Florida public school; and
- will not be enrolled full time in a public or private school.
Priority follows the same order as the Private School Scholarship. Families in the program write a student learning plan each year and arrange one approved test for their child each year. If your child is registered with your school district as a home education student, you will end that registration when your child joins the program; we will explain how.
Every child learns differently. The right scholarship follows the child.
Special situations
They receive first priority. They can also apply for a Florida Tax Credit scholarship (the Private School Scholarship or the Personalized Education Program) at any time of year, outside the usual dates.
A child of an active-duty service member with permanent change of station orders to Florida counts as a Florida resident. Children of U.S. military members can also apply for a Florida Tax Credit scholarship at any time of year.
Apply for each child separately. Siblings can receive different scholarships.
Families currently served by another scholarship funding organization (SFO) may contact Alta Via for transfer guidance.
Not sure your child qualifies?
Ask us. We would rather answer a question now than have you miss a deadline later. Info@altaviafoundation.org.
Be the first to know
Applications open February 1, 2027. We will email you the day they do.
Keep me informed