Your Child May Qualify for Step Up Scholarship Funds

Not Sure Which Programs Fit Your Family?

Answer a few questions about where your child goes to school and what your child needs, and see which Step Up programs may fit. It takes about two minutes, and nothing you answer is saved or sent anywhere.

Check Your Child's Options

What Are You Looking for Help Paying For?

Scholarship funds can pay for far more than tuition. Type a service or need in your own words, in English or Spanish, and see which Step Up programs can pay for it, what kind of approved provider delivers it, and the rule that applies.

Browse every service:

• Speech Therapy
• Occupational Therapy
• Physical Therapy
• ABA Therapy
• Counseling and Psychotherapy
• Vision Therapy
• Listening and Spoken Language Services
• Music Therapy
• Art Therapy
• Horse Therapy
• Tutoring
• Curriculum and Instructional Materials
• Laptops and Digital Devices
• Online and Virtual Instruction
• Music Lessons
• Art Lessons
• Drama and Theater Lessons
• Foreign Language Lessons
• Coding Classes
• Cooking Lessons
• Photography Lessons
• Sports, Dance, and Physical Education
• Testing and Assessment Fees
• Specialized Summer Programs
• Specialized After-School Programs
• Job Coach and Transition Services
• Choice Navigator Services
• VPK and School Readiness
• Pre-Apprenticeship and Postsecondary Programs
• Private School Tuition and Fees

Or open the full services guide, with every service on one page.

The Five Scholarship Programs

Step Up For Students administers five scholarship programs. Each one serves a different kind of student, and each has its own page for parents, with the rules that matter, the money, the dates, and what to have ready:

Where Your Child Goes to School Matters

Most Step Up scholarships pay for education outside the public school system, so where your child goes to school decides which programs your family can use. Each program also has its own requirements, such as a qualifying diagnosis for FES-UA.

If your child attends public school full time, programs like FES-UA, PEP, and the private school scholarships cannot be used right now, even if your child has a qualifying diagnosis. A child enrolled in public school is already funded through the school district, and the scholarships are the funding set aside for children educated in other settings.

If your child is in public school, you still have real options:

• Ask your school district for a free evaluation. Public schools evaluate children and provide services such as therapies and extra learning support at no cost to families.
• If your family has a New Worlds (NWSA) balance from a previous year, you can keep spending it with approved providers until it runs out. The account closes after one fiscal year with no spending.
• A separate, smaller state transportation stipend exists for some K-8 students who attend a public school that is not their assigned school.

If your child's schooling changes to private school or home education, check Step Up again, because different programs open up in different settings. Step Up confirms every child's eligibility when a family applies, so the official application below is the way to get a final answer for your child.

How to Apply

You apply with Step Up For Students directly. It is free, and Step Up makes every eligibility and approval decision.

1. Learn about the programs and which ones may fit your child at stepupforstudents.org.
2. Apply online through Step Up's official application at apply.stepupforstudents.org when applications are open.
3. Watch your email. Step Up reviews your application and tells you its decision.
4. Once Step Up approves your application, your scholarship funds appear in your EMA account, ready to spend with approved providers.

How Paying a Provider Works

Once Step Up approves your child's application, you can pay any provider who is approved in Step Up's system (including the provider who gave you this page) with scholarship funds:

• Direct Pay: inside your EMA account, you reserve funds from your scholarship and Step Up pays the provider directly for approved services. This is the simplest path for most families.
• Reimbursement: for some programs and services, you pay the provider yourself and then ask Step Up to reimburse you. Ask Step Up which applies to your program before services begin.

Before your first appointment or class, tell the provider you will pay with Step Up funds, so they can confirm the service is covered under your child's program.

Questions?

Step Up For Students runs the scholarships. For application help, eligibility questions, or anything about your account, contact Step Up directly through stepupforstudents.org or by phone at (877) 735-7837.

This page is orientation only. It is not a guarantee that your child is eligible, and it does not promise any funding amount. Step Up Provider Guide is operated by Pair of Deuces LLC. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of Step Up For Students.