General Eligibility
To be considered for either scholarship program, students must:
Live in Florida
Be eligible to enroll in a Florida public school
Meet the age requirements for the scholarship program they are applying for
FES-EO Eligibility Requirements
Age Requirement
Students applying for FES-EO must:
Be at least 5 years old on or before September 1 of the upcoming school year
Be 21 years old or younger on September 1 of the upcoming school year
For example:
A student who turns 5 on September 1 qualifies
A student who is already 22 on September 1 does not qualify
Income Information (Optional)
Providing household income information is not required to apply for the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO).
If funding is limited, families who choose to provide income information may receive scholarship priority in accordance with Florida law.
If you would like to provide income information, you may submit one of the following:
Federal 1040 tax return
Valid tax documentation showing Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)
Tax documents must be from 2024 or 2025.
Note: Families who do not provide income information may still apply and be considered for the scholarship. However, they will not receive income-based priority if available funding is limited.
Foster Care and Out-of-Home Care Priority
Students in foster care and out-of-home may receive priority consideration if families provide official documentation verifying status.
FES-UA Eligibility Requirements
Age Requirement
Students applying for FES-UA must:
Turn 3 years old on or before December 31 of the program year
Be 21 years old or younger on September 1 of the program year
For example:
A student who turns 3 on December 31 qualifies
A student who is already 22 on September 1 does not qualify
Disability Documentation Requirement
Families must provide documentation showing the student has a qualifying disability.
Accepted documentation may include:
Florida IEP
Out-of-state IEP
Documentation from a qualified professional showing a diagnosis
An IEP or diagnosis must be signed by one of the following qualified professionals:
Medical Doctor (MD)
Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO)
Physician Assistant (PA)
Psychologist
Documentation signed by an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) or nurse practitioner is not accepted.
Florida Residency Requirements
Families must provide proof of Florida residency.
Most families must submit two (2) approved residency documents.
Examples of accepted residency documents include:
Florida driver’s license or state-issued ID
Utility bill dated within the last 60 days
Mortgage statement or lease agreement
Paystub
Property deed
Government benefits documentation
Active Duty Military Families
Active Duty Military families may provide one residency document instead of two.
Families must also provide:
Active Duty military orders
Confirmation that they are stationed in Florida
Important Reminder
Meeting eligibility requirements does not guarantee scholarship funding or approval. Applications must be complete, accurate, and include all required documentation for review.