Step Up Scholarship provides low-income students, bullied students, and students with special needs with help to pay tuition for private school, assistance to attend an out-of-district public school, or tutoring, textbooks, or therapies. Let’s dive into the scholarship details!
Overview of Step Up Scholarship
Step Up Scholarship was formed by the Florida Legislature in 2001 to help alleviate the enormous educational challenges faced by children in Florida.
As of July 1, 2023, scholarships are available to all students, irrespective of household income, who are residents of Florida and eligible to enroll in a K-12 public school.
These scholarships allow the students to pick a participating private school such as CCS that may better suit their individual needs.
They are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so it is vital to check the website regularly and meet all of the scholarship requirements and deadlines. For the 2023-24 school year, scholarship awards average around $7,700 for private school education.
Eligibility Criteria
To be qualified, the applicant must:
- Be eligible for the scholarship under § 49-4-904.
- Be a resident of the U.S.
- Finish high school in a high school under the requirements of the student’s individualized education program (IEP) and receive a high school diploma, occupational diploma or certificate, a special education diploma, a transition certificate, or an IEP certificate.
- Be admitted to and enroll in a suitable postsecondary institution in an eligible postsecondary program no later than 16 months after completing high school.
- Apply for a Step Up scholarship every academic year.
Step Up Scholarship Application Process
1. New families who are keen on applying for this scholarship should monitor the Step Up for Students website for the opening of new applications.
You are urged to click here to sign up for the Step Up For Students interest list. It will let you receive notifications regarding the application season.
2. Renewal families whose kids received a Step Up scholarship for the current school year, check your email around April (date is determined by SUFS) for the link to renew your application for the upcoming school year.
Scholarships are granted on a first-come, first-served basis (giving priority to renewal families), so renew early.
For more details, please contact our Enrollment Specialist, Julie Paterson at (305) 246-8608 or paterson.j@colonialchristianschool.org.