Florida Unique Abilities Scholarship (FES-UA)
The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities is Florida's education savings account for students with a disability, from age 3. Step Up For Students says it is worth about $10,000 on average.
How FES-UA works
| What you get | Money in an education savings account. For 2026-27 most students (matrix levels 1 to 3, or a qualifying diagnosis) get $9,627 to $14,381, set by the county you live in and your child's grade. Matrix level 4 gets $21,379 to $25,701 and level 5 gets $34,429 to $39,091. The Florida Legislature sets the amounts each year in the state budget. Step Up For Students says the average is about $10,000. [6][2] |
|---|---|
| Who qualifies | A Florida resident (or the child of an active duty service member with orders to Florida) who is 3 or 4, or eligible for kindergarten to grade 12 in a Florida public school, and who has a qualifying disability shown by an IEP or by a diagnosis from a licensed physician or psychologist. Step Up says a child must turn 3 by December 31 of the year you apply and must not turn 22 by September 1. There is no income limit and no rule that your child attended public school first. [1][2] |
| Qualifying conditions | Autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, intellectual disability, speech or language impairment, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, emotional or behavioral disability, specific learning disability (including dyslexia, dyscalculia and developmental aphasia), Phelan-McDermid syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, spina bifida, high-risk child (ages 3 to 5), muscular dystrophy, Williams syndrome, rare diseases, anaphylaxis, hearing impairment, visual impairment, traumatic brain injury, hospital or homebound, and dual sensory impairment. [1][2] |
| When to apply | New 2026-27 applications are taken through November 15, 2026. Renewing students had to apply by April 30, 2026 to keep priority. New families accept or decline by December 15. Step Up warns that applications may close early if the program reaches its cap. For 2027-28, the law lets new applications open no earlier than February 1, 2027, and Step Up has an interest list. [3][1][2] |
| Who goes first | Renewing students, then new students first come, first served. [1] |
| Cap | 72,615 funded scholarships in 2024-25, rising each year by 5% of the state's exceptional student education enrollment, not counting gifted students. Students who spent last year in a Florida public school, children of military members or law enforcement officers, foster and adopted children, and some pre-K students with an IEP do not count toward the cap. [1][3] |
| How the money moves | Step Up For Students holds the account. The state sends money four times a year: by August 1 for renewing students or September 1 for new students, then November 1, February 1 and April 1. Step Up says it can take up to two weeks to post. For private school tuition, the parent approves each payment before it is sent. [1][5] |
| Unspent money | It rolls over to the next year, but no deposit can push the account balance above $50,000. A student whose account has no spending for 2 fiscal years in a row becomes ineligible. [1][5] |
| What it covers | Private school tuition and fees, home education, therapies (applied behavior analysis, speech, occupational and physical therapy), tutoring, curriculum and instructional materials including assistive technology, testing fees, pre-K at approved providers, summer and after-school programs, job coach transition services, music, art and therapeutic horsemanship services, and contributions to a Florida Prepaid or Florida college savings plan. [1][2] |
| Where your child must enroll | Full time and in person at an eligible private school, or in a home education program. A student cannot be enrolled full time in a public school while receiving funds, so withdraw first and keep proof of the withdrawal date. The scholarship can be used alongside VPK at an eligible private school or school readiness provider. [4] |
| No IEP yet? | You can apply with a diagnosis instead. A parent can also ask the school district for an IEP meeting and evaluation, and the district must complete the IEP and matrix of services within 30 days. [1] |
| When it ends | When you stop renewing, your child is found no longer eligible, enrolls full time in a public school, graduates from high school or turns 22. [1] |
Numbers in brackets point to the sources at the foot of this page. Rules change when the legislature meets, so check the official program page before you count on a number.
FES-UA amounts by county, 2026-27
County means the county your child lives in, as listed on the 2026-27 application, not the county of the school. Levels 1 to 3 also covers students with a qualifying diagnosis and no matrix. A student who had a scholarship in 2020-21 gets the greater of this amount or the 2020-21 amount. Dade is Miami-Dade. [6]
| County | Levels 1 to 3: ages 3 and 4, grades K to 3 | Levels 1 to 3: grades 4 to 8 | Levels 1 to 3: grades 9 to 12 | Matrix level 4 | Matrix level 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alachua | $10,484 | $9,900 | $9,709 | $21,461 | $34,511 |
| Baker | $11,118 | $10,513 | $10,314 | $22,586 | $36,122 |
| Bay | $10,571 | $9,987 | $9,796 | $21,548 | $34,598 |
| Bradford | $11,211 | $10,606 | $10,407 | $22,679 | $36,215 |
| Brevard | $10,539 | $9,955 | $9,764 | $21,516 | $34,566 |
| Broward | $10,658 | $10,060 | $9,865 | $21,941 | $35,295 |
| Calhoun | $11,457 | $10,852 | $10,653 | $22,925 | $36,461 |
| Charlotte | $10,971 | $10,387 | $10,196 | $21,948 | $34,998 |
| Citrus | $10,954 | $10,370 | $10,179 | $21,440 | $34,490 |
| Clay | $10,494 | $9,910 | $9,719 | $21,471 | $34,521 |
| Collier | $12,860 | $12,251 | $12,051 | $23,882 | $37,493 |
| Columbia | $10,837 | $10,232 | $10,033 | $22,242 | $35,778 |
| Dade | $10,909 | $10,304 | $10,106 | $22,361 | $35,884 |
| De Soto | $11,554 | $10,949 | $10,750 | $22,556 | $36,092 |
| Dixie | $11,195 | $10,590 | $10,391 | $22,663 | $36,199 |
| Duval | $10,573 | $9,985 | $9,793 | $21,649 | $34,797 |
| Escambia | $10,566 | $9,982 | $9,791 | $21,543 | $34,593 |
| Flagler | $11,000 | $10,416 | $10,225 | $21,393 | $34,443 |
| Franklin | $12,392 | $11,787 | $11,588 | $23,860 | $37,396 |
| Gadsden | $11,036 | $10,431 | $10,232 | $22,504 | $36,040 |
| Gilchrist | $11,431 | $10,826 | $10,627 | $22,899 | $36,435 |
| Glades | $11,723 | $11,118 | $10,919 | $23,191 | $36,727 |
| Gulf | $12,137 | $11,532 | $11,333 | $23,605 | $37,141 |
| Hamilton | $11,795 | $11,190 | $10,991 | $22,890 | $36,426 |
| Hardee | $11,060 | $10,455 | $10,256 | $22,296 | $35,832 |
| Hendry | $10,512 | $9,907 | $9,708 | $21,980 | $35,516 |
| Hernando | $10,742 | $10,158 | $9,967 | $21,425 | $34,475 |
| Highlands | $10,765 | $10,160 | $9,961 | $22,233 | $35,769 |
| Hillsborough | $10,593 | $10,001 | $9,808 | $21,739 | $34,958 |
| Holmes | $11,403 | $10,798 | $10,599 | $22,863 | $36,399 |
| Indian River | $10,891 | $10,307 | $10,116 | $21,868 | $34,918 |
| Jackson | $11,141 | $10,536 | $10,337 | $22,609 | $36,145 |
| Jefferson | $12,816 | $12,211 | $12,012 | $23,878 | $37,414 |
| Lafayette | $11,522 | $10,917 | $10,718 | $22,990 | $36,526 |
| Lake | $10,446 | $9,862 | $9,671 | $21,423 | $34,473 |
| Lee | $11,345 | $10,759 | $10,567 | $21,963 | $35,056 |
| Leon | $10,923 | $10,339 | $10,148 | $21,514 | $34,564 |
| Levy | $11,244 | $10,639 | $10,440 | $22,712 | $36,248 |
| Liberty | $11,596 | $10,991 | $10,792 | $23,064 | $36,600 |
| Madison | $11,206 | $10,601 | $10,402 | $22,549 | $36,085 |
| Manatee | $10,542 | $9,958 | $9,767 | $21,522 | $34,574 |
| Marion | $10,467 | $9,883 | $9,692 | $21,444 | $34,494 |
| Martin | $11,329 | $10,745 | $10,554 | $22,306 | $35,356 |
| Monroe | $14,381 | $13,781 | $13,585 | $25,701 | $39,091 |
| Nassau | $10,989 | $10,405 | $10,214 | $21,966 | $35,016 |
| Okaloosa | $10,719 | $10,134 | $9,943 | $21,636 | $34,705 |
| Okeechobee | $10,907 | $10,302 | $10,103 | $22,375 | $35,911 |
| Orange | $10,584 | $9,995 | $9,803 | $21,655 | $34,799 |
| Osceola | $10,500 | $9,916 | $9,725 | $21,477 | $34,527 |
| Palm Beach | $11,054 | $10,452 | $10,255 | $22,439 | $35,893 |
| Pasco | $10,494 | $9,910 | $9,719 | $21,471 | $34,521 |
| Pinellas | $10,807 | $10,223 | $10,032 | $21,788 | $34,842 |
| Polk | $10,500 | $9,916 | $9,725 | $21,477 | $34,527 |
| Putnam | $11,010 | $10,405 | $10,206 | $22,478 | $36,014 |
| Santa Rosa | $10,474 | $9,890 | $9,699 | $21,451 | $34,501 |
| Sarasota | $11,344 | $10,753 | $10,560 | $22,357 | $35,565 |
| Seminole | $10,541 | $9,957 | $9,766 | $21,518 | $34,568 |
| St. Johns | $10,579 | $9,995 | $9,804 | $21,556 | $34,606 |
| St. Lucie | $11,170 | $10,586 | $10,395 | $21,590 | $34,640 |
| Sumter | $11,233 | $10,649 | $10,458 | $22,210 | $35,260 |
| Suwannee | $10,795 | $10,190 | $9,991 | $22,263 | $35,799 |
| Taylor | $11,063 | $10,458 | $10,259 | $22,531 | $36,067 |
| Union | $11,281 | $10,676 | $10,477 | $22,749 | $36,285 |
| Volusia | $10,402 | $9,818 | $9,627 | $21,379 | $34,429 |
| Wakulla | $10,807 | $10,202 | $10,003 | $22,275 | $35,811 |
| Walton | $12,534 | $11,950 | $11,759 | $23,472 | $36,522 |
| Washington | $11,422 | $10,817 | $10,618 | $22,890 | $36,426 |
How to apply for FES-UA
- Gather documents: a birth certificate or passport for a child aged 3 to 6; an IEP issued by your school district within the past three years, or a diagnosis from an eligible licensed professional; two different proofs of Florida residency in the same guardian's name; and your child's Social Security number. Step Up document checklist.
- Create a parent or guardian account in EMA, Step Up For Students' scholarship platform. How to apply (Step Up).
- From the EMA dashboard, apply for "Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA)" under Available Scholarships. Add every child on one application, by November 15, 2026.
- When you are told your child is eligible, accept the scholarship in EMA (new students by December 15).
- If your child is in a public or charter school, withdraw and keep proof of the withdrawal date. Then enroll full time at an eligible private school, or file a home education letter of intent with your district. Accepting the scholarship (Step Up).
- Renew every year between February 1 and April 30.
Which schools take part
A private school takes part by meeting Florida's requirements for private schools in state scholarship programs (Florida Statutes 1002.421) and by giving the scholarship organization admission and fee information by its deadlines. If the school misses a deadline, the student does not get that quarter's payment. Each year the school tests participating students in grades 3 to 10 with a norm-referenced test or the state assessment, unless the diagnosing professional or IEP team says testing is not appropriate. The Florida Department of Education's private school directory has an "FES Unique Abilities" filter. [1][7]
We do not mark Florida schools for FES-UA: the state's directory has no file we can load automatically. Use its FES Unique Abilities filter, then ask the school.
Florida's private school directory Browse private schools in Florida
Questions parents ask
How much is the FES-UA scholarship for 2026-27?
Most students get $9,627 to $14,381, set by county of residence and grade. Matrix level 4 gets $21,379 to $25,701 and level 5 gets $34,429 to $39,091. Step Up For Students says the average is about $10,000.
Who qualifies for the Unique Abilities Scholarship?
A Florida resident aged 3 or 4, or eligible for kindergarten to grade 12, with a qualifying disability shown by an IEP or a diagnosis from a licensed physician or psychologist.
Is there an income limit for FES-UA?
No. Eligibility rests on residency, age and a qualifying disability. There is also no rule that the child attended public school first.
What is the FES-UA deadline for 2026-27?
New applications are taken through November 15, 2026, unless the program reaches its cap first. New families accept or decline by December 15.
What if my child does not have an IEP?
You can apply with a diagnosis from a licensed physician or psychologist. You can also ask your school district for an IEP meeting and evaluation, which the district must complete within 30 days.
Does unspent FES-UA money roll over?
Yes, but no deposit can push the account balance above $50,000, and an account with no spending for 2 fiscal years in a row makes the student ineligible.
Sources
- Florida Statutes 1002.394 (2026), Family Empowerment Scholarship Program, read .
- Step Up For Students, Unique Abilities Scholarship (page updated July 29, 2026), read .
- Step Up For Students, apply for a Unique Abilities Scholarship, read .
- Step Up For Students, accept the scholarship, read .
- Step Up For Students, funding schedule and balance limit, read .
- Step Up For Students, 2026-27 FES-UA amounts by district (PDF created August 5, 2026), read .
- Florida Department of Education, private school directory, read .
Read on October 5, 2026. Facts come only from the state agency, the statute and the program's own administrator.