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Georgia Promise Scholarship

Education savings account. Up to $6,500 per student.

Income limitsApply for Promise ScholarshipTuition calculator

Award
Up to $6,500 per student
Read
Who qualifies
Students zoned to a public school in the state’s bottom 25% who attended public school for two semesters, or who are entering kindergarten.
Read
School list
358 schools on the Promise Scholarship list, dated April 23, 2026
Checked
Next date
Last 2026-27 application window (400% of poverty or less; funds spring 2027): November 1, 2026 to November 30, 2026.
Read · all deadlines
Promise Scholarship dates
  1. 2026 student application window 1: opens (passed) source
  2. 2026 student application window 1: closes (passed) source
  3. 2026 student application window 2: opens (passed) source
  4. 2026 student application window 2: closes (passed) source
  5. 2026 student application window 3 (funds the second half of the year): opens (passed) source
  6. 2026 student application window 3 (funds the second half of the year): closes (passed) source
  7. Last 2026-27 application window (400% of poverty or less; funds spring 2027): opens (passed) source
  8. Last 2026-27 application window (400% of poverty or less; funds spring 2027): closes source

Each date read on the official page linked beside it (mygeorgiapromise.org), checked .

Schools that take Promise Scholarship Deadlines by state Homeschooling in Georgia All 708 private schools in Georgia

How Promise Scholarship works

Checked against the program's own pages on

What you getUp to $6,500 per student. Paid in four quarterly installments.
Who qualifiesStudents zoned to a public school in the state’s bottom 25% who attended public school for two semesters, or who are entering kindergarten.
How full it isAbout 13,500 students started 2026-27 with a Promise Scholarship, up from about 8,700 in 2025-26, according to The Current (September 30, 2026). The state has not published its own count.
When to applyThe last 2026-27 window is November 1 to 30, 2026. It is open only to families at or below 400% of the poverty level, and awards from it pay for spring 2027 only. The 2027 calendar is due by December 15, 2026.
How the money movesThe Georgia Education Savings Authority holds the money in a parent-managed online account.
What it coversTuition and fees, textbooks, curriculum, tutoring, therapies, and up to $500 a year for transportation.
Federal tax credit, 2027Georgia is on the IRS list of states that opted in to the federal scholarship tax credit (as of September 14, 2026), so scholarship organizations here can take federally credited gifts from January 2027.

Worth knowing: Eligibility depends on which public school your address is zoned for. Check the state’s school list before you apply. A lawsuit filed in August 2026 challenges the rule that students must first attend public school for two semesters; no ruling yet.

We read this on from: Georgia Education Savings Authority; Georgia Student Finance Commission; Georgia Promise family handbook, updated August 12, 2026 (windows); The Current, September 30, 2026, year-two demand; WTVM, August 26, 2026, lawsuit over the two-semester rule. Rules change when the legislature meets, so check the official program site before you count on a number.

Is there an income limit for Promise Scholarship?

400% of the federal poverty level (sets priority and spring-semester eligibility, not overall eligibility), 2026-27. Income is not an eligibility test for fall enrollment unless applicants outnumber funds, but new applicants at or below 400% of the poverty level get third priority (above 400% get fifth), and only families at or below 400% can be considered for spring semester enrollment, so families above 400% can be considered only in the March and May windows. Source.

Who goes first. If applicants outnumber funds, current participants come first, then siblings of participants, then new students with family income at or below 400% of the poverty level, then former participants reapplying, then new students above 400%. Within the last group reached, students are chosen by random selection, not first come, first served.

Apply for Promise Scholarship: how it works

  1. Check that your address is in the attendance zone of a school on the eligible attendance zone list at MyGeorgiaPromise.org, and run the pre-screen tool there.
  2. During an application window (2026 windows: March 1 to 31, May 1 to 31, August 1 to 31 and November 1 to 30), open the Odyssey student application through MyGeorgiaPromise.org; you can add several children on one application.
  3. Upload your ID, proof of Georgia residency, most recent federal 1040 and your child's public school enrollment records, and say whether you plan a participating private school or home study (you can change this later).
  4. Wait until the window closes: applications are marked eligible or ineligible, and award decisions are made only after the close and sent by Odyssey by email and on the portal.
  5. When the status shows "Approved - Awaiting Opt-In," complete the opt-in and choose the school for each child; keep your child in public school until the current semester ends, then withdraw before the funded semester starts.
  6. GESA funds the account each quarter; you send tuition to the participating private school and pay other approved providers through the Odyssey portal.
  7. To stay in the program, complete the annual recertification by May 31 and upload annual test results by June 30.

What to have ready

  • Georgia driver's license or state ID
  • Proof of residency: most recent utility bill, mortgage statement, deed or HUD closing disclosure, or lease
  • Active-duty military orders, if you moved to Georgia within the last 12 months
  • Most recent federal 1040 (SNAP, Medicaid, TANF, LIHEAP, SSDI or SSI documents are also accepted for income)
  • Public school enrollment records for the two prior semesters, such as a report card or attendance report (not needed for rising kindergartners)

Go to the official application

Steps and limits read on from: Georgia Education Savings Authority, MyGeorgiaPromise.org (families FAQ, key dates); Georgia Promise Scholarship Family Handbook (file updated August 12, 2026); Georgia Promise Program Timeline; 2026 Georgia Promise Scholarship Application Periods; Georgia Promise Scholarship Program Regulations, approved May 2026; Family Information Sheet for New and Returning Families, updated June 9, 2026; Georgia Student Finance Commission, Georgia Promise Scholarship. Limits change each year with the federal poverty guidelines, so confirm on the official site before you apply.

Which schools take it

List dated April 23, 2026, checked November 2, 2026

Schools marked here appear on the participating private school list published by the Georgia Education Savings Authority, dated April 23, 2026, which is still the newest list on the program site (checked October 7, 2026). The program’s next private school application window runs October 1 to 31, 2026, so schools approved in it are not on this list yet.

The award covers the full listed price at 6 of 54 schools with a verified 2026-27 price.

Prices from each school’s own website, read in October 2026: the lowest listed grade band, fees not included. Award from Georgia Education Savings Authority, Georgia Promise Scholarship, read October 9, 2026.

How far a scholarship goes, state by state.

The share of private schools on each state's list, Georgia included.

358 schools on the Promise Scholarship list, by town Browse private schools in Georgia

Related programs

Run your own numbers

What would you pay?

We filled in the standard Promise Scholarship amount. Change it if your award letter says something different. An award can never be more than the school actually charges. This is arithmetic, not a quote.

Approved providers: tutors, therapists and more

See the Georgia Promise Scholarship approved service providers and vendors list (2025-26), published by the Georgia Promise Scholarship program (September 22, 2025). It lists names only, so we do not list these providers here. It is the 2025-26 list and the newest one the program has posted.

Published tuition at schools on the Promise Scholarship list

Prices read on the schools' own websites, October 1, 2026 to October 12, 2026

We verified published tuition at 61 of the 358 schools on the list: prices run from $4,800 to $44,867 a year, and the middle price is $12,500, using each school’s lowest published rate. Compare that with the award above to see what a family might still owe.

SchoolTownPublished tuitionYear
The Westminster SchoolsAtlanta$37,525 to $42,8652026-27
Hebron Christian AcademyDacula$15,300 to $18,8002026-27
Calvary Day SchoolSavannah$16,570 to $17,6452026-27
St. Pius X Catholic High SchoolAtlanta$21,9002026-27
Blessed Trinity Catholic High SchoolRoswell$21,3502026-27
The Walker SchoolMarietta$27,370 to $33,3002026-27
Eagle's Landing Christian AcademyMcDonough$15,900 to $18,5882026-27
Calvary Christian SchoolColumbus$10,400 to $12,6002026-27
Rabun-Gap Nacoochee SchoolRabun Gap$13,100 to $27,1002026-27
Westfield SchoolPerry$12,744 to $13,1522026-27
Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic SchoolAtlanta$14,7502026-27
Rock Springs Christian AcademyMilner$7,995 to $8,6252026-27
Deerfield-Windsor SchoolAlbany$8,200 to $16,1002026-27
Westminster Schools of AugustaAugusta$13,000 to $18,9902026-27
Queen of Angels Catholic SchoolRoswell$14,0072026-27
Pinecrest AcademyCumming$19,600 to $24,6902026-27
Young Americans Christian SchoolConyers$8,250 to $9,2902026-27
Fideles Christian SchoolCumming$4,800 to $7,6752026-27
Central Fellowship Christian AcademyMacon$6,500 to $9,1802026-27
St. Benedict's Episcopal SchoolSmyrna$18,250 to $18,7502026-27
St. Thomas More Catholic SchoolDecatur$15,7002026-27
Mount de Sales AcademyMacon$17,5442025-26
Hancock Day SchoolSavannah$15,000 to $16,5752026-27
Benedictine Military SchoolSavannah$18,550not stated
Briarwood AcademyWarrenton$6,9502026-27
Westminster Christian AcademyWatkinsville$12,500 to $13,6002026-27
St. Joseph Catholic SchoolMarietta$13,8232026-27
Horizon Christian AcademyCumming$14,300 to $15,8002026-27
Valor Christian AcademyAlpharetta$13,250 to $16,9002026-27
Trinity Christian SchoolDublin$8,591 to $9,2982026-27

Showing the 30 largest by enrollment of 61. Each figure was read on that school’s own website and is linked on its page. These are the schools we have verified so far, mostly larger ones, so treat them as a guide, not an average. Private school tuition across Georgia, school by school.

Put the next Promise Scholarship window in your calendar

Most programs open once a year, and several ran out of money or seats in 2026. Pick your state's program to add its next dated window to your own calendar, with the official link, or subscribe to every program's dates.

Open now, until November 30, 2026 Georgia Promise Scholarship: Last 2026-27 application window (400% of poverty or less; funds spring 2027).

Add to Google CalendarOfficial source

Every program's dates in one calendar that updates when we confirm new dates: subscribe in Google Calendar · subscribe in Apple Calendar or Outlook · all deadlines

Free. Nothing to sign up for: the calendar file is made in your browser and nothing is sent to us. Dates can change, so confirm on the official site.

Questions parents ask

Answers with a source line are short summaries of the program document named under them. Follow the link for the full wording.

How much does Promise Scholarship pay in Georgia?

Up to $6,500 per student. Paid in four quarterly installments.

Who is eligible?

Students zoned to a public school in the state’s bottom 25% who attended public school for two semesters, or who are entering kindergarten.

Does it cover the full cost of private school?

Not always. The award is a set amount and every school sets its own price. Ask each school for tuition plus fees, then subtract the award. The calculator on this page does the sum for you.

How do I know a school accepts Promise Scholarship?

Schools marked here appear on the participating private school list published by the Georgia Education Savings Authority, dated April 23, 2026, which is still the newest list on the program site (checked October 7, 2026). The program’s next private school application window runs October 1 to 31, 2026, so schools approved in it are not on this list yet.

When do I apply?

The last 2026-27 window is November 1 to 30, 2026. It is open only to families at or below 400% of the poverty level, and awards from it pay for spring 2027 only. The 2027 calendar is due by December 15, 2026.

How do I apply for Promise Scholarship?

Check that your address is in the attendance zone of a school on the eligible attendance zone list at MyGeorgiaPromise.org, and run the pre-screen tool there. The 7 steps are listed under “Apply for Promise Scholarship” on this page, with the documents to have ready.

Can my child use it at a private school they already attend?

Only if they qualify through public school. A student must be enrolled in a Georgia public school for the prior two consecutive semesters or be entering kindergarten, and must leave public school to receive funds.

Do we reapply every year?

No, but you must complete the annual recertification by May 31 or the student is removed from the program. A student who returns to public school must submit a new application to come back.

Can homeschoolers use it?

A student who qualifies by coming from public school (or entering kindergarten) can choose home study instead of a private school. Children already homeschooling without the public school enrollment do not meet the eligibility rule.

What happens to money we do not spend?

Up to 50% of the year's award can roll over to the next school year, for example up to $3,250 of a $6,500 award. If the account sits unused for two school years or the student graduates, it is closed and the money goes back to the state.

Can it be combined with a GOAL or other tax-credit scholarship, or the Special Needs Scholarship?

No. A student is not eligible for the Promise Scholarship while receiving the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship or any scholarship or tuition grant from a student scholarship organization.

Does the window I apply in change the amount?

Yes. Families approved from the first or second window of a school year get funding for the full year, while the third and fourth windows fund only the second half of the year.

Who qualifies?

A student who has been in a Georgia public school for two semesters in a row, or is starting kindergarten, and lives in the attendance zone of a public school on the state's list of the lowest performing 25%. A parent must have lived in Georgia for at least a year, except active duty military who moved in the past year.

Source: Georgia Education Savings Authority, MyGeorgiaPromise.org (families FAQ and key dates), undated page, read October 7, 2026.

How much is it for 2026-27?

Up to $6,500 per student, set by law, paid into the account in four quarterly payments. The state may keep up to 5% for running the program.

Source: Georgia Education Savings Authority, MyGeorgiaPromise.org (families FAQ and key dates), undated page, read October 7, 2026.

What can the money pay for?

Private school tuition, fees and required textbooks, curriculum, tutoring by a Georgia certified educator, therapies, up to $500 a year for transportation to a service provider, and other expenses the state approves.

Source: Georgia Education Savings Authority, MyGeorgiaPromise.org (families FAQ and key dates), undated page, read October 7, 2026.

Which private schools take it?

Only schools that apply and are approved. They must be in Georgia, be accredited or working toward it, and test participating students every year. The state posts the list of participating schools.

Source: Georgia Education Savings Authority, MyGeorgiaPromise.org (families FAQ and key dates), undated page, read October 7, 2026.

Our income is above 400% of the poverty level. Which windows can we use?

Only the spring windows, in March and May. Families at or below 400% can apply in any window.

Source: Georgia Promise Scholarship Family Handbook, PDF dated August 12, 2026. Still matches Georgia Education Savings Authority, MyGeorgiaPromise.org (families FAQ) as of October 7, 2026.

What if more families apply than there is money for?

Applicants are ranked by priority group. In the last group that can be reached, students are picked at random, not first come, first served.

Source: Georgia Promise Scholarship Family Handbook, PDF dated August 12, 2026. Still matches Georgia Education Savings Authority, MyGeorgiaPromise.org (families FAQ) as of October 7, 2026.

When does my child leave public school?

Keep your child in public school until the current semester ends, then withdraw before the semester the scholarship pays for. For example, a March applicant stays through the end of the spring semester.

Source: Georgia Education Savings Authority, MyGeorgiaPromise.org (families FAQ and key dates), undated page, read October 7, 2026.

Can I pay for something myself and get reimbursed?

No, except for eligible transportation costs. Purchases go through the program's online marketplace, and you start tuition payments to the school from the account.

Source: Georgia Promise Scholarship Family Handbook, PDF dated August 12, 2026. Still matches Georgia Education Savings Authority, MyGeorgiaPromise.org (families FAQ) as of October 7, 2026.

School choice programs in every state: 33 of the 50 states and DC have a program that pays toward private school, compared side by side.

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