Iowa ESA: the Students First Education Savings Account
The Iowa ESA is an education savings account. $8,148 per student for 2026-27.
- Award
- $8,148 per student for 2026-27
- Read
- Who qualifies
- Any Iowa resident K-12 student enrolled in an accredited nonpublic school.
- Read
- Next date
- 2026-27 half-year ESA application window: October 15, 2026 to November 15, 2026.
- Read · all deadlines
- 2026-27 full-year ESA application window: opens (passed) source
- 2026-27 full-year ESA application window: closes (passed) source
- Full-year ESA: fall funds available (or 30 days after approval, if later) (passed) source
- 2026-27 half-year ESA application window: opens (passed) source
- 2026-27 half-year ESA application window: closes source
- Spring ESA funds available, including half-year awards (or 30 days after approval, if later) source
- Half-year ESA: tuition and fees paid in the ESA portal source
Each date read on the official page linked beside it (educate.iowa.gov), checked .
Schools that take Students First ESA Deadlines by state Homeschooling in Iowa All 274 private schools in Iowa
How Students First ESA works
Checked against the program's own pages on
| What you get | $8,148 per student for 2026-27. Paid in two equal installments, fall and spring. New for 2026-27: a half-year ESA of $4,074 for the spring semester. Homeschooled students do not qualify. |
|---|---|
| Who qualifies | Any Iowa resident K-12 student enrolled in an accredited nonpublic school. There has been no income limit since 2025-26. Fall tuition and fee payments must be confirmed in the ESA portal by September 30 (for a half-year ESA, tuition and fees must be paid in the portal by January 14, 2027). |
| How full it is | 41,044 students used an ESA in 2025-26, up from 27,866 the year before. There is no cap. |
| When to apply | The full-year window for 2026-27 ran April 16 to June 30, 2026. A second, half-year window (House File 2754, 2026) runs from 8:00 a.m. October 15 to 11:59 p.m. November 15, 2026, for a $4,074 spring ESA. A student whose full-year application was denied or not completed may apply; a student who received a full-year ESA may not. |
| How the money moves | The state’s contractor holds the account and the parent pays tuition and fees through its portal. |
| What it covers | Tuition and fees first, then other expenses on the state’s list. |
| Federal tax credit, 2027 | Iowa 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. |
We read this on from: Iowa Department of Education, ESA (eligibility, full-year and half-year windows); Iowa DOE, December 19, 2025 enrollment release. Rules change when the legislature meets, so check the official program site before you count on a number.
Is there an income limit for Students First ESA?
Since 2025-26 every Iowa resident K-12 student who attends an accredited nonpublic school in Iowa is eligible whatever the household income. The 2025 Iowa tax return is used only to verify residency, not income. Source.
Apply for the Iowa ESA: how it works
- Apply in the Students First ESA portal during a window. For 2026-27 the full-year window ran from 8:00 a.m. April 16 to 11:59 p.m. June 30, 2026, and a half-year window for a $4,074 spring ESA runs from 8:00 a.m. October 15 to 11:59 p.m. November 15, 2026. New users create an account with a name, email and password; returning users log in to their existing account. A family that filed a full-year 2026-27 application creates a new portal account to apply for a half-year ESA.
- Click Start Application and add each student in your household to the one family application. Married applicants enter both spouses' SSN or ITIN and both sign electronically.
- Residency is checked automatically against your 2025 Iowa tax return, usually within 30 minutes. If it cannot be verified, upload residency documents for a manual review.
- Once the application is approved, select the accredited nonpublic school your child will attend in the portal. Admission to the school is a separate process between you and the school.
- The school enters tuition and fees in the portal, and you must confirm fall tuition and fee payments by 11:59 p.m. September 30 or the student loses ESA eligibility for the year.
- Half the award is available from July 15 (or 30 days after approval, if later) for fall tuition, and the other half from December 1. Spring tuition and fees must be paid in the portal by 11:59 p.m. January 14, 2027; for a full-year student, missing that date does not end eligibility. A half-year ESA is available from December 1 (or 30 days after approval, if later), and its tuition and fees must be paid in the portal by January 14, 2027 or the student loses it.
- After tuition and fees are paid, any remaining balance can be spent in the portal's marketplace on eligible expenses.
What to have ready
- Parent or guardian legal name, phone and email
- Parent or guardian SSN or ITIN, and spouse's SSN or ITIN
- Current residential address and the address on the 2025 Iowa tax return
- Student's legal name and date of birth
- If the tax return cannot verify residency: a current Iowa driver's license, or a mortgage, lease or utility bill plus a second Iowa document, or a signed written explanation with supporting documents
Go to the official application
Steps and limits read on from: Iowa Department of Education, Students First Education Savings Accounts; Iowa Code section 257.11B (2026). Limits change each year with the federal poverty guidelines, so confirm on the official site before you apply.
Which schools take it
List read October 26, 2026, checked November 4, 2026
In Iowa an ESA can be used only at an accredited nonpublic school. Schools marked here are on the Iowa Department of Education’s accredited nonpublic school directory for 2026-27, which makes them eligible. The state calls this year’s file preliminary until October.
Students First ESA award $8,148Award covers the listed priceListed price is higher
The award covers the full listed price at 2 of 17 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 Iowa Department of Education, Education Savings Accounts, read October 9, 2026.
How far a scholarship goes, state by state.
The share of private schools on each state's list, Iowa included.
245 schools on the Students First ESA list, by town Browse private schools in Iowa The state’s own list
- Private schools in Ankeny (22 nearby)
- Private schools in Des Moines (21 nearby)
- Private schools in Cedar Rapids (16 nearby)
- Private schools in Coralville (15 nearby)
- Private schools in Gilbertville (14 nearby)
- Private schools in Iowa City (14 nearby)
- Private schools in Dubuque (13 nearby)
- Private schools in West Des Moines (13 nearby)
- Private schools in Davenport (12 nearby)
- Private schools in Sioux City (11 nearby)
- Private schools in Bettendorf (10 nearby)
- Private schools in Waterloo (10 nearby)
- Private schools in Hull (8 nearby)
- Private schools in Decorah (6 nearby)
- Private schools in Alton (5 nearby)
- Private schools in Clinton (5 nearby)
- Private schools in Dyersville (5 nearby)
- Private schools in Independence (5 nearby)
Related programs
Run your own numbers
What would you pay?
Enter amounts of $0 or more.
We filled in the standard Students First ESA 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.
Published tuition at schools on the Students First ESA list
Prices read on the schools' own websites, October 1, 2026 to October 11, 2026
We verified published tuition at 18 of the 245 schools on the list: prices run from $8,075 to $16,950 a year, and the middle price is $9,601, using each school’s lowest published rate. Compare that with the award above to see what a family might still owe.
| School | Town | Published tuition | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dowling Catholic High School | West Des Moines | $16,272 | 2026-27 |
| St. Edmond Catholic School | Fort Dodge | $8,475 to $9,340 | 2026-27 |
| Pella Christian Grade School | Pella | $10,300 to $10,625 | 2026-27 |
| St. Paul the Apostle Catholic School | Davenport | $8,930 | 2026-27 |
| John F Kennedy Catholic School | Davenport | $8,930 | 2026-27 |
| St. Anthony Elementary School | Des Moines | $8,250 | 2026-27 |
| St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic School | Ankeny | $8,075 | 2026-27 |
| Orange City Christian School | Orange City | $10,950 | 2026-27 |
| Bergman Academy | Des Moines | $16,950 | 2026-27 |
| Pella Christian High School | Pella | $12,275 | 2026-27 |
| Morning Star Academy | Bettendorf | $10,300 | 2026-27 |
| Heritage Christian School | North Liberty | $9,902 | 2026-27 |
| J. W. Reed Christian Academy | Des Moines | $8,148 | 2026-27 |
| Sully Christian School | Sully | $10,625 | 2026-27 |
| Montessori School of Iowa City | Coralville | $10,693 | 2025-26 |
| Royal Legacy Christian Academy | Waterloo | $9,153 | 2026-27 |
| Holy Family School | Des Moines | $8,600 | 2026-27 |
| Muscatine Christian Academy | Muscatine | $9,300 to $9,900 | 2026-27 |
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 Iowa, school by school.
Put the next Students First ESA 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 15, 2026 Iowa Students First ESA: 2026-27 half-year ESA application window.
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 Students First ESA pay in Iowa?
$8,148 per student for 2026-27. Paid in two equal installments, fall and spring. New for 2026-27: a half-year ESA of $4,074 for the spring semester. Homeschooled students do not qualify.
Who is eligible?
Any Iowa resident K-12 student enrolled in an accredited nonpublic school. There has been no income limit since 2025-26. Fall tuition and fee payments must be confirmed in the ESA portal by September 30 (for a half-year ESA, tuition and fees must be paid in the portal by January 14, 2027).
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 Students First ESA?
In Iowa an ESA can be used only at an accredited nonpublic school. Schools marked here are on the Iowa Department of Education’s accredited nonpublic school directory for 2026-27, which makes them eligible. The state calls this year’s file preliminary until October.
When do I apply?
The full-year window for 2026-27 ran April 16 to June 30, 2026. A second, half-year window (House File 2754, 2026) runs from 8:00 a.m. October 15 to 11:59 p.m. November 15, 2026, for a $4,074 spring ESA. A student whose full-year application was denied or not completed may apply; a student who received a full-year ESA may not.
How do I apply for the Iowa ESA?
Apply in the Students First ESA portal during a window. For 2026-27 the full-year window ran from 8:00 a.m. April 16 to 11:59 p.m. June 30, 2026, and a half-year window for a $4,074 spring ESA runs from 8:00 a.m. October 15 to 11:59 p.m. November 15, 2026. New users create an account with a name, email and password; returning users log in to their existing account. A family that filed a full-year 2026-27 application creates a new portal account to apply for a half-year ESA. The 7 steps are listed under “Apply for the Iowa ESA” on this page, with the documents to have ready.
Do we reapply every year?
Yes. The Department of Education says annual ESA applications are required for all prospective participants, including a kindergartner who will be in first grade the next year.
We missed the spring window. Is there another chance for 2026-27?
Yes. House File 2754 (2026) added a half-year ESA. Apply from 8:00 a.m. October 15 to 11:59 p.m. November 15, 2026 for $4,074 toward the spring 2027 semester. A student whose full-year application was denied or not completed may apply; a student who already received a full-year ESA for 2026-27 may not.
Can homeschoolers use it?
Only by enrolling full time in an accredited nonpublic school. A student homeschooled in 2025-26 can get an ESA for 2026-27 if enrolled full time at an Iowa accredited nonpublic school, attending at least 75 percent of the full-time schedule.
Does it cover preschool?
No. ESA funds can only be used for students in kindergarten through 12th grade.
Can we save unused money for next year?
Yes. Money left in the account carries over to later years in which the student participates. Under Iowa law, anything left when the student graduates from high school or turns 20 goes to the state general fund.
Can we use it at a private school just across the state line?
No. The program is limited to Iowa residents attending an Iowa accredited nonpublic school, so a school in Omaha, for example, does not qualify.
Can one child's leftover money pay for a sibling?
No. Each account belongs to one student and cannot pay another student's costs, even if that sibling also has an ESA.
How much is the ESA for 2026-27, and when is it paid?
$8,148 per student. Half is available for the fall 2026 semester and half for spring 2027.
Source: Iowa Department of Education, Students First Education Savings Accounts (questions and answers updated April 2026), undated page, read October 11, 2026.
When can we apply for 2026-27?
The full-year window ran from 8:00 a.m. on April 16, 2026 to 11:59 p.m. on June 30, 2026. A half-year window, for a $4,074 ESA for the spring 2027 semester, runs from 8:00 a.m. on October 15, 2026 to 11:59 p.m. on November 15, 2026. One application covers every child in the family.
Source: Iowa Department of Education, Students First Education Savings Accounts (questions and answers updated April 2026), undated page, read October 11, 2026.
Is our income checked? Why do we need a tax return?
Income is not checked. The 2025 Iowa tax return is used only to confirm that you live in Iowa. Without one you send other proof of residency.
Source: Iowa Department of Education, Students First Education Savings Accounts (questions and answers updated April 2026), undated page, read October 11, 2026.
Does my child have to attend full time?
Yes. The student must be enrolled full time at an accredited nonpublic school and attend at least 75 percent of the full time schedule.
Source: Iowa Department of Education, Students First Education Savings Accounts (questions and answers updated April 2026), undated page, read October 11, 2026.
What happens if fall tuition is not paid through the portal by September 30?
A full-year student loses ESA eligibility for the year. Each student must be attending an accredited Iowa nonpublic school and have fall tuition and fees paid through the ESA portal by September 30. Spring tuition and fees are due through the portal by 11:59 p.m. January 14, 2027; missing that date does not end a full-year student's eligibility.
Source: Iowa Department of Education, Students First Education Savings Accounts (questions and answers updated April 2026), undated page, read October 11, 2026.
What if my child switches schools during the year?
Moving to another accredited Iowa nonpublic school keeps the ESA in use. Moving to a public school stops it for now, and the unused money stays in the account for a later year in the program.
Source: Iowa Department of Education, Students First Education Savings Accounts (questions and answers updated April 2026), undated page, read October 11, 2026.
If my child leaves the school, who gets any tuition refund?
The school's agreement with your family decides whether a refund is due. If one is, the ESA is repaid first, up to what it paid, before any money goes to the family.
Source: Iowa Department of Education, Students First Education Savings Accounts (questions and answers updated April 2026), undated page, read October 11, 2026.
We already get help from a school tuition organization. Can we still get an ESA?
Yes. ESA eligibility does not depend on whether you receive a school tuition organization (STO) award.
Source: Iowa Department of Education, Students First Education Savings Accounts (questions and answers updated April 2026), undated page, read October 11, 2026.
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