NC Opportunity Scholarship (North Carolina)
The NC Opportunity Scholarship is a scholarship. $3,574 to $7,942 per student, by household income.
Income limitsApply for NC Opportunity ScholarshipTuition calculator
- Award
- $3,574 to $7,942 per student, by household income
- Read
- Who qualifies
- Any North Carolina K-12 student at a participating private school.
- Read
- Application window
- The 2026-27 priority window ran February 2 to March 2, 2026.
- Read
Schools that take Opportunity Scholarship Deadlines by state Homeschooling in North Carolina All 730 private schools in North Carolina
How Opportunity Scholarship works
Checked against the program's own pages on
| What you get | $3,574 to $7,942 per student, by household income. Four income tiers. A family of four earning up to $61,050 gets the top amount. Students with disabilities can also use ESA+. |
|---|---|
| Who qualifies | Any North Carolina K-12 student at a participating private school. There is no income cap, but lower incomes get more. Renewing students go first, then new applicants by income tier. |
| How full it is | 104,599 students were enrolled in 2025-26, Carolina Journal reported on February 2, 2026, citing the state’s program data page. That page is on ncseaa.edu, which blocks automated reading, so we have not read the count there ourselves. |
| When to apply | The 2026-27 priority window ran February 2 to March 2, 2026. Expect early February again. |
| How the money moves | The state pays the school directly, twice a year. |
| What it covers | Required tuition and fees only. It can never exceed what the school actually charges. |
| Federal tax credit, 2027 | North Carolina 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: NCSEAA, 2026-27 award tiers; Carolina Journal, February 2, 2026; G.S. 115C-562.2, award order. Rules change when the legislature meets, so check the official program site before you count on a number.
Opportunity Scholarship income limits for 2026-27 (2025 calendar-year household income)
| Household size | Opportunity Scholarship, Award Tier 1 Household income up to the federal free or reduced-price lunch limit | Opportunity Scholarship, Award Tier 2 Up to 200% of the free or reduced-price lunch limit | Opportunity Scholarship, Award Tier 3 Up to 450% of the free or reduced-price lunch limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | $40,034 | $80,068 | $180,153 |
| 3 | $50,542 | $101,084 | $227,439 |
| 4 | $61,050 | $122,100 | $274,725 |
| 5 | $71,558 | $143,116 | $322,011 |
| 6 | $82,066 | $164,132 | $369,297 |
| 7 | $92,574 | $185,148 | $416,583 |
| 8 | $103,082 | $206,164 | $463,869 |
Opportunity Scholarship, Award Tier 1. Households at or below these incomes get the largest award, up to $7,942 toward required tuition and fees, and students in state foster care are placed in Tier 1 automatically. Source.
Opportunity Scholarship, Award Tier 2. Households above Tier 1 and at or below these incomes get up to $7,148. Source.
Opportunity Scholarship, Award Tier 3. Households above Tier 2 and at or below these incomes get up to $4,766. Source.
Opportunity Scholarship, Award Tier 4. Any North Carolina student qualifies regardless of income; households above the Tier 3 line, or that do not report income, get up to $3,574, and no award can exceed the school's required tuition and fees. Source.
Who goes first. Beginning March 15, the state awards students who applied by March 1 in this order: students who had a scholarship the prior year, then new Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 students, then all others. The state may use a lottery within these groups.
Apply for the NC Opportunity Scholarship: how it works
- Create a parent account at myportal.ncseaa.edu; the parent should be the one the student lives with at least half the time, and you activate the account from the email it sends.
- When applications open (by February 1 each year), log in, add your student under "Applications and Renewals for K-12th Grade" and click "Apply Online" next to the Opportunity Scholarship.
- Complete each page, including your household size and total 2025 household income before deductions, and submit before the priority deadline (applications in by March 1 are awarded first).
- Watch your MyPortal notifications and email for an eligible or ineligible notice; if eligible, your Award Tier is listed.
- Upload any documents requested in your MyPortal "To Do List" (Word or PDF, one file per task).
- Choose a participating Direct Payment School in the "School Choice" section (you can change it yourself until August 1); the school certifies tuition, usually in August, and your exact award then replaces the $0.00 placeholder in MyPortal.
What to have ready
- Parent and student Social Security Numbers (an ITIN for a parent without one; email the program if you have neither)
- Household size and total 2025 household income before deductions
- If asked: income records such as a federal tax return transcript, W-2s, 1099s, Social Security or unemployment statements, or bank statements
- If asked: proof of North Carolina residency, such as a North Carolina driver license or state ID, voter registration, a state income tax filing, or a current utility bill, bank statement, government check or paycheck showing your address
- For a child in foster care: the Foster Care Identification Number (SIS or CNDS) and the county holding the case
Go to the official application
Steps and limits read on from: NCSEAA, Opportunity Scholarship Income Guidelines 2026-2027 (award tiers); NCSEAA, Opportunity Scholarship 2026-2027 How to Calculate your Income; NCSEAA, Calculating Your Income FAQ for the 2026-2027 School Year; NCSEAA, K12 Programs Eligibility Requirements updated for 2026-2027; NCSEAA, MyPortal Guide for Parents; N.C. General Statutes 115C-562.2, Scholarship grants. 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 2, 2026
Schools marked here appear on the direct-payment school list the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority posts for 2026-27. That list gives a name, city and county, so we match on name and city, or on a name that appears only once in the state.
Opportunity Scholarship award $3,574 to $7,942Award covers the listed priceListed price is higher
The award covers the full listed price at 18 of 83 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 NCSEAA, Opportunity Scholarship award tiers 2026-27, read October 9, 2026. Four income tiers: the top figure is the lowest-income tier, the bottom figure the highest-income tier.
How far a scholarship goes, state by state.
The share of private schools on each state's list, North Carolina included.
591 schools on the Opportunity Scholarship list, by town Browse private schools in North Carolina The state’s own list
- Private schools in Charlotte (59 nearby)
- Private schools in Raleigh (49 nearby)
- Private schools in Kernersville (38 nearby)
- Private schools in Durham (37 nearby)
- Private schools in Matthews (29 nearby)
- Private schools in Wake Forest (27 nearby)
- Private schools in Cary (25 nearby)
- Private schools in Greensboro (24 nearby)
- Private schools in Kannapolis (24 nearby)
- Private schools in Fayetteville (23 nearby)
- Private schools in Clemmons (22 nearby)
- Private schools in Wilmington (20 nearby)
- Private schools in Apex (19 nearby)
- Private schools in Asheville (18 nearby)
- Private schools in Winston Salem (17 nearby)
- Private schools in Monroe (16 nearby)
- Private schools in Clayton (15 nearby)
- Private schools in Mooresville (15 nearby)
Related programs
Run your own numbers
What would you pay?
Enter amounts of $0 or more.
Opportunity Scholarship pays between $3,574 and $7,942 depending on your household. We start with the lower figure. Change it if you know yours. An award can never be more than the school actually charges. This is arithmetic, not a quote.
Published tuition at schools on the Opportunity Scholarship list
Prices read on the schools' own websites, October 1, 2026 to October 11, 2026
We verified published tuition at 92 of the 591 schools on the list: prices run from $4,100 to $37,795 a year, and the middle price is $11,394, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forsyth Country Day School | Lewisville | $19,960 to $29,960 | 2026-27 |
| Cardinal Gibbons | Raleigh | $20,395 | 2026-27 |
| North Raleigh Christian Academy | Raleigh | $6,564 to $12,564 | 2026-27 |
| Charlotte Catholic High School | Charlotte | $21,562 | 2026-27 |
| Charlotte Christian School | Charlotte | $23,295 to $27,055 | 2026-27 |
| Metrolina Christian Academy | Indian Trail | $9,461 to $12,489 | 2026-27 |
| Wesleyan Christian Academy | High Point | $12,000 to $15,000 | 2025-26 |
| Covenant Day School | Matthews | $15,490 to $22,790 | 2026-27 |
| Grace Christian School | Raleigh | $12,200 to $15,600 | 2026-27 |
| Wilmington Christian Academy | Wilmington | $9,500 to $10,700 | 2025-26 |
| Concord Academy | Concord | $7,600 to $8,630 | 2025-26 |
| Asheville Christian Academy | Swannanoa | $13,700 to $20,200 | 2026-27 |
| Burlington Christian Academy | Burlington | $11,250 to $12,250 | 2026-27 |
| Wayne Christian School | Goldsboro | $9,800 | 2025-26 |
| Cape Fear Academy | Wilmington | $19,300 to $26,850 | 2026-27 |
| Fayetteville Christian School | Fayetteville | $9,500 | 2026-27 |
| The Franciscan School | Raleigh | $13,924 | 2026-27 |
| Trinity Academy | Raleigh | $17,797 to $19,898 | 2026-27 |
| Southlake Christian Academy | Huntersville | $13,800 to $17,900 | 2026-27 |
| St. Timothys School | Raleigh | $16,200 to $21,770 | 2026-27 |
| North Hills Christian School | Salisbury | $11,800 | 2026-27 |
| New Bern Christian Academy | New Bern | $6,000 | 2026-27 |
| St. Michael the Archangel Catholic School | Cary | $12,870 | 2026-27 |
| Immaculata Catholic School | Durham | $12,799 to $13,024 | 2026-27 |
| Harrells Christian Academy | Harrells | $9,660 to $12,060 | 2026-27 |
| St. Pius X Catholic School | Greensboro | $12,912 | 2026-27 |
| Trinity Episcopal School | Charlotte | $26,670 to $28,690 | 2026-27 |
| St. Peter Catholic School | Greenville | $8,200 | 2026-27 |
| Triad Baptist Christian Academy | Kernersville | $6,450 to $6,900 | 2026-27 |
| Christ Covenant School | Winterville | $9,600 | 2026-27 |
Showing the 30 largest by enrollment of 92. 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 North Carolina, school by school.
Put the next Opportunity 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.
No new Opportunity Scholarship application dates are posted yet. How Opportunity Scholarship works.
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 Opportunity Scholarship pay in North Carolina?
$3,574 to $7,942 per student, by household income. Four income tiers. A family of four earning up to $61,050 gets the top amount. Students with disabilities can also use ESA+.
Who is eligible?
Any North Carolina K-12 student at a participating private school. There is no income cap, but lower incomes get more. Renewing students go first, then new applicants by income tier.
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 Opportunity Scholarship?
Schools marked here appear on the direct-payment school list the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority posts for 2026-27. That list gives a name, city and county, so we match on name and city, or on a name that appears only once in the state.
When do I apply?
The 2026-27 priority window ran February 2 to March 2, 2026. Expect early February again.
How do I apply for the NC Opportunity Scholarship?
Create a parent account at myportal.ncseaa.edu; the parent should be the one the student lives with at least half the time, and you activate the account from the email it sends. The 6 steps are listed under “Apply for the NC Opportunity Scholarship” on this page, with the documents to have ready.
Is there an income limit for the Opportunity Scholarship?
No. For 2026-27 any student who lives in North Carolina qualifies. Household income only sets the award tier and amount.
Whose income counts, and for which year?
Count the 2025 income of everyone who lives in the household and shares income and expenses, before deductions, not your adjusted gross income. Self-employed people report net income.
Do we have to apply again every year?
Yes, current recipients renew each year, and students who were funded the prior year are awarded first, ahead of all new applicants.
Can the scholarship pay more than tuition?
No. An award cannot exceed the school's required tuition and fees, which can include books, transportation, equipment or other items the school requires.
Does it cover pre-K?
No. A student must be at least 5 by August 31, or at least 4 by April 16 and approved for early kindergarten under state rules.
Can my child switch private schools during the year?
Yes. A student can move to another participating private school and may receive a prorated share of the unused award there.
How much can my child get?
It depends on 2025 household income and size. For 2026-27 the four award tiers pay up to $7,942, $7,148, $4,766 or $3,574 a year toward required tuition and fees, paid by semester. If your income is above a tier's maximum, you move to the next tier.
Source: NCSEAA, Opportunity Scholarship Income Guidelines 2026-2027 (award tiers), PDF dated January 20, 2026.
When do applications open, and who is awarded first?
By law applications open by February 1 each year. From March 15 the state awards students who applied by March 1: renewing students first, then new students by award tier from lowest income up, then everyone else.
Source: N.C. General Statutes 115C-562.2, scholarship grants, undated page, read October 7, 2026.
Is a foster child's award based on the foster family's income?
No. A child currently in foster care is placed in Tier 1, the highest award, automatically. You give the child's foster care ID number and the county holding the case.
Source: NCSEAA, Calculating Your Income: Frequently Asked Questions, 2026-2027 School Year, PDF dated January 23, 2026.
What if I enter the wrong income or household size?
Inaccurate answers can lower your child's award. Report 2025 income as it was, including bonuses and overtime, even if you will not get them again.
Source: NCSEAA, Calculating Your Income: Frequently Asked Questions, 2026-2027 School Year, PDF dated January 23, 2026.
Why does my award show $0.00?
From February to August the portal shows $0.00 as a placeholder. Once the school reports its tuition for your child, usually in August, the exact award appears. Ask the school what tuition it plans to report.
Source: NCSEAA, MyPortal Guide for Parents, PDF dated January 23, 2025.
Can I change the school I picked?
Yes. You can change it yourself in MyPortal until August 1. After that, email the scholarship program to ask for a change.
Source: NCSEAA, MyPortal Guide for Parents, PDF dated January 23, 2025.
Can a school charge scholarship students extra fees?
No. A school that takes scholarship students may not add fees because a student has a scholarship. It must also give parents a yearly written report of the child's progress, including test scores.
Source: N.C. General Statutes 115C-562.5, obligations of schools accepting scholarship students, undated page, read October 7, 2026.
Will my child have to take tests?
Yes, from grade 3 up. Scholarship students take a state chosen national test in grades 3 and 8, the ACT in grade 11, and a national test the school picks in the other grades.
Source: N.C. General Statutes 115C-562.5, obligations of schools accepting scholarship students, undated page, read 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.