South Carolina Education Scholarship Trust Fund
Education savings account. $7,634 per student for 2026-27.
- Award
- $7,634 per student for 2026-27
- Read
- Who qualifies
- South Carolina students age 5 to 21 with household income at or below 500% of the poverty level ($160,750 for a family of four).
- Read
- Application window
- Closed for 2026-27.
- Read
Schools that take ESTF Deadlines by state Homeschooling in South Carolina All 368 private schools in South Carolina
How ESTF works
Checked against the program's own pages on
| What you get | $7,634 per student for 2026-27. Paid quarterly. |
|---|---|
| Who qualifies | South Carolina students age 5 to 21 with household income at or below 500% of the poverty level ($160,750 for a family of four). |
| How full it is | The 15,000-student cap for 2026-27 has been reached. Only the waitlist is open. |
| When to apply | Closed for 2026-27. For 2027-28, renewals and siblings of current students apply first (that window opens November 1), new priority applicants follow from January 15, and other eligible students after that. Join the waitlist to hear the exact dates. |
| How the money moves | The Department of Education funds a ClassWallet account and families pay approved providers from it. |
| What it covers | Private school tuition, tutoring, therapies, curriculum and out-of-district public school fees. |
| Federal tax credit, 2027 | South 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: South Carolina Department of Education, ESTF; ESTF program site; ESTF Education Service Provider Guide, 2026-27 (updated May 2026). Rules change when the legislature meets, so check the official program site before you count on a number.
ESTF income limits for 2026-27
| Household size | Education Scholarship Trust Fund eligibility 500% of the federal poverty guidelines | Priority application window 300% of the federal poverty guidelines |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | $105,750 | $63,450 |
| 3 | $133,250 | $79,950 |
| 4 | $160,750 | $96,450 |
| 5 | $188,250 | $112,950 |
| 6 | $215,750 | $129,450 |
| 7 | $243,250 | $145,950 |
| 8 | $270,750 | $162,450 |
Education Scholarship Trust Fund eligibility. Household income may not exceed 500% of the federal poverty guidelines. The program's 2026-27 table uses the 2025 guidelines, and no 2027-28 table has been posted yet. Source.
Priority application window. Income at or below 300% of the federal poverty guidelines only gives a new applicant a place in the priority window. It does not change the award amount. Source.
Who goes first. Returning students and their siblings apply first (Window 1, opens November 1). New students apply next in a priority window (Window 2, January 15 to February 8) if a parent is active-duty military stationed in South Carolina, household income is at or below 300% of the poverty guidelines, or the student attended public school the year before; all other eligible students apply from February 9, and applications are processed in the order received within each window.
Apply for ESTF: how it works
- Check eligibility with the pre-qualification tool on the ESTF program site, and register for the waitlist to get updates on the 2027-28 application.
- Apply online during your window: returning students and siblings from November 1, priority applicants from January 15 to February 8, and all other eligible students from February 9, until the 15,000-student cap is reached.
- Upload proof of guardianship, income and South Carolina residency, plus an active-duty document if you are applying under the military priority.
- Within 30 days of receiving all required documents, the Department of Education issues an award letter and creates the student's account.
- Withdraw your child from the zoned resident public school, open the ClassWallet welcome email, and accept the program affidavit once the account is funded.
- Pay approved providers, such as your private school, through ClassWallet's Pay Vendor feature with an invoice, or buy approved items in the ClassWallet Marketplace. Families are not reimbursed for out-of-pocket costs.
What to have ready
- Proof of guardianship (birth certificate, 2024 or 2025 tax return, or adoption, foster or custody papers)
- Proof of income (2024 or newer tax return, or income information if you do not file taxes)
- Proof of South Carolina residency (driver's license or state ID, utility bill, government mail or mortgage statement)
- Active-duty military document, if applicable
Go to the official application
Steps and limits read on from: SC ESTF program site (eligibility, windows, poverty guidelines, documents); 2026-2027 SC ESTF Participant Guide (updated May 2026); S.C. Code Title 59, Chapter 8 (Education Scholarship Trust Fund); South Carolina Department of Education, ESTF. Limits change each year with the federal poverty guidelines, so confirm on the official site before you apply.
Which schools take it
List dated September 28, 2026, checked November 2, 2026
Schools marked here are the in-person independent schools that the South Carolina Department of Education’s 2026-27 approved-provider workbook shows as ready to receive payments, with 210 entries in the copy last updated by the department on September 28, 2026. The same workbook lists 69 more in-person schools that the department has approved but that had not finished registering with ClassWallet, and the state says only approved and registered providers can be paid from an ESTF account.
ESTF award $7,634Award covers the listed priceListed price is higher
The award covers the full listed price at 12 of 31 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 South Carolina ESTF, Education Service Provider Guide 2026-27, read October 9, 2026.
How far a scholarship goes, state by state.
The share of private schools on each state's list, South Carolina included.
199 schools on the ESTF list, by town Browse private schools in South Carolina
- Private schools in Greer (41 nearby)
- Private schools in Greenville (39 nearby)
- Private schools in Columbia (36 nearby)
- Private schools in Simpsonville (36 nearby)
- Private schools in Charleston (32 nearby)
- Private schools in Mount Pleasant (22 nearby)
- Private schools in Mauldin (21 nearby)
- Private schools in Taylors (21 nearby)
- Private schools in Lexington (20 nearby)
- Private schools in West Columbia (16 nearby)
- Private schools in Summerville (15 nearby)
- Private schools in North Charleston (14 nearby)
- Private schools in Anderson (12 nearby)
- Private schools in Florence (12 nearby)
- Private schools in Spartanburg (12 nearby)
- Private schools in Aiken (11 nearby)
- Private schools in Myrtle Beach (11 nearby)
- Private schools in Rock Hill (11 nearby)
Related programs
Run your own numbers
What would you pay?
Enter amounts of $0 or more.
We filled in the standard ESTF 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
525 businesses on the South Carolina Department of Education list of approved South Carolina Education Scholarship Trust Fund (ESTF) providers (dated September 28, 2026), by category and town. Individual tutors and therapists on the list are not shown here.
Published tuition at schools on the ESTF list
Prices read on the schools' own websites, October 1, 2026 to October 11, 2026
We verified published tuition at 33 of the 199 schools on the list: prices run from $4,800 to $27,950 a year, and the middle price is $8,074, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southside Christian School | Simpsonville | $16,147 to $21,706 | 2026-27 |
| Bob Jones Academy | Greenville | $8,370 to $11,170 | 2026-27 |
| Wilson Hall | Sumter | $7,925 to $9,425 | 2026-27 |
| Northside Christian Academy | Lexington | $7,850 to $10,334 | 2026-27 |
| Palmetto Christian Academy | Mount Pleasant | $12,825 to $16,025 | 2026-27 |
| Pinewood Preparatory School | Summerville | $17,700 to $19,500 | 2026-27 |
| Cardinal Newman School | Columbia | $17,390 to $19,060 | not stated |
| Christian Academy of Myrtle Beach | Myrtle Beach | $8,074 to $11,579 | 2026-27 |
| Cross Schools | Bluffton | $15,250 to $18,250 | 2026-27 |
| Colleton Preparatory Academy | Walterboro | $7,210 | 2026-27 |
| Hilton Head Preparatory School | Hilton Head Island | $17,750 to $27,950 | 2026-27 |
| Oakbrook Preparatory School | Spartanburg | $10,955 to $14,618 | 2026-27 |
| Mitchell Road Christian Academy | Greenville | $9,174 to $12,034 | 2026-27 |
| Calhoun Academy | Saint Matthews | $6,024 to $6,204 | 2026-27 |
| Charleston Collegiate School | Johns Island | $18,500 to $21,500 | 2026-27 |
| John Paul II Catholic School | Ridgeland | $15,900 to $17,900 | 2026-27 |
| Faith Christian School & Daycare | Summerville | $6,935 to $8,260 | 2026-27 |
| Cathedral Academy | Charleston | $7,000 to $9,000 | 2026-27 |
| Calvary Christian School | Myrtle Beach | $6,000 to $6,500 | 2026-27 |
| The King's Academy | Florence | $8,712 to $8,988 | 2026-27 |
| Providence Classical School | Rock Hill | $7,800 to $8,100 | 2026-27 |
| Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic School | Greenville | $8,220 to $10,290 | 2026-27 |
| St. Marys Catholic School | Greenville | $10,400 | 2026-27 |
| Thomas Heyward Academy | Ridgeland | $7,500 | 2026-27 |
| Francis Hugh Wardlaw Academy | Johnston | $7,005 | 2026-27 |
| Temple Christian Academy | Anderson | $5,400 | 2026-27 |
| Divine Redeemer School | Hanahan | $7,000 | 2026-27 |
| The Complete Student | Port Royal | $8,000 | not stated |
| Glenforest School | West Columbia | $21,600 | 2026-27 |
| Poplar Springs SDA School | Westminster | $5,500 | 2026-27 |
Showing the 30 largest by enrollment of 33. 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 South Carolina, school by school.
Put the next ESTF 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 ESTF application dates are posted yet. How ESTF 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 families ask
These are questions people search for about ESTF. Each answer is our short summary of the official page linked under it.
What is the South Carolina Education Scholarship Trust Fund?
A scholarship program run by the South Carolina Department of Education. Qualifying families apply for a scholarship, set at $7,634 for 2026-27, and the state's contractor ClassWallet handles the payments.
Source: South Carolina Education Scholarship Trust Fund program site; SC ESTF participant guide, 2026-27. Checked .
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 ESTF pay in South Carolina?
$7,634 per student for 2026-27. Paid quarterly.
Who is eligible?
South Carolina students age 5 to 21 with household income at or below 500% of the poverty level ($160,750 for a family of four).
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 ESTF?
Schools marked here are the in-person independent schools that the South Carolina Department of Education’s 2026-27 approved-provider workbook shows as ready to receive payments, with 210 entries in the copy last updated by the department on September 28, 2026. The same workbook lists 69 more in-person schools that the department has approved but that had not finished registering with ClassWallet, and the state says only approved and registered providers can be paid from an ESTF account.
When do I apply?
Closed for 2026-27. For 2027-28, renewals and siblings of current students apply first (that window opens November 1), new priority applicants follow from January 15, and other eligible students after that. Join the waitlist to hear the exact dates.
How do I apply for ESTF?
Check eligibility with the pre-qualification tool on the ESTF program site, and register for the waitlist to get updates on the 2027-28 application. The 6 steps are listed under “Apply for ESTF” on this page, with the documents to have ready.
Can my child use it at a private school they already attend?
Yes, if the student is otherwise eligible. Attending public school the year before only earns a place in the priority window; other eligible students can apply from February 9 while seats remain.
Does it cover pre-K?
No. The scholarship is for kindergarten through 12th grade, and a new student must be 5 years old on or before September 1 of the school year.
Can homeschoolers use it?
Not while homeschooling under South Carolina's Option 1, 2 or 3 homeschool laws. Parents must agree not to run one of those home instruction programs while in the ESTF.
Do I have to reapply every year?
Families renew each year. Renewals for 2027-28 start processing in November 2026, and returning students and their siblings get the first application window from November 1.
Is the scholarship taxable?
No. State law says ESTF funds are not taxable income to the parent or the student.
What happens to unused money?
For a returning student, money left at the end of the year rolls over to the next year. If the student leaves the program, the remaining funds go back to the state.
Who qualifies for the ESTF?
A South Carolina resident in kindergarten through 12th grade whose household income is at or below 500% of the federal poverty guidelines. A new student must be 5 by September 1, and the student cannot attend the public school they are zoned for.
Source: South Carolina Department of Education, ESTF program site (eligibility, windows, poverty guidelines), undated page, read October 7, 2026.
How much is the scholarship, and when is it paid?
$7,634 per student for 2026-27, up from $7,500 in 2025-26. It is deposited in four equal payments of $1,908.50, the first available on July 31.
Source: South Carolina Department of Education, 2026-2027 ESTF Participant Guide (updated May 2026), PDF dated May 12, 2026.
When do applications open for next school year?
In three windows. Returning students and their siblings apply from November 1. Priority students (an active duty parent stationed in South Carolina, income at or below 300% of poverty, or public school the year before) apply January 15 to February 8. All other eligible students apply from February 9.
Source: South Carolina Department of Education, ESTF program site (eligibility, windows, poverty guidelines), undated page, read October 7, 2026.
What happens if the program is full?
The program is capped at 15,000 students, and the 2026-27 cap has been reached. Families can join the waitlist, which also brings updates on the 2027-28 application.
Source: South Carolina Department of Education, ESTF program site (eligibility, windows, poverty guidelines), undated page, read October 7, 2026.
Can I pay a bill myself and get paid back?
No. There is no reimbursement. Every payment and purchase goes through the family's ClassWallet account, either to an approved provider with an invoice or through the ClassWallet Marketplace.
Source: South Carolina Department of Education, 2026-2027 ESTF Participant Guide (updated May 2026), PDF dated May 12, 2026.
Which schools and providers can be paid?
Only providers the Department of Education has approved and that have registered with ClassWallet. Providers apply themselves, not parents, and the parent chooses which approved provider to use.
Source: South Carolina Department of Education, 2026-2027 ESTF Participant Guide (updated May 2026), PDF dated May 12, 2026.
Can my child get the ESTF and the Exceptional Needs tax credit in the same year?
No. A student in the ESTF cannot also receive the Educational Credit for Exceptional Needs Children for the same school year.
Source: South Carolina Department of Education, ESTF program site (eligibility, windows, poverty guidelines), 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.