The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA) provides access to an education savings account (ESA) that functions like a flexible bank account from which you direct funds to pay for tuition and fees for a private school, therapies, tutoring and more.

Families have the option to purchase products through MyScholarShop or services through EMA without having to pay out of pocket. However, they can still use providers or vendors outside of MyScholarShop and EMA for pre-approved purchases by paying upfront and submitting a reimbursement claim.

Applications for the 2025-26 school year will open Saturday, February 1. Sign up here for updates and tips to stay ahead!

Eligibility Requirements

  • Must be a Florida resident

  • Must be at least 3 years of age before September 1st of the current school year

  • Must have a copy of an IEP, have a diagnosis of a disability by a physician or be considered “high risk” (3-5 years of age with a developmental delay, a survivor of a catastrophic infectious or traumatic illness associated with a developmental delay, have parent/guardian with developmental disabilities who requires assistance in meeting the child’s developmental needs, or have a physical or genetic anomaly associated with developmental disability)

  • Must not be attending a public school

How It Works

1. Apply for a scholarship through Step Up For Students. You will need to show proof of your child’s age, diagnosis, and residency. Here is a checklist of documents you may need.

2. Once approved, funds will be deposited on a quarterly basis into an ESA on your student's EMA account.

3. Go to MyScholarShop to find pre-approved and products or log in to your EMA account to explore services.
Payments to providers and vendors are made directly from the ESA.