Georgia Promise Scholarship Program

Georgia Promise Scholarship Program is sponsored by Georgia Education Savings Authority. This program empowers Georgia families to pursue educational programs through nonpublic schooling, including private school and home study.

Georgia Promise Scholarship – Access Achieve Succeed Student Applications for both new and returning students will open again May 1st, 2026 through May 31st, 2026. For all households, this will be the last opportunity to apply or recertify for the Fall 2026 semester. For households above 400% of the Federal Poverty Level, this will be the last opportunity to be considered for both the Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 semesters.

Access. Achieve. Succeed.

Empowering Georgia families to pursue exceptional educational programs Signed into law in 2024 through Senate Bill 233, the Georgia Promise Scholarship Program is aimed to empower families to pursue exceptional educational programs through nonpublic schooling, including private school and home study.

Should eligible families choose to leave public school (or forgo attending as a new kindergartener) to participate, the Georgia Promise Scholarship will allow families to use funds for private school tuition and fees, required textbooks, tutoring services, curriculum, physician/therapist services, transportation services, and other approved expenses.

Click buttons below to download current program details 2026 Application & Enrollment Periods Families may be asked to complete a brief re-verification process each year to confirm their continued participation in the program. They do not need to re-apply annually Students who relocate out of the district but remain in the state will not be removed from the program.

Students must complete annual testing to remain in compliance with the program requirements . The Georgia Promise Scholarship student application window for the 2026/27 academic year will open again on May 1st, 2026 through May 31st, 2026. This will be the last opportunity to apply or recertify for the Fall 2026 semester.

Ensures Georgia students and their families have the flexibility to access educational programs that best meet their needs. Gives parents more opportunity to influence and customize their child’s educational path, when they decide local public school is not the best fit. The Georgia Education Savings Authority (GESA) will ensure a seamless and responsive customer experience to support families, schools, service providers, and vendors.

GESA will administer the Georgia Promise Scholarship Program including managing program funds and maintaining program integrity, efficiency and sustainability as intended by the Georgia General Assembly. Students must be currently enrolled in a Georgia public school for two consecutive semesters or be rising kindergarten students.

The first two Georgia Promise student application windows for the 2026/27 academic year will be open from March 1st - 31st and May 1st - 31st. For the 2025/26 academic year, the scholarship provided up to $6,500 per eligible student, paid in four quarterly installments. The 2026/27 scholarship amount will be determined based on state funding formulas and will be shared publicly once finalized.

What is the Georgia Promise scholarship? The Georgia Promise scholarship is an education choice program. The program will provide eligible students with the opportunity to use public funds for non-public education expenses in grades kindergarten through 12th grade.

Eligible uses include private school tuition, tutoring services, and other qualified education expenses. What is the scholarship amount? For the first year of the program (the 2025 – 2026 academic year), the scholarship amount is set by law at a maximum of $6,500.

The Georgia Education Savings Authority may withhold up to 5 percent of the scholarship proceeds for administrative purposes. When will scholarship funding be available? The initial funding of approved student accounts will be in early July of 2026.

When will parents know if they have been awarded funds? Parents will be notified of student participation following the completion of the student application window in early 2026. Additional information on the application timeline and process will be made available as soon as possible.

Who is eligible to apply for the Georgia Promise scholarship? A student who is currently enrolled and has been enrolled in a Georgia public school for two consecutive semesters, OR is a rising kindergarten student, AND: Resides in a Georgia public school attendance zone on the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement’s list of the 25% lower performing public schools based on cumulative individual school ratings.

Parent has resided in Georgia for 1+ year (with the exception of active-duty military who transferred to Georgia within the past year). Unless there are more applicants than funding available, a family’s income will not factor into the prioritization of applicants for enrollment in the Fall Semester.

Only applicants who have a household income level at or below 400% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) will be considered for enrollment in the Spring Semester in accordance with the Promise Scholarship Act. Is it possible to receive priority consideration for the Georgia Promise scholarship? Students whose family income does not exceed 400% of the federal poverty level will receive priority consideration.

The Federal Poverty Level used to determine eligibility is defined annually by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Students who receive an initial scholarship will receive priority consideration over new applicants to the program in future years. The Georgia Education Savings Authority is developing an online application for the 2025-2026 academic year.

The application portal is expected to open in early 2025. What are eligible uses of the scholarship?

Scholarship funds may be used for the following qualified education expenses: Tuition, fees, required textbooks, curriculum, and supplemental materials approved by the Georgia Education Savings Authority Tutoring services provided by an educator certified by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission Services from a physician or licensed therapist for occupational, behavioral, physical, or speech-language therapies, and others Transportation from/to a service provider (up to $500 per year) Additional expenses authorized by the Georgia Education Savings Authority How will scholarship funds be distributed?

The Georgia Education Savings Authority is developing an online platform for families to apply for and make payments to eligible providers and vendors from an individual student’s Georgia Promise Scholarship account. What if I do not use all the funds available in my account? Up to 50% of unused Promise Scholarship awards in an academic year may carry forward to the following academic year.

Is there a residency requirement? Yes, parents must have been a Georgia resident for at least one year, with exceptions for active-duty military. Students in the program remain eligible to receive funds until returning to a public school or reaching the age of 20.

Special education students may stay in the program until age 21. May a student receive both the Georgia Promise Scholarship and the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship? A student is ineligible for the Georgia Promise Scholarship if they receive the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship.

May a student receive both the Georgia Promise Scholarship and a Georgia Student Scholarship Organization Scholarship? A student is ineligible for the Georgia Promise Scholarship if they receive a scholarship, tuition grant or other benefit from a student scholarship organization as search term is defined by the Student Scholarship Organizations Act.

May a student attend a public school and receive the Georgia Promise Scholarship for tutoring services? No, a student must disenroll from public school to receive Georgia Promise Scholarship funds. Which semester does each application period apply to?

Each application period is for the next semester. For example, if you apply during the May application period, your student’s enrollment would begin in the fall semester instead of the current one. What does “opting in” to the program mean?

Opting in means the family is confirming their intention to use Georgia Promise Scholarship funds and will withdraw their student from public school before continuing to opt in. After opting in, students must remain enrolled in public school through the end of their current public-school semester to be included in the full FTE count.

Families must withdraw the student only after the semester ends and before the start of the semester in which the student will receive scholarship funds. For example, a student who applies in March must remain enrolled in public school through the end of the spring semester (June) and may withdraw prior to the start of the next school year.

Similarly, a student who applies in September must remain enrolled in public school through the end of the fall semester (December) and may withdraw prior to the start of the spring semester. How do I submit an appeal? To submit an appeal, please send a written explanation to the Georgia Education Savings Authority.

Be sure to include any details or information that are relevant to your appeal. Private School applications are currently closed. Returning Private Schools can re-certify with their existing login.

Private School Information Sheet Applications from Private Schools may be Submitted November 20 – December 6, 2024 Download current program regulations here . Private School Application The private school application periods for the 2026/27 academic year will be open from February 1st - 28th and October 1st - 31st. Release of public schools list Eligible school districts that determine student eligibility are released.

Student Application Launch The first two Georgia Promise Student application windows from the 2026/27 academic year will be open from March 1st - 31st and May 1st - 31st. Beginning of 2026 - 2027 Academic Year Parent accounts funded quarterly; parents must initiate payments to participating private schools. What schools are eligible?

To enroll participating students, schools MUST: Be accredited (or in the process of becoming accredited) by a recognized accrediting agency Demonstrate fiscal soundness by having been in operation for one school year, or by submitting a financial information report Comply with federal antidiscrimination provisions, all health and safety codes applicable to private schools, and any other state laws applicable to private schools Test students on an annual basis and report test results to GESA Do participating schools have to change their existing admissions criteria / processes?

No. Participating schools are not required to alter creed, current practices, admission policies, employment policies, or curricula in order to receive account funds as part of the Promise Scholarship Program. What are the testing requirements for participating schools? Participating schools are required to annually administer a nationally norm-referenced test approved by GESA or a state-wide assessment only to participating students.

What tests are currently approved by GESA A current list of GESA-approved tests may be found here How does the GA Promise Scholarship overlap with the GOAL (tax - credit) and GA Special Needs Scholarship Program?

Private schools may participate in multiple scholarship programs; however, a student is ineligible for the Georgia Promise Scholarship if they receive the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship or a scholarship, tuition grant or other benefit from a student scholarship organization as search term is defined by the Student Scholarship Organizations Act. What expenses are eligible?

Scholarship funds may be used for the following qualified education expenses: tuition, fees, and required textbooks for eligible core courses at participating private schools; qualifying curriculum and supplemental materials; tutoring services provided by an educator certified by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission; eligible services from a physician or licensed therapist for occupational, behavioral, physical, or speech-language therapies; transportation from/to a service provider (up to $500 per year); other authorized expenses approved by GESA.

When will the list of qualifying school districts be released? By December 1st of each year, the Office of Student Achievement will publish a list of eligible school districts. How are payments disbursed?

The initial funding of approved student accounts will be at the beginning of the 2026-2027 academic year. Funding will be disbursed in quarterly payments thereafter through an online platform. Parents are responsible for initiating payment to schools.

When will parents know if they have been awarded funds? Parents will be notified of student participation following the completion of the student application window prior to the 2026/27 academic year. How long are students eligible to receive funding?

Students in the program remain eligible to receive funds until returning to a public school, graduating from high school, or reaching the age of 20. Special education students may stay in the program until age 21. Service Provider and Vendor Applications are accepted year-round and are not limited to quarterly application periods.

Please read the Offering One-Pager for more information on submitting eligible products. Empower families to pursue exceptional educational programs. Support families by providing them with the information they need to make decisions.

Create a seamless and responsive customer experience for families, schools, service providers, and vendors. Embrace fiscal accountability and transparency to ensure responsible stewardship of public funds. Maintain the highest standard of integrity to the law and the community.

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