If you have been meaning to apply for Florida's Unique Abilities scholarship for your autistic child, the time to do it is now. New applications for the 2026-27 school year close on November 15, 2026. This page lists the dates, the documents, and the steps to finish this week, plus what to do if you miss the window.
What are the FES-UA deadlines for 2026-27?
The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA) is set by section 1002.394, Florida Statutes, and run by Step Up For Students. The law requires the new-application process to accept applications "until November 15" and requires parents to confirm by December 15 that they accept or decline the scholarship. Step Up's 2026-27 family handbook (updated September 16, 2026) uses the same dates.
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Now through November 15, 2026 | New applications accepted through your Step Up EMA account |
| Rolling, after you apply | Step Up reviews eligibility and emails you if documents are missing |
| By December 15, 2026 | You must accept or decline the scholarship. Only students found eligible and accepted by this date can be considered for 2026-27 funding |
| February 1, 2027 | Last day a new scholarship student can be submitted for funding (s. 1002.394(12)(c)) |
| Quarterly | For new students, state payments into the account are due no later than September 1, November 1, February 1 and April 1 of the school year |
New students are awarded "on a first-come, first-served basis" after renewing students (s. 1002.394(11)(b)3). Applying earlier, rather than on November 15, gives you time to fix any document problem before the deadlines.
Does my autistic child qualify?
Under s. 1002.394(3)(b), a student can qualify for FES-UA if all of these are true:
- Residency. The student is a Florida resident, or part of a military family with permanent change of station orders to Florida.
- Age or grade. The child is 3 or 4 in the year of application, or eligible for kindergarten through grade 12. Step Up's handbook says the child must be 3 on or before December 31 of the year the application is submitted, and younger than 22 on or before September 1.
- Disability. The statute's list includes "autism spectrum disorder, as defined in the [DSM-5]," along with Down syndrome, speech and language impairments and many others.
- An IEP or a diagnosis. The student has an IEP, or "has received a diagnosis of a disability from a physician who is licensed under chapter 458 or chapter 459, a psychologist who is licensed under chapter 490," or a physician licensed in another state or US territory. Step Up's handbook also lists Florida-licensed physician assistants and autonomous APRNs among the professionals who can document a diagnosis.
Two more rules shape eligibility. The student cannot be enrolled full-time in public school while receiving FES-UA funds. And for K-12 students, Step Up's handbook says families must enroll the student in a private school or file a letter of intent to home educate with their school district. Not doing so can lead to losing the scholarship.
A parent also may not apply for FES-UA and the Florida Tax Credit scholarship (s. 1002.395) for the same child at the same time. If you are new to the program, start with FES-UA explained for autism families.
What documents do I need?
Gather these before you sit down to apply. The list comes from Step Up's 2026-27 family handbook; check the handbook's application checklist for the full details.
- Proof of Florida residency from the primary or secondary guardian, using two different document types. Recurring bills must be dated within two months of submission.
- Proof of age for first-time applicants who are ages 3 to 5 by December 31: a valid birth certificate or non-expired passport.
- Social Security numbers for you and your student.
- Proof of disability, one of these:
- an official, district-provided IEP written within the past three years; or
- a diagnosis documented by one of the licensed professionals Step Up lists.
If your child has an autism diagnosis from a developmental pediatrician, psychologist or other qualifying professional, have the full report or diagnosis letter ready as a PDF or clear photo. If you are unsure whether the person who signed it fits Step Up's list, call Step Up before you upload it rather than waiting for a hold notice.
How do I apply, step by step?
- Create your EMA account. Go to stepupforstudents.org, choose Apply/Login, then the EMA (Education Market Assistant) log-in, and select Sign Up. Use one account for all of your children. Do not create a second account.
- Use the guardian's own contact details. Step Up asks that the phone number, address and email on the account belong to the primary or secondary guardian.
- Start the Unique Abilities application and enter your child's information.
- Upload residency, age and disability documents. Check that every page is readable and dated.
- Submit before November 15, 2026. Save a screenshot or the confirmation email. The statute requires a written or electronic record of the date your application was received.
- Watch your email. If Step Up needs more documents, it puts the application on hold and emails you. Respond the same week. If Step Up finds your child ineligible, the reason appears in your EMA account.
- Accept or decline by December 15, 2026. Once eligibility is confirmed, you must accept the scholarship in EMA by the deadline. You then get a notice that your choice is confirmed.
- For K-12 students, set up enrollment. Enroll in an eligible private school or file a letter of intent to home educate with your district.
Step Up's family support line is (877) 735-7837, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern, and it also offers a contact form and live chat on its website.
What do we give up by taking the scholarship?
This is the question to think through before you accept in December. Under s. 1002.394, "When the student receives a scholarship, the district school board is not obligated to provide the student with a free appropriate public education." A participating student has only the rights of other "unilaterally parentally placed" private-school students. In plain terms, the district no longer has to provide the services in your child's IEP while they use the scholarship.
The statute keeps one right: when a parent asks, the district must still develop an IEP or a matrix of services. A parent of a scholarship student without an IEP can request an IEP and matrix, and the district must complete them within 30 days. The matrix level can raise the award amount. For a full comparison, read FES-UA vs staying in public school.
How much is the scholarship?
Step Up says awards average about $10,000 per student. The amount depends on your county of residence, your child's grade band and the matrix level of services. Students at matrix levels 251 to 253, or with a diagnosis and no IEP, are funded at the base level. Levels 254 and 255 receive the higher Level 4 and Level 5 amounts. Step Up publishes a county-by-county award table for 2026-27; see FES-UA amounts by county for how to read it. Funds go into an account for your child, paid quarterly. The law stops new deposits into a Unique Abilities account whose balance is over $50,000.
Can FES-UA pay for ABA therapy?
Yes, with conditions. The law lists "specialized services by approved providers or by a hospital in this state which are selected by the parent," including "applied behavior analysis services as provided in ss. 627.6686 and 641.31098." An "approved provider" is "a provider approved by the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, a health care practitioner as defined in s. 456.001, or a provider approved by the department pursuant to s. 1002.66."
What that means for you:
- Ask any ABA provider, before you plan around scholarship funds, whether it qualifies as an approved provider under that definition, and confirm with Step Up. How Step Up treats services delivered by RBTs under a BCBA's supervision is something to ask Step Up directly.
- Payment is by direct pay or reimbursement. Step Up's handbook lists ABA with payment by direct pay through EMA or by reimbursement. Direct pay to a provider "may only be approved after the service has been rendered."
- Invoices must be detailed. Invoices or receipts must be on business letterhead and include, among other items, the student's name, dates, type of service, amount, and the provider's name and license number. Invoices that show only billing codes may be delayed.
The guide on using FES-UA for ABA goes through provider approval and invoices in detail.
What if we miss November 15?
Do not panic. The statute says applications received after the deadline "may be considered for scholarship award in the subsequent fiscal year." For 2027-28, the law lets new applications open no earlier than February 1 of the prior school year, so expect the window around February 2027, and check Step Up for the exact date. Step Up has a sign-up page, "Register for 2027-28 Scholarship Updates," that sends notices when applications open.
In the meantime, the scholarship is only one way to pay for ABA. If your family has private insurance or TRICARE, your plan may already cover ABA. Read does insurance cover ABA in Florida to see where your plan fits.
How Hope Center can help right now
We cannot apply for the scholarship for you, and we do not decide eligibility. Here is what we can do:
- A free benefits check to see whether your insurance covers ABA, so scholarship money can go further or toward other needs. We work with Blue Cross Blue Shield (Florida Blue), Aetna, Cigna (Evernorth), UMR, Personify Health and TRICARE East, and offer self-pay with a sliding scale.
- IEP support. Our staff can join IEP meetings where the school allows, which helps if you are weighing the scholarship against keeping school-based services.
- No waitlist. If you decide on ABA, services usually start 3 to 5 business days after your insurer approves the plan.
Book a free consultation or call 561-337-8865. We serve families from centers in West Palm Beach, Temple Terrace (Tampa), Port Charlotte, Jacksonville and Sebring, and in homes, schools and daycares across many nearby areas.