Student and Family Benefits

Scholarships funded through the Education Freedom Tax Credit are intended to help eligible families access qualified K–12 education options.

Key features include:

• Scholarships are funded by private contributions, not federal spending
• Awards may be used for qualified elementary and secondary education expenses defined under federal law
• Scholarships may operate alongside existing state or private scholarship programs, subject to applicable rules

Families awarded a scholarship do not claim a tax credit for that scholarship. Scholarships are awarded by approved Scholarship Granting Organizations based on eligibility and available funding.

Student and Family Eligibility

Eligible students are those from households legally allowed to enroll in a public elementary or secondary school and who meet the income qualification based on Area Median Gross Income (AMGI) as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Income qualification:

• Threshold: A student’s household gross income must not exceed 300% of the area of residence median income.
• Calculation Period: Income eligibility is determined using the household’s annual income as stated on their tax return for the calendar year prior to the date of the scholarship application.

Families generally do not have to count scholarships from the Education Freedom Tax Credit program as taxable income on their federal taxes, provided the funds are used for qualified educational expenses. These scholarships are treated as tax-free, similar to other qualified educational assistance.

Apply for an EFTC Scholarship

The opportunity to submit an application goes live on January 1, 2027. On that day, the button above will take you to a custom, secure and dedicated portal through which you may apply.

In the meantime, please feel free to stay informed to keep up to date!

Also Consider Applying for a State Level Scholarship

For interest in applying for a state level scholarship completely separate from the EFTC, please consider one the programs below in which Renew Scholarships is currently operating.