South Carolina Education Scholarship Trust Fund (ESTF) Guide 2026–2027

Eligibility

For 2026–2027, the student must be a South Carolina resident, meet the program's enrollment conditions, and live in a household with income at or below 500% of the federal poverty level.

What the money can be used for

• Tuition
• Tutoring
• Curriculum
• Therapies

See our full eligible-expenses guide for the gray areas (technology caps, transportation, religious instruction, family-member compensation).

How to apply

1. Confirm eligibility. For 2026–2027, the student must be a South Carolina resident, meet the program's enrollment conditions, and live in a household with income at or below 500% of the federal poverty level.
2. Gather documents. Use the current official checklist from SC Department of Education for the exact proof of residency, guardianship, enrollment, income, or other documentation that applies to your eligibility category.
3. Open the application. The current application window: Closed for 2026–2027.
4. Follow the official calendar. Deadlines, priority rules, and funding availability vary by program and year — confirm the current calendar with the administrator before relying on it.
5. Find approved providers. Start with the official South Carolina provider information or spending platform. Our provider directory is an editorial resource and is not a state-approved list.

Curriculum & provider considerations

Start with the official South Carolina provider information, spending platform, or payment rules. Our provider directory is an editorial resource and is not a state-approved list.

Curriculum and provider approval is state-specific. Before purchasing, check the official program rules for South Carolina. Some states require provider-level, product-level, service-level, or course-level approval, and marketplace availability or a successful payment does not by itself establish that an expense is allowable.

Editorial notes

South Carolina’s program was enacted in 2023. Award amounts and eligibility thresholds are reviewed each legislative session; we re-verify each state page on a rolling cadence and date-stamp the last review. See our methodology page for details. The final word on eligibility, deadlines, and approved providers is always the state administrator — verify with the SC Department of Education before spending.