EdChoice Income-Based (Expansion) Scholarship

The Income-Based Scholarship Program (also referred to as EdChoice Expansion), provides income-based scholarships to Ohio Students entering grades K-12. The scholarship is to be used toward tuition at the participating private school of the parents’ choice. The scholarship is renewable through high school graduation.

Who is eligible?

Any student entering grades Kindergarten -12 can apply, unless they are eligible for the traditional EdChoice or Cleveland Scholarship. Eligibility and award amount is based on a family’s adjusted gross income and is available to students in any part of the state.

We can help you determine your eligibility for Ohio’s Scholarship Programs.

2023 Federal Poverty Guidelines (U.S. Dept. HHS)

Number in Family/Household200%450%
2$39,440$88,740
3$49,720$111,870
4$60,000$135,000
5$70,820$158,130
6$80,560$181,260
7$90,840$249,809
For each additional person:add $10,280add $23,130

Note: Students who are eligible for the EdChoice Scholarship Program or the Cleveland Scholarship and Tutoring Program are not eligible for the Income-Based Scholarship Program.

How much is the scholarship worth?

Income-Based Scholarships are worth up to $6,165 for grades K-8 and $8,407 for grades 9-12. Families whose income is at 450% or below are eligible to receive the full scholarship award amount. Families whose income is above 450% will receive a scholarship award that is prorated based on their income.

Private schools are required to accept the scholarship as full tuition for families whose income falls under 200% of federal poverty guidelines.

What private school can my child attend?

Income-Based Scholarships are accepted at any participating, chartered private school.

To see a list of the private schools that accept the Income-Based Scholarship, follow these steps:

Click here to access the dashboard

Click on “Select Program” in the top left-hand corner

Click on “Educational Choice Scholarship Expansion”

* You can narrow your search results by clicking on the “Open Search” blue button and selecting your County of residence in the County field

How do we apply?

Check out the participating private schools – We highly recommend visiting the schools you are interested in before making a decision. Choose the school that is the best fit for your child.

Apply for admission at a private school – Apply to the participating school(s) of your choice. Your child will go through their regular admission process.

Have the private school submit a Scholarship application – Once your child is accepted by the school, the school can submit a scholarship application on your child’s behalf. 

  • Remember, your child must be accepted at a private school and you must return the scholarship request form to that school before the deadline so that the school can apply on their behalf. 

Mail or upload your Income Verification Form – After you give the scholarship request form to your school, you must mail or upload your income verification form and copies of supporting documents to the Ohio Department of Education, you will find the address you must mail the forms to on the back of the income verification form. Be sure to keep a set of copies of everything you submit to ODE for your own records, just in case you need to resend any forms later in the process. 

When do we apply?

The program has a year-round application window, HOWEVER, the priority application window for the Income-Based Scholarship Program opens on February 1 and closes on May 1.

Applications submitted after the priority application period closes will be processed after priority window applicants are awarded and will continue to be processed until all funds have been spent. The scholarship amount awarded after the priority window will be prorated if the student receives a scholarship after the school year begins.

Remember that only the private school can submit a scholarship application on your student’s behalf. Be sure your student is accepted at a private school, submit the scholarship request form to that school, and mail in your income verification form to the department before the deadline.

How many scholarships are available?

The number of scholarships available depends on the funding that is allocated for K-12 education in the state budget. 

Will I have to pay for any costs?

The scholarship can only be used for tuition. 

Parents and guardians are responsible for registration fees, materials fees, uniforms, and other similar types of fees. If a student’s family income is above 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines the family may have to pay the difference in tuition or participate in volunteer service activities instead of a cash payment. 

Parents should check with the private school of their choice to see if they offer volunteer opportunities to offset tuition costs.

How is this scholarship funded?

The Income-Based Scholarship is funded directly by the State of Ohio.

The Ohio Department of Education administers this scholarship program.

For more information on the program from the department, click here.

If you have any questions about this scholarship program,

please call us at 614-223-1743 or 1-800-673-5876 or contact us by email here.

We can help you determine your eligibility for Ohio’s Scholarship Programs.