When do ESA and scholarship funds deposit? Schedules by state
Short answer for 2026–27
Deposit schedules differ by program. For 2026–27, Alabama CHOOSE Act education savings account funds are deposited beginning July 1, North Carolina's Education Student Accounts (ESA+) receive two deposits a year, and most of the other programs on this page deposit four times a year. New Hampshire's four releases are not equal shares, and South Carolina has not yet published its later 2026–27 dates. Each state below links to its official program page and the source for its schedule. Verified against official sources on 2026-10-15.
Verified against the source on October 15, 2026.
Verified against Official program sources listed below, version 2026-10-15
- Source checked
- Published
- Updated
Deposit schedules by state
Each row shows the program, its deposit schedule and the source for it. Where an official source has not published the dates, the row says so.
| Program | Deposit schedule and source | Confirmation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | CHOOSE Act education savings account | Deposited beginning July 1 (Funds must be used between July 1, 2026 and June 30, 2027; unused funds return to the CHOOSE Act Fund.)[source] Checked | Stated in the official timeline |
| Arizona | Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Account | Quarterly funding dates: July 15–31, October 15–31, January 15–31, April 15–30 (From the 2025–26 Parent Handbook, the current edition. No 2026–27 edition was published as of October 8, 2026. ADE requests quarterly funds between the 15th and the 30th of the month each quarter; funds take 5–7 business days after the request to reach the account, so actual deposit dates vary (ADE ESA Support, "Funding").)[source] Checked | Confirmed in the 2025–26 Parent Handbook (same windows as the 2023–24 draft); ADE's ESA Support page adds that funds are requested between the 15th and the 30th and take 5–7 business days after the request to reach the account. No separate 2026–27 handbook published as of 2026-10-15. |
| Arkansas | Education Freedom Account | August 2026, October 2026, February 2027, April 2027 (Months only. ADE: 'Dates are subject to slight change each year. Always refer to ADE communications for the exact deadlines and schedule.' Parents must accept the ClassWallet affidavit before funds are visible.)[source] Checked Non-Succeed students: $7,208 a year ($1,802 a quarter) (Net amount to the student after transaction fees.)[source] Checked Succeed students: $8,011 a year ($2,002.75 a quarter) (Net amount to the student after transaction fees.)[source] Checked | Quarterly months are stated in the 2026–27 Family Handbook; ADE says exact dates can shift slightly and are announced in ADE communications. 2026–27 amounts are stated in the EFA FAQs (updated October 1, 2026). |
| Florida | Personalized Education Program; Family Empowerment Scholarship for Unique Abilities | Step Up For Students funding dates Personalized Education Program Renewal students: August 1, 2026, November 1, 2026, February 1, 2027, April 1, 2027 (It may take two weeks after each date for the funds to be deposited.)[source] Checked New students: September 1, 2026, November 1, 2026, February 1, 2027, April 1, 2027 (It may take two weeks after each date for the funds to be deposited.)[source] Checked PEP families must also complete an attestation in EMA before each quarterly distribution: by November 15, February 15 and April 15. Attestation in EMA by November 15, February 15 and April 15 (Table rows "Quarter 2 | November 15", "Quarter 3 | February 15", "Quarter 4 | April 15". Quarter 1 has passed. Applies to Step Up For Students PEP families.)[source] Checked Unique Abilities Renewal students: August 1, 2026, November 1, 2026, February 1, 2027, April 1, 2027 (Once Step Up For Students receives the funds from the state of Florida, it can take up to two weeks to place them in your child's account.)[source] Checked New students: September 1, 2026, November 1, 2026, February 1, 2027, April 1, 2027 (Once Step Up For Students receives the funds from the state of Florida, it can take up to two weeks to place them in your child's account.)[source] Checked | Stated on the official Fund pages |
| New Hampshire | Education Freedom Account | Four releases a year, in mid-September (20%), mid-November (20%), mid-January (30%) and mid-April (30%) (Funds become available approximately two weeks after each State release.)[source] Checked | Stated in the August 2026 Parent Handbook |
| North Carolina | Education Student Accounts (ESA+) | Two deposits a year; for home-school families, fall funds in August and spring funds in January (Timing and method differ for students at direct-payment and reimbursement schools.)[source] Checked | Stated on the official page |
| South Carolina | Education Scholarship Trust Fund | Quarterly payments of $1,908.50, beginning late July 2026 (Later 2026–27 payment months are not published in the ESTF FAQ.)[source] Checked Last year's schedule (2025–26), for reference only; not the 2026–27 dates: Quarterly disbursements of $1,875 in July, September, December and February (Last year's schedule; it does not set the 2026–27 dates.)[source] Checked | Not published by the program First 2026–27 payment beginning late July 2026; later months not published in the ESTF FAQ. |
| West Virginia | Hope Scholarship | Hope Scholarship funds in West Virginia are paid quarterly from 2026–27, changed from twice a year. The State Treasurer announced on August 6, 2026 that the first payment would be distributed on August 13, two days ahead of schedule. Funds are placed in accounts by no later than August 15, October 15, January 15 and April 15 each year.[source] Checked | Quarterly deadlines stated on HopeScholarshipWV.gov; the first 2026–27 payment date was announced by the State Treasurer. |
| Wyoming | Education Savings Account (Steamboat Legacy Scholarship) | By September 1 (2026–27); $1,750 rollover; quarterly windows Early Sep/Nov/Feb/May (The September timing applies to 2026–27 only, because of the timing of a court decision. Purchases made prior to September 1 are not eligible for reimbursement.)[source] Checked | Start date and rollover confirmed in WDE bulletins; quarterly windows listed on the WDE ESA page. |
How this table is compiled: sources and methodology.
How the schedules differ
Alabama deposits funds from the start of the school year, on the date in the table, and the funds must be spent within that year. North Carolina deposits twice a year, once for the fall and once for the spring. Most of the other programs deposit four times a year. In New Hampshire the four releases are not equal shares: the last two are larger than the first two. South Carolina has not published later 2026–27 months beyond late July. Arkansas has published the four months. West Virginia and Wyoming have published their later payment windows.
What to do if your deposit is late
Frequently asked questions
Why does Florida list more than one schedule?
In the Personalized Education Program and the Unique Abilities scholarship, new and renewal students start on different dates; the later dates are the same for everyone. The dates are when Step Up receives the funds, and deposits can take up to two weeks after them.
Does the Wyoming timing apply every year?
No. The later start applies to 2026–27 only, because of the timing of a court decision.
What should I do if a deposit has not arrived?
Check the schedule for your program in the table above, including any processing time after the stated date. Confirm in your account that your application or renewal is complete, look for messages asking for documents, and contact the administrator named on your program's official page.
Sources
- CHOOSE Act Timeline 2026–2027 (Alabama Department of Revenue)
- ADE ESA Parent Handbook, School Year 2025-2026 (Arizona Department of Education)
- ADE ESA Support (Arizona Department of Education)
- Arkansas DESE: Education Freedom Accounts
- 2026-27 AR EFA Family Handbook (Arkansas DESE)
- Arkansas EFA FAQs (Updated 10/1/26)
- Step Up For Students: Personalized Education Program, Fund
- Step Up: UA Fund
- CSF NH Parent Handbook, August 2026
- NCSEAA: Home Schooling with ESA+
- SC Department of Education: ESTF FAQ (PDF)
- WV Treasury press release, August 6, 2026
- WV Treasury press release, February 26, 2026
- Hope Scholarship (HopeScholarshipWV.gov)
- WDE bulletin, launch timeline
- WDE bulletin, delay
- Wyoming Department of Education: Education Savings Accounts