South Carolina ESA and scholarship programs
Education savings account and scholarship programs in South Carolina: who runs them, the key figures for this school year, the next dates, recent changes and step-by-step guides.
Programs
Education Scholarship Trust Fund
- Short name
- ESTF
- Administrator
- South Carolina Department of Education
- Payment platform
- ClassWallet
- Applications
- waitlist
Key facts
| Value and source | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Education Scholarship Trust Fund | amount | 2026–27 | $7,634 a year ($1,908.50 a quarter) (Household income at or below 500% of the federal poverty guidelines; the student cannot attend their resident (zoned) public school or homeschool under Option 1, 2 or 3.)[source] Checked |
| Education Scholarship Trust Fund | payment rule | 2026–27 | $1,908.50 on or before July 31, September 30, December 31 and February 28 (Funds become usable only after the ESTF Affidavit is accepted in ClassWallet. The first deposit was not visible until July 31, 2026. Before each deposit, the department checks that the student is not enrolled full-time in the resident school.)[source] Checked |
| Education Scholarship Trust Fund | Rollover | 2026–27 | Rollover for renewing, eligible students; no cap stated (The student must reapply (renew) and continue to meet eligibility. Renewal families may use rollover funds for eligible summer expenses.)[source] Checked |
| Education Scholarship Trust Fund | 2027–28 renewal opens | 2027–28 | Opens November 1, 2026 (The 2027–28 closing date is not published. The program has a 15,000-student cap. Rollover depends on renewing.)[source] Checked |
| Education Scholarship Trust Fund | Earliest service date, new families | 2026–27 | Only services provided after July 1, 2026 count for new families (Renewal families may use rollover funds for eligible summer expenses.)[source] Checked |
| Education Scholarship Trust Fund | ClassWallet affidavit | 2026–27 | Affidavit required before funds can be used (The affidavit link appears in the Balance tile once the account is funded.)[source] Checked |
| Education Scholarship Trust Fund | Technology limits | 2026–27 | Computers and tablets $1,000 each (one every two academic years); headphones $100 a year (Must be used primarily for the student's educational needs and approved by the department or a licensed physician. Computers identified as 'gaming' and 3D printers are not approved.)[source] Checked |
| Education Scholarship Trust Fund | Annual testing | 2026–27 | Required for grades 3–11; due date not published (Grades 3–12 may take SCReady/SC PASS, a nationally norm-referenced test or an approved formative assessment given three times a year. Grades 9–12 may take the ACT, SAT or PSAT instead. A student whose IEP exempts them from testing submits the IEP. The due date is not published.)[source] Checked |
| Education Scholarship Trust Fund | payment rule | 2025–26 | 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 |
How this table is compiled: sources and methodology.
Next dates
- November 1, 2026 — Education Scholarship Trust Fund: Early renewal window for 2027–28 opens (returning students and their siblings) (Window opens)
Recent changes
No changes recorded yet.
Guides by task
Apply
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Qualify
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Renew
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Fix a problem
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