TL;DR: New Duval families have until November 15, 2026 to apply for the Private School Scholarship or FES-UA, and until December 15 to accept the award in EMA. The Quarter 3 program-switching window closes October 30, two days from today. Here is the order to do things in.
What is the deadline to apply for the Florida scholarship in Duval, and how many days are left?
The deadline is November 15, 2026, which is 18 days from October 28. It applies to new students for the Private School Scholarship and the Unique Abilities Scholarship (FES-UA). Renewing students had their own window of February 1 to April 30, and PEP applicants faced April 30 as well. A Duval child funded in 2026-27 at $8,409, $7,821 or $7,629 depending on grade begins with this application.
What documents does a Duval family need before applying?
Gather proof of the child's age, proof of Florida residency and, only if you want income-based priority, proof of income. Residency needs two different document types from the accepted list, such as a driver's license, utility bill, lease or property tax statement. A child who is 5 or 6 by September 1 needs a birth certificate or unexpired passport. A family that skips the income step is treated as above 400% of the federal poverty level, which affects priority only and never eligibility.
How does a Jacksonville parent actually apply?
- Create a parent account in the EMA platform at apply.stepupforstudents.org.
- Open Available Scholarships on the dashboard and choose the private school scholarship (or Unique Abilities).
- Review the summary, sign electronically and submit. A saved draft can be finished later.
- Confirm the submission under My Recent Applications.
You can submit only one application per program, so a second attempt is unnecessary.
What is the difference between applying, accepting and enrolling, and which dates follow?
They are three separate steps, and missing any one stops the money. Applying opens the file, accepting tells Step Up you want the award, and enrolling means the school submits the child for the quarter and the parent approves it.
| Step | Who does it | 2026-27 date for new students |
|---|---|---|
| Apply | Parent | By Nov 15, 2026 |
| Accept in EMA | Parent | By Dec 15, 2026 |
| Enroll for Quarter 3 | School submits, parent approves | By Dec 15, 2026 |
| Last chance for any 2026-27 funding if not yet enrolled | School and parent | By Jan 15, 2027 |
| Quarter 4 transfer enrollment | School and parent | By Feb 15, 2027 |
A funded family that wants to switch programs for Quarter 3 has from October 2 to October 30, 2026. Quarter 3 money arrives at Step Up on February 1, 2027, and accounts are funded up to two weeks after that.
Who can skip November 15, and what happens to a family that misses it?
Dependents of active-duty military, students in foster or out-of-home care and students who experienced bullying or harassment in public school can apply outside the standard window, with an April 15, 2027 cutoff for the military and bullying groups. Our guide to late-application exceptions explains each route, and military families also have a dedicated guide.
A family without an exception generally waits for the 2027-28 season. Step Up has not yet posted those dates, but 2026-27 applications opened on February 1, 2026. The new-student PEP window closed on April 30, 2026, so PEP is not a late option for this year.
What should a Duval family do in the days before November 15?
Work backwards from the deadline and treat the school conversation as the first task, because the school decides whether it has an opening and whether it takes the scholarship. A sensible order looks like this.
- This week: confirm with each school you like that it participates, that it has a seat in your child's grade and which scholarship organization it works with.
- Next week: gather the age and residency documents and create the parent account in EMA so nothing waits on a password reset.
- By November 8: submit the application, then check My Recent Applications to confirm it was received.
- By December 15: watch your email for the award notice, accept it and make sure the school has submitted your child for the quarter.
Submitting a week early leaves time to fix a rejected document. A family that learns on November 14 that a utility bill does not match the profile address has very little room to recover. Every school in our directory lists the scholarship flags the state shows, but only the school can confirm that a seat is open, so make that call before anything else.
Frequently asked questions
What is the deadline to apply for the Florida scholarship in Duval, and how many days are left?
The deadline for new students is November 15, 2026, which is 18 days after October 28.
What documents does a Duval family need before applying?
Proof of the child's age, two kinds of proof of Florida residency and, for priority only, income documents.
What is the difference between applying, accepting and enrolling, and which dates follow?
Applying opens the file by November 15, accepting in EMA is due by December 15, and enrolling means the school submits the child for the quarter and the parent approves it.
Who can skip November 15, and what happens to a family that misses it?
Active-duty dependents, foster-care students and students who experienced bullying can apply outside the standard window; other families wait for the 2027-28 season.
Related questions
- What are all the 2026-27 deadlines in one list?
- How does the Private School Scholarship work in Duval?
- What does my family qualify for?
Sources
- Step Up For Students: 2026-27 scholarship deadlines and payment schedules
- Step Up For Students: how to apply for the Private School Scholarship
- Step Up For Students: 2026-27 scholarship amounts by district
See what your family qualifies for →
