North Carolina

How it works

ESA+ gives families of students with disabilities an account for tuition and for educational and therapeutic expenses such as tutoring, speech therapy and educational technology. It is run by the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority and can be used at a private school, in a home school, or alongside part-time public school enrolment.

Programme

Personal Education Student Accounts (ESA+)

Administered by

North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA)

Amount

$9,000 a year, or up to $17,000 for students whose IEP lists autism, hearing impairment, deafness or deaf-blindness, a moderate or severe intellectual disability, an orthopedic impairment or a visual impairment

For homeschoolers

Only some homeschooled students

Who qualifies

Students with a disability who are eligible to attend a North Carolina public school, kindergarten to grade 12. Prior public school attendance is not required, but you must have an Eligibility Determination from a North Carolina public school IEP dated 2023 or later. You cannot apply without it. North Carolina has no scholarship account for homeschoolers without a disability. The Opportunity Scholarship pays private school tuition only.

How to apply

1. Confirm your child is eligible for this year — see "Who qualifies" above.
2. Check this year's window. The 2026-27 new-student window ran 2 February to 2 March 2026 and is closed. Awards were made by lottery from April until the money ran out, with a waitlist after that. Expect the 2027-28 window to open in early February 2027. Dates move every year, so confirm on the official page before you plan around them.
3. Create a parent account on the official portal and start the application.
4. Have your documents ready. Most programmes want proof of residency, the child's birth certificate, and an IEP or eligibility determination if the programme is disability-based.
5. Once you're approved, spend it. Instructional materials and educational technology are approved expenses. Check the NCSEAA allowable-expense list before you order.

Official programme page: ncseaa.edu. Amounts, deadlines and eligibility are set by the state and change every year — always confirm there before you plan around them.

Sources

Checked 18 September 2026 against these sources:

• ncseaa.edu
• k12.ncseaa.edu/…/esaplus-new-student-application-prep_january-2026…
• k12.ncseaa.edu/the-education-student-accounts/how-to-apply