Private school tuition can look pretty straightforward: find the school, look at the price, decide whether you can afford it.
But the price on the website isn’t necessarily what your family will pay.
Schools offer their own financial aid. Many states have programs that help families pay for private education — scholarship tax credits, ESAs and vouchers among them. And beginning in 2027, the Education Freedom Tax Credit (EFTC), a new federal tax credit will send more money into K–12 scholarships through nonprofit Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs).
Yet many families don’t know these options exist. If you’re considering private school, the tuition number is only the starting point.
How do I get help paying for private school?
The first place to ask about financial aid is the school you’re considering.
Many private schools offer need-based financial aid, with each school setting its own eligibility rules, application process and deadlines. You may be asked to provide information about your household income, assets, and expenses so the school can determine what your family can afford and whether it can offer assistance.
The amount of aid — and who qualifies — varies from school to school. If you’re considering a private school, ask the financial aid office what assistance is available, what you’ll need to provide, and when to apply.
It’s also worth asking about help that doesn’t come through the financial aid process:
- Sibling discounts: Some schools reduce tuition when more than one child from the same family enrolls.
- Payment plans: Instead of paying tuition in two or three large installments, you may be able to spread payments across the school year.
- Tuition insurance: Some schools offer coverage that can protect part of your tuition commitment if you have to withdraw because of certain unexpected circumstances.
State programs can help families afford private school tuition
Beyond the school, many states now offer some form of private school choice program. These fall into three general categories.
Vouchers send state funds directly toward tuition at a participating private school. Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) deposit state funds into an account families can use more flexibly — for tuition, tutoring, or other approved educational expenses. Tax-credit scholarships work differently: donors receive a state tax credit for giving to a scholarship organization, and that organization distributes the money to families. Next year, the federal tax credit – EFTC – begins, expanding choice even further.
Which programs are available, and who qualifies, depends on your state. This breakdown of scholarship tax credits, ESAs and vouchers covers the differences in full.
What’s new for 2027: Education Freedom Tax Credit
There’s another option families will be able to use beginning in 2027: the Education Freedom Tax Credit (EFTC). Most families haven’t heard of it yet. The EFTC expands scholarships for K–12 students. Starting in 2027, eligible donors can claim a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit: up to $1,700 for individuals, or up to $3,400 for married couples filing jointly. This will empower more families across the country to choose schools that work for their children.
Be the First to Know
Get notified when the Education Freedom Tax Credit launches so you don’t miss the opportunity to support K–12 students while benefiting from a federal tax credit.
EFTC: What Is a Scholarship Granting Organization?
A Scholarship Granting Organization, or SGO, is a nonprofit that receives contributions eligible for the Education Freedom Tax Credit and uses them to fund scholarships for eligible K–12 students.
The SGO is the bridge between the donor and the scholarship: you contribute to an SGO, the SGO turns those contributions into scholarships, and eligible families use those scholarships for qualified education expenses in states that have opted in.
AFC Scholarship Fund is an SGO, operating multiple funds that direct EFTC-eligible contributions to different groups of eligible students:
- The American Promise Scholarship Fund — the general fund, directing scholarships to eligible students in any state or school type, with a focus on low-income families.
- The Special Education Scholarship Fund — supports students with disabilities or documented learning differences, covering tuition, therapies, and specialized instruction.
- The American Heroes Scholarship Fund — designed for children of military families.
- The Skilled Trades Scholarship Fund — supports K–12 students pursuing career and technical training, such as electrical, welding, automotive, and construction programs.
- The Catholic Schools Scholarship Fund — supports students at participating Catholic elementary, middle, and high schools.
- The Christian Schools Scholarship Fund — supports students at participating Christian schools across denominations.
- The Jewish Schools Scholarship Fund — supports students at participating Jewish day schools and yeshivas.
Donors can direct a gift to a specific fund, though federal law prohibits earmarking a donation for a specific student. Each SGO makes its own award decisions independently.
The tax credit (up to $1,700 for individuals, or up to $3,400 for married couples filing jointly) goes to the donor. The scholarship goes to the student. It isn’t a loan — it never has to be paid back.
Who qualifies. Eligibility is broader than most existing state programs. This eligibility guide covers the specifics; one recent analysis put the eligible population at 51.7 million students nationwide, a scale no single state program has reached.
The income test. Income matters, but there isn’t one national cutoff. Eligibility is measured against a specific standard. Here’s exactly what counts as household income.
What it covers. EFTC-funded scholarships aren’t limited to tuition. The full list of qualified expenses is here.
When it starts. The credit takes effect January 1, 2027, and only in states that opt in. The full timeline from enactment to launch is here — worth reading now if you’re planning for next school year, not after it starts.
Combining aid. Families may be able to combine more than one source of help. A school’s need-based grant, a state program, and an EFTC-funded scholarship aren’t mutually exclusive — a family could qualify for a partial grant from the school and still be eligible for a scholarship through an SGO, using both to close the gap.
What school choice looks like for real families
- Antoine and Manny’s parents never finished sixth grade. A scholarship helped send both of their sons to college.
- Adonis has been blind since age five. School choice helped him get to Brophy College Preparatory and keep going from there.
- Clay was falling behind at his previous school. At the right one, he became team captain.
- One mother’s instinct led her to a different school for her child — the same instinct more families will be able to act on once EFTC scholarships begin in 2027.
No. FAFSA is for college financial aid. Private K–12 schools use their own aid application, often through a service like FACTS or SSS.
Financial aid is usually a need-based grant from the school itself, adjusted to a family's finances. A scholarship — from a state program or an EFTC-funded SGO — is a defined award that doesn't have to be repaid.
An SGO is an independent nonprofit that collects donor contributions and distributes them as scholarships to families across many schools. A school's financial aid office only manages that one school's own budget for assistance.
See the full timeline, from implementation to application.
Check your family’s eligibility for an EFTC-funded scholarship, or sign up for updates as your state’s participation is confirmed.
