Please note that applications for the Education Scholarship Trust Fund (ESTF) for 2027-2028 will be processed in three (3) windows:
Window 1 (November 1, 2026): Returning Awarded Students and Their Siblings
Window 2 (January 15, 2027): Priority Students meeting certain criteria
Window 3 (February 16, 2027): All Eligible Students
It is important to note that the ESTF Application Window for Returning ESTF Students and Their Siblings opens on November 1, 2026, at 8 AM. Families with returning ESTF students MUST renew their application each year. For more information, please see: SC ESTF Program.
NOTE: If you plan to request a scholarship or tuition assistance, you MUST apply for the ESTF grant during the appropriate window. Proof of your application will be required when applying for scholarships and/or tuition assistance. Scholarships and/or tuition assistance will not be awarded to families that have not applied for the ESTF grant on time.
NOTE: If you plan to request the parish discount, proof of registration, Mass attendance, and support will be required from your home parish.
WHAT’S CHANGING: Effective October 15, 2026, every ESTF applicant must submit a federal Form 1040 tax return to verify household income. Last year, some families qualified without filing a tax return. Those families will now need to file one to keep their student’s scholarship. A federal tax return is the only document that gives them a full, consistent picture of household income. Pay stubs, W-2s, and employer letters show only part of a family’s income and are harder to verify. To maintain program integrity, every applicant must provide the same type of document. There are no exceptions to this requirement.
Additionally, please note the addition of a new required document: age verification. This document is needed to confirm the student's date of birth, as we had many problems last year with typos in student birthdates. Acceptable documents include a birth certificate, passport, student driver’s license or state ID, or adoption decree/paperwork.
KEY DATES FOR ESTF APPLICATIONS
8:00 AM November 1, 2026. The returning applicant window opens. Families can apply at this time for any returning ESTF student and add any of their siblings. They will receive the application link via email and a popup in ClassWallet. This window only applies to students who are awarded the scholarship, not students who are on the waitlist. Note that November 1, 2026, is a Sunday, so SCDE and FACTS customer service will not be available until Monday morning.
Families without a tax return should still submit their application and all other required documents right away, without waiting for their tax return to be completed.
8:00 AM January 15, 2027. Applications open for new ESTF applicants who fall into at least one of the following categories: household income at or below 300% FPL, parent or guardian is active-duty military, or the student attended public school during the 2026-27 school year.
As soon as the IRS opens tax season, families who don’t have a 2025 tax return should file their federal Form 1040 and upload a copy to their application.
8:00 AM February 16, 2027. The general application window opens, for all eligible families with income up to 500% FPL. For returning students who qualified for ESTF without filing taxes in 2026-27, their scholarship spot will be held for them until the general application window opens at 8:00 AM February 16.
If a family gets their taxes completed in January or early February and uploads their Form 1040 to FACTS before February 16, the student’s returning priority spots are kept (assuming the rest of their application is complete).
However, if returning families do not complete their application and upload a Form 1040, their student will lose their priority spot, and their student may not receive a scholarship for 2027–28. Families who file later should still upload their Form 1040 as soon as possible so their student can be placed on the waitlist. For a returning student, starting the application in November will help the family get a good placement on the waitlist.
All returning ESTF families - Please complete your applications as soon as the window opens on November 1. This includes families that need to wait until January to file their 1040.
Reminder - If you did not use a 1040 to qualify last year, you need to file your taxes as soon as possible in January and upload your completed 2026 Form 1040 to your FACTS application well before February 16.
If someone in your household lives on someone else’s income, such as a spouse, partner or grandparent, you may need to add that person as a co-applicant and submit their 1040.
For Spanish-language support with ESTF - You can call the SCDE’s ESTF program office at 803-734-0009 to speak with our customer support specialist Anna.
FREE TAX HELP FOR FAMILIES
IRS Free File (free online filing for eligible households): https://www.irs.gov/freefile
IRS VITA and TCE free in-person tax help: https://irs.treasury.gov/freetaxprep/ or 1-800-906-9887
SC Thrive (free online federal and state filing, help in English and Spanish): https://scthrive.org/for-you/filetaxes/ or 800-726-8774
SC 211 (connects families to local free tax clinics): dial 2-1-1, text 211211, or visit https://www.sc211.org
AARP Foundation Tax-Aide (free in-person help for all ages, no income limit): https://www.aarp.org/taxaide or 888-227-7669
For families without a Social Security number, information on getting an ITIN (Form W-7): https://www.irs.gov/individuals/individual-taxpayer-identification-number
These resources are shared as a public service. The South Carolina Department of Education does not endorse or guarantee the services of any outside organization listed. Please contact each provider directly about eligibility and services.
Thank you for applying for the ESTF grant at the appropriate time and for following the guidelines above.