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Prior Public School Enrollment

Prior Public School Enrollment

New Students Applying for the 2023 – 2024 School Year 

 

Classroom full of students listening to a teacher.

The Opportunity Scholarship is an income-based program for students who have previously attended public school and plan to attend a direct payment school for the 2023 – 2024 school year.

To qualify for the program, a student must have attended a NC public school* or Department of Defense school as a full-time student: 

  • during spring 2023; or 
  • for the 2021 – 2022 school year and attended a direct payment school for 2022 – 2023. 

*North Carolina defines public schools as traditional public schools, magnet schools, and charter schools. Please note: home schools are not public schools and are not eligible to receive funding from the Opportunity Scholarship program.

Does a Student Meet the Prior Public School Requirement? 

If you’re still not sure whether a student meets the prior public school requirement, refer to the chart below:

 

Student attended a NC public school or Department of

Defense school full-time in spring semester 2023

 

Student meets requirement
 

Student attended a NC public school full-time in

2021 – 2022 and a direct payment school in

2022 – 2023 (note: both are required to qualify)

 

 

 

Student meets requirement
 

Student attended a NC public school or Department of Defense school prior to 2021

 

 

Student does not meet requirement
 

Student has never attended a NC public school or

Department of Defense school full-time

 

 

Student does not meet requirement

Student is home-schooled

 

Student does not meet requirement

 

Special Circumstances: Exception to Prior Public School Enrollment

A student who meets one of the special circumstances listed below does not have to meet the prior public school enrollment requirement:

  1. used Opportunity Scholarship funding the previous year
  2. in foster care, or adopted within the last year
  3. has a parent on full-time active military duty, or a parent who received an honorable discharge within the last year
  4. is a rising Kindergarten, 1st, or 2nd grade student

Students who meet one of these criteria may be eligible for the scholarship provided they meet other program eligibility requirements.

 

 


What is a Public School?

North Carolina defines public schools as traditional public schools, magnet schools, and charter schools. Please note: home schools are not public schools and are not eligible to receive funding from the Opportunity Scholarship program.