Prior Public School Enrollment
Prior Public School Enrollment
New Students Applying for the 2023 – 2024 School Year
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 ofDefense school full-time in spring semester 2023 |
|
Student meets requirement |
Student attended a NC public school full-time in2021 – 2022 and a direct payment school in2022 – 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 orDepartment 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:
- in foster care, or adopted within the last year
- has a parent on full-time active military duty, or a parent who received an honorable discharge within the last year
- 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.