Indiana Choice Scholarship FAQ

1. Who is eligible for the Indiana Choice Scholarship?

To be eligible, students must meet the following requirements:

• Be a resident of Indiana

• Be accepted and enrolled at a participating Choice school in Indiana

• Be between the ages of 5 and 22 no later than Aug. 1 of the current school year

• Meet the income and one of the eight eligibility pathway requirements

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2. What is the income requirement to receive an Indiana Choice Scholarship?

• Qualifying families can earn up to (but not exceed) 300% of the Federal Free or Reduced-Price Lunch Program (FRL). For example, a family of four can earn up to $147,075 in the 2021–22 school year. In Northwest Indiana, nearly 80% of families are financially eligible for the scholarship. 

• A more detailed breakdown of household income limits can be found in Appendix A.

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3. What qualifies as income?

• The total household income may include several types of income including wages earned from work, welfare/child support/alimony, retirement/disability benefits, and more. A complete list of acceptable sources of income can be found in Appendix B. 

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4. What are the pathway requirements to be eligible for the Indiana Choice Scholarship?

Students must also meet the requirements of one of eight possible student eligibility tracks. The tracks are listed below and outlined in more detail in Appendix C.

• Two semesters in a public school track

• “F” public school track

• Special education track

• Pre-K track

• Foster care track

• Sibling track

• Previous Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO) track

• Previous Choice Scholarship student track

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5. Are preschool and kindergarten students eligible to receive an Indiana Choice Scholarship?

• No, preschool and kindergarten students cannot currently receive a Choice Scholarship. However, students who received an Early Education Grant to attend pre-K at an eligible Choice school at which they intend to enroll for kindergarten and are from families that meet the income requirement are eligible to apply for a Choice Scholarship that would kick in in first grade.

• Kindergarten students may also be eligible for a Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO) scholarship, which would result in eligibility for the Choice Scholarship in their first-grade year.

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6. Is the Indiana Choice Scholarship application separate from the school enrollment application process?

• Yes, the applications are technically separate, but the school at which your child is enrolled is responsible for submitting the Choice Scholarship application on behalf of your child. Once you have applied and are accepted to a Choice school, the school will then begin the process of submitting your application for the Choice Scholarship. Only an approved Choice school may submit a Choice Scholarship student application. 

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7. Where can I apply?

• Only approved Choice schools may submit applications. Your application will be submitted by the approved Choice school after you have applied to that school and been accepted through their regular school admissions process. 

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8. When can I apply?

• There are two application periods for the Indiana Choice Scholarship. First period student applications are for the entire upcoming school year. Second period applications are for students enrolling in a Choice school after the period one deadline, for a scholarship to be used for the second half of the school year. The second period award amount is half the amount the student would qualify for in the first period.

• The 2021-2022 Indiana Choice Scholarship student applications may be submitted between November 1, 2021, and January 15, 2022, for the second application period. 

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9. Can I apply for the Indiana Choice Scholarship at multiple schools at once?

• No, a student can only have one Indiana Choice Scholarship application submitted to one school at a time. You may, however, apply for admission to several schools at once. Once you are accepted and enrolled at the school of your choice, you can proceed with the Indiana Choice Scholarship application through that school.

• If an Indiana Choice Scholarship application has already been submitted, and a parent/guardian wishes to apply at a different school, the parent/guardian must withdraw the student’s application at the original Choice school and submit an alternate application at the preferred Choice school.

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10. What should I do before I start my application?

• Before starting your application, make sure you have researched schools in your area to ensure you have found the school that is the right fit for your child and family. Next, check to make sure you meet the eligibility requirements to qualify for the Indiana Choice Scholarship. You can also use the calculator at NWIChoiceScholar.org to see how much your child may qualify for. 

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11. Who receives my application and how is it evaluated?

• The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE), Office of School Finance, reviews Choice Scholarship.