Frequently asked questions

PEP (Personalized Education Program) is a Florida scholarship that helps eligible students fund a personalized education, including approved instructional materials and services—the award people often call the PEP scholarship. FES-UA (Family Empowerment Scholarship — Unique Abilities) supports students with unique abilities or special needs with funding for approved educational options. Step-Up For Students is the nonprofit scholarship funding organization that administers several Florida scholarship programs; many families receive their PEP scholarship or FES-UA award through Step-Up For Students and use its parent portal and marketplace rules. Eligibility and spending rules come from the state and your scholarship administrator—always confirm with Step-Up For Students or your program directly.

Vendor profiles show which programs each business accepts. Families use Florida Education Vendors to find providers who work with the PEP scholarship, FES-UA, and scholarships administered by Step-Up For Students, among other labels our vendors display. Because program names on listings are supplied by vendors, double-check with the business and your Step-Up For Students or program guidelines before you purchase.

Start with your metro or county, then narrow by category. Open a vendor profile and look for scholarship tags (for example PEP scholarship, FES-UA, or Step-Up For Students). If you are unsure whether a service qualifies under your specific Step-Up For Students award, contact the vendor and your scholarship concierge or program handbook before spending PEP scholarship funds.

Yes. Browsing Florida Education Vendors is free for families using the PEP scholarship, FES-UA, Step-Up For Students, or any mix of Florida scholarship programs. We exist to make it easier to discover and compare education businesses that align with homeschool and scholarship-funded learning.

Vendors can submit their business for inclusion. Listings may be added by our team or through vendor submissions. Upgraded plans can offer more visibility—see plans for options. Mentioning Step-Up For Students, FES-UA, and PEP scholarship acceptance clearly on your profile helps families find you faster.

If your business already appears in the directory, sign in and use the claim flow to connect your account to your listing. You will typically verify that you represent the business before you can edit profile details, including which programs you accept (PEP scholarship, FES-UA, Step-Up For Students, etc.).

Yes. After you sign in as a family, you can save vendors from their profile pages and view them anytime on your saved vendors page—handy when you are comparing PEP scholarship tutors or FES-UA therapists. Add notes on each save if you want to remember why you bookmarked them.

PEP refers to the Personalized Education Program—the type of Florida scholarship families often call the PEP scholarship. Step-Up For Students is the organization that funds and administers many Florida scholarships, including PEP for eligible students. Think of PEP as the program name and Step-Up For Students as a primary pathway families use to apply, manage wallets, and find approved vendors. FES-UA is a separate Family Empowerment Scholarship track for unique abilities; it can also run through Step-Up For Students for many families. Your award letter and Step-Up For Students account will list your exact program.

Eligible purchases depend on your specific program and change year to year. For the 2026-27 school year, PEP no longer covers digital devices such as laptops or tablets, while FES-UA still allows them in many cases. Both programs generally cover tutoring, curriculum, testing, and approved enrichment, and FES-UA covers a wider range of therapies than PEP. Always check your current purchasing guide before you buy. See our full spending guide for the details.

Direct Pay means the scholarship funds go straight from your EMA account to an approved vendor, so you do not pay out of pocket. Reimbursement means you pay the vendor yourself first, then submit a request with your receipt to be paid back from your scholarship funds. Which method applies depends on the vendor and the purchase category.

For the 2026-27 school year, PEP does not cover digital devices such as laptops, tablets, or similar technology. FES-UA rules differ and may still allow certain devices depending on your award. Always confirm current eligibility in EMA before you purchase a device.

No. Step Up For Students families manage their PEP or FES-UA scholarship through the EMA (Education Market Assistant) portal and the MyScholarShop marketplace, not ClassWallet. Families whose FES-UA scholarship comes through AAA Scholarship Foundation instead use AAA's own Scholarship Management Platform.

For the 2026-27 school year, purchases must be made between July 1, 2026 and June 30, 2027, and reimbursement requests must be submitted by July 31, 2027. Deadlines are set by your scholarship administrator and can change, so confirm the current date in your EMA account or purchasing guide.