How to Apply for the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA)

A step-by-step guide for parents applying for FES-UA scholarships in Florida.

The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Unique Abilities provides parents with access to their child’s education funds, enabling them to choose the learning environment and resources that best suit their child's needs. FES-UA scholarships are available to K-12 students who have an active IEP or official diagnosis that would qualify them for an IEP.

Prenda works with Step Up for Students (SUFS), the scholarship funding organization (SFO) that manages FES-UA funds. This guide will walk you through the application process, funding details, and how to use FES-UA funds for your child’s Prenda microschool experience.

 

In this guide, we’ll walk you through:

• How to apply for the FES-UA scholarship
• Funding timelines, amounts, and distribution
• How to enroll in a Prenda microschool and use your FES-UA funds

Applying for FES-UA funds is a 3 step process:

Step 1: Create an Education Market Assistant (EMA) account

Step 2: Add your students in the EMA portal

Step 3: Apply for the FES-UA scholarship

Step 1: Create an EMA Account 

 

To apply for FES-UA, you'll first need to create an account in the Education Market Assistant (EMA).

🔗 Create your EMA account here

• Click “Sign Up” and follow the prompts to verify your identity and set up security questions.
• The primary guardian should be the account holder.

Step 2: Add Your Student(s) in EMA

 

Before you apply for the FES-UA scholarship, ALL eligible students must be added to your EMA account.

How to add a student:

1️⃣ Click “Add Student” on your EMA dashboard.
2️⃣ Enter your child’s name, birthdate, and other required details.
3️⃣ Repeat this process for each FES-UA eligible child in your household.

💡 Note: The Student FIELD number is optional and will not affect your application processing time.

 

Step 3: Apply for the FES-UA Scholarship

 

Once all students are added, you can submit your FES-UA application.

How to apply:

1️⃣ From the left-hand menu, go to your Dashboard.

2️⃣ Scroll down to “Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA)” and click “Apply”.

 

3️⃣ Select the student(s) you’re applying for by turning on the blue toggle next to their name.

 

4️⃣ Answer the two additional questions for each applicable student.

5️⃣  Enter student details under “Student Information.” 

 

6️⃣ Enter student diagnosis details under and attach relevant documentation.

7️⃣ Guardian Information & Income Verification

• Income verification is optional. Only opt in if your income is below 400% of the federal poverty level, as this may give your application priority processing.
• If opting in, you must upload proof of income (such as tax documents).

 

8️⃣ Proof of Residency: Required for all applicants

• Upload a document that is less than 2 months old
• Must show the guardian’s full name & address

 

9️⃣ In the Household Members section, list everyone residing in your home (other children under 18 included).

 

🔟 Review your application carefully, enter your annual household income, agree to the terms, electronically sign, and click "submit".

📌 What happens next?

• After submission, your application status will show as “Pending” on your dashboard while it’s being processed.
• Processing takes approximately 3-6 weeks.

📽️ Need extra guidance? 

Watch this Step Up For Students video walkthrough:

Funding Timelines, Amounts, and Distribution

FES-UA Scholarship funds are distributed in these windows:

• Quarter 1: August 15 – September 15
• Quarter 2: November 15 – December 1
• Quarter 3: January 15 – February 1
• Quarter 4: April 15 – May 1

How do I access my funds?

• FES-UA funds are managed in EMA, which acts as both a holding account and purchasing portal.
• You’ll use EMA to pay for educational services, including Prenda.

How much funding will my student receive?

• The amount of funding a student receives for the FES-UA scholarship depends on their grade level, county of residence, and the level of special education services they require.
• The 2024-2025 amounts can be found here, but updated figures for 2025-2026 won’t be available until after state budget approvals.

Enrolling a Child in a Prenda Microschool and Using FES-UA Funds

 

Once your FES-UA application is submitted, reach out to your chosen microschool guide and ask them to invite your child to their microschool if you haven’t already. 

 

You must accept an invite in order to be enrolled in their microschool.

 

Note: If you are a parent using Prenda’s single family microschool option to homeschool, you should add your child now in your Prenda World account. 

 

 

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Helpful Resources

✅ FES-UA Application Guide
📖 FES-UA Parent Handbook
🛍️ FES-UA Purchasing Guide
💵 2024-2025 FES-UA Scholarship Award Amounts

 

Got questions? We’re here to help! Contact Prenda Support for assistance.