Understanding The South Carolina Education Scholarship Trust Fund (ESTF)

Learn who qualifies, how much students receive, and how families use ESTF funds through ClassWallet.

What Is the South Carolina Education Scholarship Trust Fund

The South Carolina Education Scholarship Trust Fund is a school-choice program that gives eligible students funding to pursue educational options outside their resident public school.

The program is administered by the South Carolina Department of Education, with ClassWallet managing the distribution of scholarship funds to participating families. For 2026–27, eligibility expanded to households earning up to 500% of the federal poverty guidelines.

The ESTF can support students attending:

• Participating private or independent schools
• Charter schools
• Eligible public schools outside the student's resident district or attendance zone
• Other qualifying educational arrangements permitted under ESTF rules

That makes the program broader than a traditional private-school scholarship. SCDE has approved public school districts as Education Service Providers specifically to accept interdistrict transfer students through ESTF.

Who Qualifies for South Carolina ESTF Funding?

For the 2026–27 school year, students must generally:

• Be South Carolina residents
• Be eligible K–12 students who have not graduated or reached age 22
• Have household income at or below 500% of the federal poverty guidelines
• Attend a school other than the public school in their residential school district
• Meet the program's other participation requirements

The school-setting requirement is especially important.

Private School Students

Students attending participating private or independent schools can qualify for ESTF when they meet the program's eligibility rules. Scholarship funds can help cover approved tuition, fees, and other qualifying educational expenses.

Charter School Students

Charter-school students may participate in ESTF. SCDE explicitly states that all charter-school students may enroll in the program, subject to the other eligibility requirements.

Because South Carolina charter schools are public schools, eligibility depends on how the charter school relates to the student's resident district and the program's participation rules. SCDE defines charter schools as public schools operating under an approved chartering sponsor.

Out-of-Zone and Interdistrict Students

Students attending a public school outside their resident district may also be eligible.

This is a significant feature of the South Carolina program. SCDE has approved public school districts as ESTF providers specifically to accept interdistrict transfer students, allowing scholarship funds to support eligible school-choice arrangements beyond private schools.

For families considering an out-of-zone or interdistrict option, eligibility should be confirmed with the ESTF program and receiving school before changing enrollment.

Can Homeschool Students Use the South Carolina ESTF?

No—not if the student is legally homeschooled under South Carolina Options 1, 2, or 3.

SCDE explicitly states that students enrolled under the state's three statutory homeschool options cannot participate in ESTF.

There is an important distinction, however, between learning at home and being legally classified as a homeschool student.

A student enrolled in an online private school whose staff provides the instruction is considered private-school enrolled, not homeschooled. That student may potentially qualify for ESTF if all other program requirements are met. If the parent is providing instruction using an online school's curriculum, SCDE considers that homeschooling and the student would fall under the homeschool rules instead.

How Much South Carolina ESTF Funding Do Students Receive?

For the 2026–27 school year, eligible students receive:

$7,634 per student

The scholarship is tied to the individual participating student and can be used for approved educational expenses through the program.

The 2026–27 application period has closed after South Carolina reached its statutory cap of 15,000 participating students.

What Can Families Purchase With South Carolina ESTF Funds?

Depending on program rules, ESTF funding can cover approved expenses such as:

• Private-school tuition and fees
• Approved online courses
• Tutoring
• Textbooks and workbooks
• Instructional materials
• Educational technology
• Certain educational services
• Test preparation
• Study-skills programs

For college-bound students, that means ESTF funds can potentially support resources beyond core tuition, including SAT®, ACT®, and AP® preparation.

How Do Families Use South Carolina ESTF Funds?

South Carolina uses ClassWallet to manage participating students' scholarship accounts and payments.

Depending on the provider and purchase, families can use approved ClassWallet payment methods to direct ESTF funds toward qualifying educational expenses. For UWorld, the current process uses ClassWallet Direct Pay via invoice:

Choose UWorld resources → Request a UWorld invoice → Log into ClassWallet → Select Pay Vendor → Upload invoice → Select student → Submit for approval

Once approved, ClassWallet pays UWorld directly from the student's available ESTF balance.

Can South Carolina ESTF Funds Be Used for UWorld College Prep?

Yes. UWorld College Prep is an approved South Carolina ESTF provider, giving eligible participating students access to approved SAT®, ACT®, and AP® resources through ClassWallet.

This is especially relevant for:

• Private-school students preparing for college admissions
• Charter-school students seeking supplemental college prep
• Eligible interdistrict or out-of-zone students
• Students using ESTF funding for approved test-preparation resources

Resources include:

1. SAT prep courses
2. ACT prep courses
3. AP courses and AP Exam preparation

What’s included in the curriculum:

• Instructional video lessons
• Exam-style practice questions
• Detailed answer explanations
• Study guides and learning tools
• Practice tests and assessments

UWorld's self-paced learning resources combine instruction, realistic exam-style practice, detailed explanations, assessments, and study tools designed to support independent learning and college readiness.

How to Purchase UWorld With South Carolina ESTF Funds

South Carolina currently uses UWorld's ClassWallet Direct Pay via Invoice process.

1. Choose your UWorld products
   Select the SAT®, ACT®, or AP® educational resources you want to purchase.
2. Request an invoice from UWorld
   Complete UWorld's ESTF invoice request form. Your invoice will be sent to you by email.
3. Log into ClassWallet
   Access your South Carolina ESTF ClassWallet account and select Pay Vendor.
4. Search for UWorld
   Find UWorld among the available education providers.
5. Upload your UWorld invoice
   Upload the PDF or image of the invoice provided by UWorld.
6. Choose the correct student wallet
   Select the ESTF account for the student receiving the educational product.
7. Add the requested purchase details
   Enter the product description, invoice number, or other information requested by ClassWallet.
8. Review and submit for approval
   Check the information and submit the payment request.

Once approved, ClassWallet pays UWorld directly using the available education funding.