The Georgia Promise Scholarship Act

Eligible students must live in Georgia, attend or be zoned to attend a “low-performing” school (in the bottom 25% of schools) and have a parent who has lived in Georgia for at least one year. (The latter requirement is waived if the parent is an active duty servicemember.) Students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and meet other criteria such as complying with the Selective Service (if required). The family income must not exceed 400% of the FPL when the child enters the program. Certain criminal convictions disqualify a student, including a felony offense involving marijuana, a controlled substance, or a dangerous drug from conviction until the next academic term. Participants cannot be enrolled in a Department of Juvenile Justice school or in another Georgia school choice program. Eligible students receive $6,500 annually through ESAs, disbursed quarterly. The program is capped at 1% of the prior year’s K–12 state education appropriation (about $141 million in 2025) limiting participation to roughly 21,700 students. The program is set to run through 2035. Priority is given to returning participants and applicants from previous cycles. 

Funding Mechanism: Appropriation 

Universal Eligibility: ❌
Universal Usage: ✅
Universal Funding: ❌
Truly Universal: ❌

(Last updated December 16, 2025)

Families may spend the funds they receive on one or more qualified education expenses, including: tuition, fees, and required textbooks for eligible courses; career, technical, and agricultural education courses at a participating school, an accredited community college, postsecondary school, or nonpublic online program; tutoring from a certified educator; curriculum and required supplemental materials; certain therapies from a physician or licensed therapist, including occupational, behavioral, physical, or speech-language therapies; fee-for-service transportation for travel to or from a participating school or service provider ($500 annual limit); other expenses approved by the State Board of Education or the Georgia education savings authority; and individual education expenses authorized by a majority of the parent review committee. The program may allow for reimbursement or preapproval of some out-of-pocket expenses. Unused funds shall roll over to the following school year, provided they do not exceed 50% of the total deposited for the current school year. If the account has no activity for two years, its balance returns to the state general fund, and the account is closed. A student may make a partial payment of up to $1,000 before the school year starts if it is required to reserve a space in a nonpublic school. The Education Savings Authority, which oversees the program, may deduct up to 5% of the account value to cover oversight and administrative expenses. 

(Last updated December 16, 2025)

View program requirements for parents, schools, and scholarship granting organizations by clicking on each hyperlink.

(Last updated December 16, 2025)

O.C.G.A. §§ 20-2B-1 through 2B-8, 2B-20 through 2B-31

(Last updated September 18, 2025)