Ohio EdChoice Scholarships Explained: Programs, Eligibility and How to Apply
A parent's guide to Ohio's scholarship programs: EdChoice, EdChoice Expansion, Cleveland, Jon Peterson, Autism and the tax-credit scholarship. Who qualifies, what they pay for and what to verify. Reviewed October 2026.
Last verified: October 11, 2026, using the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce EdChoice Scholarship page and EdChoice program pages. The Ohio page we reviewed was last modified in July 2025, so dates and income rules for the current school year need to be confirmed with the department. This is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice.
Ohio has more private school choice programs than almost any other state. EdChoice, a national nonprofit that tracks these programs, says Ohio has five voucher programs, the highest count of any state, plus a tax-credit scholarship. The word “EdChoice” adds to the confusion, because it is both the name of that national organization and the name of one of Ohio’s own scholarships. When an Ohio parent says “EdChoice,” they usually mean the state program.
This guide separates Ohio’s programs, explains who each one serves and points out what to confirm on the state’s own pages. It belongs to our series on state education funding, which begins with the hub guide, State Education Funding Programs for Parents.
If you are brand new to the idea of homeschooling, our step-by-step guide to starting homeschooling covers the basics that apply in every state.
Quick answer: Ohio’s main programs are vouchers that pay tuition and fees at participating private schools. The Educational Choice Expansion Scholarship is available to K-12 students who do not qualify for the Cleveland Scholarship Program, with amounts that decrease as household income rises. Cleveland, Jon Peterson (IEP-based) and Autism scholarships serve specific groups. A separate tax-credit scholarship runs through donors. The state scholarship funds tuition and fees, so homeschool costs are not part of the program descriptions we reviewed. Verify the current application window with the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce.
Ohio's Programs at a Glance
The table summarizes what EdChoice says about each program, so you can see which one might match your family before diving into details.
| Program | Type | Who it serves (EdChoice summary) |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Choice Expansion Scholarship (EdChoice) | Voucher | K-12 students who do not qualify for the Cleveland Scholarship Program |
| Cleveland Scholarship Program | Voucher | K-12 students living in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District |
| Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship | Voucher | Students ages 5 to 21 with an IEP from their local school district |
| Ohio Autism Scholarship Program | Voucher | Students ages 3 to 21 identified with an autism spectrum disorder or pervasive developmental disorder, with a current IEP |
| Ohio Tax-Credit Scholarship Program | Tax-credit scholarship | K-12 students, with priority to lower-income students, funded through donations to scholarship granting organizations |
The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce also describes a “Traditional” EdChoice Scholarship for students tied to designated public school buildings. Its page lists the traditional categories, such as students enrolled in or assigned to EdChoice public school buildings, foster children and some students placed with a guardian, custodian or kinship care. That page is the place to learn whether your child falls into one of those categories.
The EdChoice Expansion Scholarship
EdChoice’s program page describes the expansion scholarship as available to all K-12 students in Ohio who do not qualify for the Cleveland Scholarship Program. It says participants with household incomes below 450 percent of the federal poverty level receive a full scholarship, with amounts decreasing as income rises, based on a statutory formula. EdChoice lists maximum amounts of $6,166 for kindergarten through eighth grade and $8,408 for grades 9 through 12, and the Ohio department’s page states the same amounts.
EdChoice gives the 450 percent figure as $144,675 for a family of four in 2025-26, and it says participating schools must accept the voucher as complete payment of tuition and fees for any student from a household at or below 200 percent of the poverty level, which it gives as $64,300 for a family of four in 2025-26. Poverty-level figures are updated each year, so use the current figures from the state when you work out where your household falls.
The same page says the program has no enrollment cap and that it is the most popular voucher program in Ohio, with 100,922 participating students in 2024-25. It lists the average account value for that year as $4,958. That average is a statistic about the program, not an estimate of your award.
The funds can pay tuition and fees at a state-approved nonpublic school. That is the key limit. A voucher pays the school. It does not give a parent a flexible account for curriculum, tutoring or homeschool supplies. If your family educates at home, this program is not designed for you. Read our guide to whether homeschoolers can use state education funds for how other states differ.
Which Ohio Program Should You Look at First?
A simple order of questions helps most families. Start with where you live: if your child lives in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, EdChoice says the Cleveland Scholarship is the regional program and its students may not use the statewide EdChoice scholarship. Next, ask whether your child has an IEP. If so, the Jon Peterson Scholarship and, for autism, the Autism Scholarship may apply, and EdChoice says Peterson participants cannot use the other voucher programs at the same time.
If neither of those fits, look at the traditional EdChoice categories on the department’s page and then at the expansion scholarship, which EdChoice describes as open to all K-12 students who do not qualify for Cleveland. Finally, consider the tax-credit scholarship route through a scholarship granting organization, particularly if the school you like participates with one. None of this replaces the department’s own eligibility guidance. It simply gives you an order for reading it, so you do not spend an evening on a program that excludes your child.
Income Verification and Applying
The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce describes an online scholarship income verification system. Parents enter household member information and income details, and upload supporting documents directly into the system, which the department’s Office of Nonpublic Educational Options reviews. The page says that effective July 1, 2025, only federal or state 1040 forms are accepted for income verification, and that the income verification form and a “helpful tips” document were updated.
The page also lists a contact address and phone numbers for the EdChoice program. When we reviewed it, the page was last modified in July 2025 and described an application window for the 2025-26 school year, which it said was open through June 30, 2026. Because that page’s dates appear to be from last year’s cycle, treat the application window for the current school year as unverified and ask the department directly.
In practical terms, an Ohio family applying for a voucher usually works through these steps:
- Learn which Ohio program fits your child, using the department’s eligibility list.
- Choose a participating private school and ask about its tuition, fees and enrollment timeline.
- Gather the income documents the department accepts, which, per its page, must be federal or state 1040 forms.
- Submit the application and the income verification online by the department’s deadline.
- Keep your confirmation and award notices.
Ask the school what it needs from you as well. Private schools have their own enrollment paperwork, and your scholarship application does not replace it.
Cleveland, Jon Peterson and Autism Scholarships
Three Ohio programs are aimed at specific groups. EdChoice describes the Cleveland Scholarship Program as available to all K-12 students living in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Students eligible for this regional program may not use the statewide EdChoice scholarship. EdChoice says participating schools must accept the scholarship as full tuition for kindergarten through eighth grade students from households at or below 200 percent of the poverty level, while high school students or families above the threshold may owe a tuition difference. The page also says parents are responsible for registration fees, materials fees and related expenses.
The Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship is for students ages 5 to 21 who have an IEP from their local school district. EdChoice says there is no income cap, that a student receiving a Peterson voucher cannot take part in any of the other state voucher programs at the same time, and that scholarship values range from $9,585 to $32,445 across six categories, determined by the student’s special needs. Participants who want to renew must take required assessments unless they meet a statutory exemption.
The Ohio Autism Scholarship Program serves students ages 3 to 21 who are identified or diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder or pervasive developmental disorder, are enrolled in or eligible to enter a public school special education system and have a current IEP. EdChoice says the state calculates funding with a program-specific formula and pays the parent or custodian for education services, and that parents are responsible for costs beyond the maximum amount allowed per year. It also says funds may pay for tuition at a special education program that implements the child’s IEP and for other services associated with educating the child.
If your child has an IEP, ask the department which program is available and how the programs interact. EdChoice’s page says Peterson participants cannot be in the other voucher programs at the same time, so choosing the right one matters.
The Ohio Tax-Credit Scholarship Program
Ohio’s tax-credit scholarship works through donors. EdChoice says individuals who support scholarship granting organizations may receive a 100 percent credit, with a cap of $750 for a single taxpayer and $1,500 for a couple filing jointly. The credit is nonrefundable, and corporations cannot participate. Participating scholarship granting organizations must give priority to low-income K-12 students, defined as household incomes below 300 percent of the poverty level, which EdChoice gives as $96,450 for a family of four in 2025-26. EdChoice says funds may be used for tuition and fees at private schools.
For parents, the donor side is background. The family applies to a scholarship granting organization, not to the state, so the application process, dates and amounts depend on the organization. If you are considering this route, ask the school whether it works with any organizations and which ones. Questions about the donor’s credit belong to the Ohio Department of Taxation or a tax professional, not to this guide.
What Ohio's Programs Do Not Cover
Because these programs pay school tuition and fees, they do not behave like an education savings account. EdChoice’s program pages describe tuition and fees at participating private schools for the main programs, with the Peterson and Autism scholarships adding services associated with educating a child with a disability. They do not describe flexible accounts for curriculum, tutors or homeschool supplies.
Families who want that flexibility sometimes look at states with ESAs. Our guide to Arizona’s ESA program shows a very different model, in which parents manage an account within program rules. If you plan to homeschool in Ohio, check the state’s homeschool notification rules with the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, and start with our guide to homeschool laws by state.
Questions to Ask Before You Commit
Some questions prevent surprises:
- Which program does my child qualify for, and does any other program conflict with it?
- What are the current application dates for the school year I want?
- Will my chosen school accept the award as full payment, or will I owe a difference? EdChoice says this depends on income tier and grade level for some programs.
- What income documents does the department accept right now?
- How do renewals work, and are assessments required, as with Peterson renewals?
- What are the school’s fees beyond tuition, and does the scholarship cover them?
Do not sign a long-term enrollment contract until you know your award. Ask the school what happens if the award changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ohio EdChoice the same as the national EdChoice organization?
No. EdChoice is a national nonprofit that tracks school choice programs. Ohio also has a state scholarship called the Educational Choice Scholarship Program, often shortened to EdChoice.
Can homeschoolers use Ohio's scholarships?
The program descriptions we reviewed cover tuition and fees at participating schools, so homeschool costs are not part of them. Confirm with the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce.
What are the Ohio scholarship amounts?
EdChoice lists maximum amounts of $6,166 for kindergarten through eighth grade and $8,408 for grades 9 through 12 for the expansion scholarship, and the Ohio department’s page states the same. Amounts decrease as household income rises above the poverty-level thresholds.
What income documents does Ohio accept?
The department’s page says that effective July 1, 2025, only federal or state 1040 forms are accepted for income verification. Check the current page for any changes.
Do I have to apply every year?
Renewal rules vary by program. EdChoice says Peterson renewals require assessments unless an exemption applies. Ask the department about your program.
When is the application deadline?
The page we reviewed described the 2025-26 window and was last modified July 2025, so we cannot state the current deadline. Verify it with the department. N: Sources (reviewed October 11, 2026): Ohio Department of Education and Workforce EdChoice Scholarship page; EdChoice program pages for the Educational Choice Expansion Scholarship, Cleveland, Jon Peterson, Autism and the tax-credit scholarship. Not legal, tax or financial advice.
