Stay Informed: Important Updates for Families on our Scholarship Waitlist

waitlist faqs

Why did I move down on the waitlist?

Why did I move up on the waitlist?

I am in priority category 1. Why has my waitlist
number gone up?

The waitlist number for an application in priority category 1 may increase as a result of the following scenario:

An Application ahead of them has multiple children on their application, one of which was determined ineligible. Parent appeals, and student is determined eligible. Our system places all students from the same household together. Therefore, that reinstated student would take a waitlist number alongside their siblings, and potentially ahead of other Tier 1 families.

For confidentiality reasons, we do not provide specific details on the reason for the change in waitlist numbers.

Important: Next Steps

Whether you’ve been awarded or waitlisted, find out what do to next.

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UFA is dedicated to building a provider list and marketplace that meets your student’s unique needs. Help us grow with you by referring your favorite schools and providers!

Refer a Provider

Don’t worry if you missed the application window this year. We’ve got you covered! Stay up to date on the UFA Scholarship Program by reviewing the Family Handbook and be prepared for the 2025-26 school year.

Family Handbook

applicants Came from all over utah

All 2024/2025 scholarship applicants in Utah are represented. 15,914 households applied, while 27,270 individual student applications were received for the 2024/2025 academic year.

What is a qualified provider?

Provider applications are available throughout the year. Discover additional details regarding provider eligibility and participation requirements for the Utah Fits All Scholarship Program.

Learn more

For Families

Make a referral

Don’t see your preferred school or provider on our Approved Provider List? Click the link below to refer the provider to the Utah Fits All Customer Support Team!

Refer a provider

Find a provider

Utah Fits All offers scholarship families a list of qualified providers from all over Utah and virtually from other locations.

See provider list

Appeal a decision

A scholarship student or a scholarship student’s parent may appeal any administrative decision of the UFA program manager for resolution.

How to use your scholarship funding

The Utah Fits All Scholarship Program provides $8,000 per eligible student for the 2024-25 school year. Parents are given the choice and flexibility to spend scholarship funds in the best interests of their student(s).

Private school tuition and fees

Transportation

Educational software and hardware

Tutoring

Physical, occupational, and speech therapy

After school programs

Internet is an approved expense!

Families can now add basic internet as an approved expense for scholarship students.

Ask questions about UFA allowable expenses!

Answers will be discussed at UFA’s monthly Lunch & Learn and webinar sessions.

Make an expense inquiry

Ask questions about UFA allowable expenses!

Answers will be discussed at UFA’s monthly Lunch & Learn and webinar sessions.

Make an expense inquiry

Eligibility Requirements

While applications will be prioritized and awarded based on income and previous participation, the program is available to any student who meets the eligibility requirements.

Utah residents in grades K – 12

Not enrolled in or attending a public school for the 2024-2025 school year

Not receiving the Carson Smith Opportunity Scholarship

Family Handbook

Manual para Familias

Enrollment Preference Categories

The law gives an order preference to eligible students for scholarship awards (Utah Code 53F-6-402). For the 2024-2025 school year, there are three levels of preference:

Students whose family income is at the 200% Federal Poverty Level or less will be awarded scholarships first.

Next, are students whose family’s income is between 200-555%.

Last, it is open to all Utah K-12 students regardless of family income.

*Add $10,760 for the 200% FPL for each person in household over 8 persons
**Add $29,859 for the 555% FPL for each person in household over 8 persons
SOURCE: medicaidplanningassistance.org/federal-poverty-guidelines/

Watch our Lunch & Learn Webinar

The Utah Fits All Lunch & Learn webinar is a great resource for answers to a variety of questions about the Utah Fits All program.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Utah Fits All (UFA) Scholarship Program?

Who is administering the program?

The Utah Fits All Scholarship Program is administered by ACE Scholarships, a non-profit organization founded in 2000 to provide K-12 students from lower income families with scholarship funds to attend private schools. ACE is proud to have been serving Utah families since 2022 by partnering with 26 private schools and administering more than 160 scholarships totaling over $500,000. ACE Scholarships is contracted with the Utah State Board of Education for the administration of the Program.

How do I know if my child is eligible?

A student who is a resident of Utah, including a child of a military service member, as defined in Section 53B-8-102; eligible to participate in K-12 (at least 5 years old and no more than 18 years old on or before September 1 of the year in which you are applying),does not receive the Carson Smith Opportunity Scholarship; is not enrolled in an LEA or in the Statewide Online Education Program (SOEP) upon receiving the scholarship.

How are applications placed in an order of preference?

For 2024-2025 school year there are three levels of preference:

Students whose family income is at the 200% Federal Poverty Level or less will be awarded scholarships first.
Next, are students whose family’s income is between 200-555%.
Last, it is open to all Utah K-12 students regardless of family income.

Will the application process be different if my child requires special education and has an IEP or Service Plan?

Can my child be enrolled in a public school while participating in the program?

A child may not be enrolled in a public district school or public charter school. However, the child may be enrolled in the public school at the time of application. If awarded, the child must be disenrolled prior to the start of the school year in which they plan to use the scholarship funds. Any public school that wishes to participate will apply as an eligible school, describing the services, courses, and programs they plan to offer the scholarship student. Once the public school is approved and onboarded with the Utah Fits All Scholarship Program, families may use their scholarship funds to pay for services provided by the school.

How much is the award amount, and is it the same amount for every child?

How and when will money be disbursed to families?

Funds will be disbursed in early August 2024. A separate digital wallet will be established for each scholarship student. Parents can expect a single sign on using the ACE Access Portal, where their digital wallet dashboard will inform them of their student’s account balance and any outstanding invoices. The digital wallet is where parents will upload invoices, initiate payments to approved vendors, request reimbursements and shop the digital marketplace for goods and services using their student’s funds.

Though awarded students will receive the funds in their account in August, we encourage families (even those who are waitlisted) to save receipts for all education related expenses. Awarded scholarship students may submit for reimbursement for any time sensitive purchases prior to fund disbursement. Waitlisted students are also encouraged to keep track of receipts in the event they are awarded, they are able to upload receipts for reimbursement from July 1 until award date.

What happens if I use my child’s funds before the end of the year?

What may scholarship funds be used for?

A scholarship expense is an expense that a parent or scholarship student incurs in the education of the scholarship student for a service or goods that a qualifying provider provides. The following list describes the approved expense categories. Families are encouraged to reach out to an ACE customer service representative if they have questions about individual purchases.

tuition and fees of a qualifying provider
fees and instructional materials at a technical college
tutoring services
fees for after-school or summer education programs
textbooks, curricula, or other instructional materials, including any supplemental materials or associated online instruction that a curriculum or a qualifying provider recommends
educational software and applications
supplies or other equipment related to a scholarship student’s educational needs
computer hardware or other technological devices that are intended primarily for a scholarship student’s educational needs
fees for the following examinations, or for a preparation course for the following examinations, that the program manager approves: a national norm-referenced or standardized assessment, an advanced placement examination, or another similar assessment, a state-recognized industry certification examination, an examination related to college or university admission
educational services for students with disabilities from a licensed or accredited practitioner or provider, including occupational, behavioral, physical, audiology, or speech-language therapies
contracted services that the program manager approves and that an LEA provides, including individual classes, after-school tutoring services, transportation, or fees or costs associated with participation in extracurricular activities
ride fees or fares for a fee-for-service transportation provider to transport the scholarship student to and from a qualifying provider, not to exceed $750 in a given school year
expenses related to extracurricular activities, field trips, educational supplements, and other educational experience
Please keep in mind that this list is not inclusive of all allowable categories and expenses, and will include any other expense for a good or service that a parent or scholarship student incurs in the education of the scholarship student and the program manager approves. Details about a pre-approval process, where families may confirm the qualification of any scholarship expenses prior to purchase, are forthcoming

Examples of approved expenses can be found in the UFA Family Handbook on our website.

What if I would like to use a school or service provider, but I don’t see their name on the list of approved providers?

There a few options that parents have. A parent can seek pre-approval for the expense, or make the purchase with their own funds, then submit a receipt of purchase and request reimbursement. We also encourage families to refer schools and providers they are engaged, or would like to be engaged with, by using a link forthcoming on our website. By providing us some basic information, we can contact the provider you recommend, inform them of the program and encourage them to apply to become a qualifying provider. Information on the process of requesting pre-approval and requesting reimbursement will be on our website.

Does my child need to take the state test?

No, it is not a requirement of the Utah Fits All Program that a student take a standardized test. In order to maintain eligibility in UFA each year, a student may complete and deliver to ACE Scholarships a portfolio describing the scholarship student’s educational opportunities and achievements for the given year.

If a student attends a private school where they are already administered a norm referenced test, the family may submit proof that their student was administered the test, and the requirement is fulfilled.

If a student does not attend a school where they are administered an examination, parents may request that one of the following assessments be administered to their child, fulfilling the requirement in lieu of the portfolio. Optional assessments include a standards assessment, a high school assessment, a college readiness assessment, an assessment of students in grade 3 to measure reading grade level or a nationally norm references assessment. By completing any one of these assessments the requirement would be fulfilled, and the portfolio would be waived.

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Stay Informed: Important Updates for Families on our Scholarship Waitlist

waitlist faqs

Important: Next Steps

Subscribe

applicants Came from all over utah

What is a qualified provider?

For Families

Make a referral

Find a provider

Appeal a decision

Looking to appeal a decision?

How to use your scholarship funding

Internet is an approved expense!

Ask questions about UFA allowable expenses!

Ask questions about UFA allowable expenses!

Eligibility Requirements

Enrollment Preference Categories

Watch our Lunch & Learn Webinar

Don’t miss a thing!

Subscribe

Frequently Asked Questions

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