Tuition Assistance

We desire to make Christian education available to all families who passionately desire their children to enroll at First Presbyterian Academy. We are committed to making every effort to ensure that finances do not prevent families from enrolling in FPA. Below are some of the opportunities available to our families.

Education Scholarship Trust Fund

The Educational Scholarship Trust Fund (ESTF) is a program administered by the South Carolina Department of Education that allows qualifying South Carolina families to apply for a scholarship of $7,500 per student, for the 2026-2027 school year. To qualify for this scholarship, families must meet the following criteria:

Be a resident of South Carolina,
Be a kindergarten through 12th grade student who has not graduated or reached the age of 22,
Have a household income that does not exceed 500% of the federal poverty guidelines, and
Not attend their resident public school for the year in which the scholarship is received

There are a limited number of scholarships available, so be sure to apply as soon as your respective application window opens. Applications open based on priority groups as follows:

November 1, 2025 – Current ESTF recipients can renew for the 2026–27 school year, including siblings who are not currently receiving ESTF funds
January 15, 2026 – Children of active-duty military, families whose household income is at or below 300% of the federal poverty line, or if the student attended public school during the previous school year
February 9, 2026 – All eligible applicants

To learn more about the ESTF scholarship and apply, please visit scschoolchoice.com.

www.scschoolchoice.com

Note: The ESTF application is managed via FACTS Management. Please create a separate FACTS account for ESTF purposes. You cannot use your FPA FACTS account for the ESTF application.

Educational Credit for Exceptional Needs Children

The Educational Credit for Exceptional Needs Children (ECENC) program is available to students with exceptional needs. Scholarships can cover tuition, transportation, and textbook costs, up to $11,000. Payments are made by Exceptional SC directly to eligible schools. To be eligible for this scholarship, students must meet the following criteria:

Be a resident of South Carolina
Be eligible to enroll in a secondary or elementary public school for the applicable year, and
Have either the Independent Medical Professional Form or Exceptional SC Educator Eligibility Form (both forms are provided on the program’s website)

Applications are open every June – September to apply for the following school year.

For more information about the ECENC scholarship and to apply, please visit exceptionalsc.org.

www.exceptionalsc.org

Note: Families cannot be funded by the Exceptional SC and Education Scholarship Trust Fund Program for the same school year.

Tuition Assistance awarded by First Presbyterian Academy

In addition to the opportunities above, First Presbyterian Academy encourages families with students in grades K5-12th to apply for our needs-based tuition assistance. Families who wish to apply for tuition assistance will need to complete an application each year that assistance is requested.

Applications for tuition assistance open annually on November 1st for the following school year. Please review our FAQs for additional details.

To complete the tuition assistance application, visit https://online.factsmgt.com/aid

FPA Tuition Assistance

When applying, please be sure to select “First Presbyterian Academy” as the school.

Note: All families applying for tuition assistance must first apply for the ESTF program, if eligible.

Frequently Asked Financial Aid Questions

What costs does tuition assistance cover?

Tuition assistance covers tuition only. It does not cover other programs, fees, or other incidental expenses.

How do I apply for tuition assistance?

We require all families seeking tuition assistance to complete an application online through FACTS Grant & Aid Assessment. In order to be considered for tuition assistance, all supporting documents required by FACTS must be provided. Documentation can be uploaded directly to the online application or faxed directly to FACTS. Requirements are included in the online instructions given when you complete your application.

Is there a fee to apply for tuition assistance?

Yes, there is a $45 application fee that is paid online directly to FACTS. This fee is non-refundable even if an award is not offered.

Is tuition assistance available to all students?

No. Tuition assistance is only available to students in K5-12th grade. Tuition assistance is not available for students in K3 – Pre-K5.

Does applying for tuition assistance impact the chances of my child being accepted to FPA?

No. Enrollment applications and tuition assistance applications are reviewed separately.

What documentation is needed to apply for tuition assistance?

A completed application includes the following items:

All required fields completed in the online application,
The tuition assistance application fee paid,
Most recent W-2s,
Most recent tax returns,
Other supporting documents as requested by FACTS

Is there a limit on available funds for tuition assistance?

FPA has allocated a portion of the budget each year for tuition assistance based upon the financial need of families. The amount of money allocated in the budget is limited. We encourage families to apply early once the applications open in November. Applications will be accepted as long as funds are available.

How does FPA determine if a family is eligible for tuition assistance?

Because each family’s situation is unique, FPA utilizes the services of FACTS Grant & Aid Assessment, a service of FACTS Management Company, Inc. This service takes into account various factors that make up a family’s overall financial picture and provides a recommendation of a family’s ability to pay for education. The FPA Tuition Assistance Committee uses this recommendation to help determine the amount of assistance that will be awarded each year. However, application for tuition assistance does not guarantee that assistance will be awarded.

Please note that this FACTS account is separate from both the ESTF application and your FPA FACTS account.

Is tuition assistance automatically renewed each year?

Tuition assistance is awarded on an annual basis only; families must reapply annually and should not assume that the same amount will be awarded each year. Furthermore, an award in a prior year does not guarantee an award will be offered in the future.

What happens if parents are divorced, separated, or never married?

Each situation is unique and will be handled on an individual basis. The school will take into account custodial and child support arrangements. The expectation is that the tuition assistance application will be completed with all relevant financial information, including support that may be provided by both parents. Financial information may be requested from both parents. If either parent has remarried, the income and assets of the step-parent may be considered with full appreciation for and sensitivity to the obligations of that parent to his/her own biological children. If either parent lives in a household with another adult, we may consider the income and assets of that individual depending on the circumstances. If the non-custodial parent does not have legal parental rights or has not been involved in the child’s life for a period of time, financial information of the non-custodial parent will not be considered.

How and when are applicants informed of tuition assistance decisions?

Completed applications (submitted with all required documentation), will be reviewed by the Tuition Assistance Committee. The committee meets monthly during the first week of each month from February through June, or until all budgeted funds have been allocated. Applications completed by the last day of the previous month will be reviewed during the next committee meeting. Applicants will be notified of the committee’s decision by the 15th of the month following the review.

Can I apply for multiple tuition assistance programs?

Yes, you can apply for as many tuition assistance programs in which you qualify. However, some programs cannot be combined, such as ESTF and ECENC for the same school year. FPA reserves the right to defer a tuition assistance award decision or amend an awarded amount based on all funding sources.