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UTAH FITS ALL SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS OPEN FEBRUARY 28TH, 2024

Scholarship applications will be available on February 28th, 2024 at 8:00am MST.


ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

While applications are 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 full-time for the 2024-2025 school
year

Not receiving either the Carson Smith Special Needs Scholarship or the Special
Needs Opportunity Scholarship


PROGRAM TIMELINE

Applications open

February 28th, 2024

Applications close

April 15th, 2024

Award notification

No Later Than April 18th, 2024

Funding account established

Early August, 2024


HOW TO USE YOUR SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING

The Utah Fits All Scholarship Program provides up to $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).

School tuition and fees

Transportation

Educational software and hardware

Tutoring

Physical, occupational, and speech therapy

After school programs


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the Utah Fits All (UFA) Scholarship Program?
The Utah Fits All Scholarship Program, launching for the first time in the
2024-2025 school year, offers tax free scholarship funds to eligible students
for use toward eligible education related expenses.
Who is administering the program?
The Utah Fits All Scholarship Program is administered by ACE Scholarships, a
non-profit organization founded in 2,000 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?
An eligible student means a K-12 student who is eligible to participate in a
public school, and who is a resident of the state of Utah. Kindergarten students
must be 5 years of age before September 2 of the year in which admission is
sought.

Additionally, an eligible student may not be enrolled full time in the public
school, meaning the school district may not receive WPU funding related to the
student’s participation. A student participating in UFA may not receive the
Carson Smith Scholarship, or the Special Needs Opportunity Scholarship.
When do applications open for students? Is there an application window?
Yes, there is an application window for eligible students. Applications for
students will open on February 28, 2024 and will close April 15, 2024.
What does the application process entail?
The UFA application process is simple and light touch. Family members will
create an account with their email address and a password. We verify the
applicant’s identity, as well as their Utah residency with a phone number and
date of birth. An applicant may be asked to upload a photo of a government
issued photo ID if their information has recently changed. The applicant will
then be asked to verify their household income by entering their household size
and linking to either their employer payroll or bank through an effortless,
secure process. The applicant may also opt to upload documentation manually.
Finally, they will enter information for each student whom they wish to apply
for, including the student’s name, date of birth and grade level. The last step
is agreeing to the requirements of the program.

It's important to note that an applicant is not required to provide any income
verification information. There are a couple of ways that any applicant may
manually bypass income verification, with the understanding they will be placed
in the last enrollment preference category. The first is on the initial screen
for income validation. They will have the option to “continue” or “skip income
verification.” If the latter is chosen, they will see a screen reminding them
that the application will be placed in the last enrollment preference category.
If they choose to proceed, they will bypass income verification.

The second chance to bypass is when they are prompted to enter their household
size. Based on the calculation of a total household income of 555%, we ask if
their household income exceeds this figure. If they choose “yes,” they are
attesting that their income places them in the last enrollment preference
category, and no further income information is collected.

Additionally, it’s important to note that if we verify a family is using
government assistance, like SNAP, we do not require that applicant to upload any
additional information.
When will I find out if I’ve been approved?
Within 24-48 hours of submitting an application, families will receive a
notification verifying their student’s eligibility in the program, as well as
the enrollment preference category they belong to. This notification means we
have verified the student as a K-12 eligible student who is a state resident.
Approval notifications will go out no later than April 18, just a few short days
following the close of the application window. Because applications must be
assigned an enrollment preference, we are unable to make award notifications
prior to the close of the window. If a student is placed on the waitlist, the
email notification will include that students place in line, along with a link
to the ACE Access portal where families can check their waitlist placement
throughout the school year.
How are applications placed in an order of preference?

According to UFA law, applications must be prioritized in the following order:

 1. A student who participated in UFA in the previous school year (not
    applicable for year 1)
 2. Students with a family income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level
    ($60,000 for a family of four)
 3. Sibling of a student who participated in UFA the year prior
 4. Students with a family income between 200% and 555% of the federal poverty
    level (up to $166,500 for a family of four)
 5. All other applicants

Federal Poverty Level(annual income)# of persons in
household200%555%1$29,160$80,9192$39,440$109,4463$49,720$137,9734$60,000$166,5005$70,280$195,0276$80,560$223,5547$90,840$252,0818$101,120$280,608Add
$5,140 for each person in household over 8 persons

Will the application process be different if my child requires special education
and has an IEP or Service Plan?
No, we do not require any additional information during the application period
for a student who requires special education.
Can my child be enrolled in a public school while participating in the program?
While a child may not be enrolled full-time, part-time enrollment is an option.
Part time enrollment prohibits the school district from receiving WPU funding
related to the student’s participation.

Any public school that wishes to participate will apply as an eligible school,
describing the services, courses and programs they plan to offer scholarship
students. 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?
All scholarship students will be entitled to $8,000 per school year. Funds do
not roll over into the following school year, so families are encouraged to
budget accordingly in order to maximize use of their student’s funds.
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?
We encourage maximum use of every child’s scholarship funds, since there will be
no option to roll funds over into the following school year. If a parent
exhausts their scholarship funds prior to the end of the school year, they must
pay for education related goods and services by other means.
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.

 1. tuition and fees of a qualifying provider
 2. fees and instructional materials at a technical college
 3. tutoring services
 4. fees for after-school or summer education programs
 5. textbooks, curricula, or other instructional materials, including any
    supplemental materials or associated online instruction that a curriculum or
    a qualifying provider recommends
 6. educational software and applications
 7. supplies or other equipment related to a scholarship student's educational
    needs
 8. computer hardware or other technological devices that are intended primarily
    for a scholarship student's educational needs
 9. fees for the following examinations, or for a preparation course for the
    following examinations, that the program manager approves:
     1. a national norm-referenced or standardized assessment
     2. an advanced placement examination, or another similar assessment
     3. a state-recognized industry certification examination
     4. an examination related to college or university admission
     5. educational services for students with disabilities from a licensed or
        accredited practitioner or provider, including occupational, behavioral,
        physical, audiology, or speech-language therapies
     6. 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
     7. 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
     8. expenses related to extracurricular activities, field trips, educational
        supplements, and other educational experiences

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.

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. More information is forthcoming
on the process of requesting pre-approval and requesting reimbursement.
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.
See All FAQs


WE'RE HERE TO HELP

Have questions about the Utah Fits All Scholarship program? Feel free to reach
out to our team for assistance.

Questions? Contact us at:


info@UFAScholarship.com

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