DC Opportunity Scholarship at a glance
| D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP) |
|---|
| Award (2026–27) | Up to $10,000 (K–8); up to $15,000 (high school) |
| Who qualifies | DC residents on SNAP or at or below 185% of poverty (300% to renew) |
| Deadline | Application cycle runs September to April/May; 2027–28 is open |
| Administrator | Serving Our Children |
| Homeschool eligible | No |
| Reach | Average household income of families using OSP was $27,441 in 2024–25 |
Who qualifies
A child is eligible when they:
- live in the District of Columbia now,
- will be at least 5 by September 30 and are entering kindergarten through 12th grade, and
- receive SNAP, or live in a household at or below 185% of the poverty threshold. Renewing families can earn up to 300%.
For a family of four, 185% of the 2025 federal poverty guideline is about $59,500. Residency must be proven with documents like a DC lease, a recent utility bill or a paystub showing DC tax withheld.
How much is the award?
For 2026–27, OSP pays up to $10,000 for elementary and middle school and up to $15,000 for high school. The money covers tuition, fees, uniforms, books and transportation, up to that annual cap. Checks go through the student's school during the year.
Key dates for 2026–27
- Now (fall 2026): The 2027–28 application is open.
- October through April: OSP staff run application events at recreation centers, libraries and benefits offices.
- If needed: Lotteries for first-time applicants, with dates posted on the Serving Our Children calendar.
- April/May 2027: The application cycle typically closes.
How to apply
- Create a family account with Serving Our Children and verify your email.
- Fill out the scholarship application online, or at an OSP event where staff review it with you.
- Upload one List A residency document (or two List B documents) and income for every adult in the household, using 2025 or 2026 figures.
- Apply to participating private schools on your own. Getting the scholarship doesn't get your child into a school.
- Watch for your eligibility notice and any lottery dates.
What you can buy with an Opportunity Scholarship
OSP is for private school costs: tuition, fees, uniforms, books and transportation at the participating schools on Serving Our Children's list (last updated September 4, 2026). It doesn't pay for outside tutoring or home learning.
For extra help, families often mix in free tools like Khan Academy and paid options like Varsity Tutors or Huntington Learning. A 529 plan can cover those under the 2025 federal rules. Save programs to a wishlist on Edulist to keep your plan in one place.
Homeschoolers and DC scholarships
OSP can't be used for homeschooling. DC has no homeschool funding program. See homeschooling in DC for the notice and instruction rules.
Scholarship organizations in DC
- Serving Our Children (OSP): 1707 L Street NW; phone 202-464-6712 or 1-888-DC-YOUTH.
- DC has no local tax-credit SGOs, since it has no tax-credit scholarship program. Browse national organizations in the SGO directory.
Federal tax credit: has DC opted in?
Not yet. The District of Columbia is not on the IRS list of participating jurisdictions for 2027 (as of September 14, 2026), and BakerHostetler noted in October that DC "has not elected in yet." The decision rests with Mayor Muriel Bowser, who had not announced one as of October 13, 2026. The 2027 election deadline is January 1, 2027.
If DC opts in, federal-credit scholarships could add a privately funded layer on top of OSP, reaching families up to 300% of area median income and covering costs like tutoring. Until then, DC residents can still give to SGOs in participating states and claim up to $1,700 under Treasury's proposed rules. See the federal scholarship tax credit guide and states that have opted in.
Other ways to pay
- 529 plans. Federal law allows up to $20,000 a year for K–12 costs from 2026, including curriculum and qualified tutoring. DC treats K–12 withdrawals as tax-free but may recapture deductions on rollovers out within two years of opening.
- Public school choice. DC's public charter schools and the My School DC lottery are tuition-free.
- School-based aid. Most private schools offer need-based aid on top of OSP.