Frequently Asked Questions

  • The last day to use your 25-26 funds is mid-to-late June 2026. The exact date will be published within the next few weeks. After that date, you won’t be able to place new orders or submit new payments in ClassWallet for this year’s funds.

  • If your student’s ClassWallet account is fully active and you’ve renewed for the 2026–27 school year, your leftover funds will automatically roll over into your new account. You’ll see the rollover funds by July 9th.

    If you did not renew your participation and your student is not approved for the 26-27 ESTF, you will lose access to any unused funds after mid-to-late June.

  • If your account is suspended but you’ve renewed for next year, your funds will still roll over into your 2025–26 purse by July 9th, but your account will stay in suspended status until resolved. If your account is suspended and you didn’t renew, you will lose any unspent funds after June 27th.

Enrollment and School Selection

  • All scholarships have been awarded for the 2025/26 school year. For the 2026-2027 school year, visit our application page to learn more about the waitlist.

  • No, your child cannot be enrolled at the public school you’re assigned to based on your home address and still receive the scholarship.

    However, your child can attend a different public school and still use the scholarship. You can choose another school in your district or a different school district altogether.

    In addition to public schools, check this list of participating private, and charter schools.

  • Reach out to the school and let them know you would like to apply. Every school has a different enrollment process. Once you are accepted and enrolled, make sure to complete withdrawal paperwork from your residency school.

  • If you are still enrolled in your neighborhood school as you are exploring options, DO NOT click the affidavit in ClassWallet where you agree to withdraw from your residency school, and definitely DO NOT spend any scholarship funds while you are still enrolled in your residency school. If you mistakenly agreed to the affidavit already, email help@classwallet.com to let them know to reset your affidavit, and only agree to it once you have withdrawn from your residency school district.

  • Schools can apply to be approved vendors by filling out this application. We suggest contacting your desired school ASAP and asking them to complete the linked form.

  • Yes, some approved schools operate online. Check out our School Finder tool.

  • If you are enrolled in an Option 1-3 homeschool association, you are not eligible to participate in the ESTF program. In South Carolina, Options 1-3 allow for families to satisfy the compulsory attendance requirements.

    However, by joining the ESTF program, your signed agreement when you accept the award also satisfies the compulsory attendance requirements [Section 59-8-115(i)]. This year, some families are choosing to educate at home and take advantage of ESTF to purchase curricular materials, technology, tutoring, and educational therapies.

    We’re excited about how much flexibility the new law offers for families to really customize their education. To participate in the program, you cannot attend your residency public school and you cannot enroll in an Option 1-3 association, but other than that, you have lots of options to build the perfect education for your child.

  • Please email help@classwallet.com to let them know you will not be participating in the program this year.

Testing Requirements

  • Yes. Every ESTF student currently in grades 3–11 who plans to renew for 2026–2027 must complete required testing (and K-2 may submit test results or a portfolio of work or report cards). For more information, visit our testing page.

    If your child has an IEP that exempts them from testing, submit the IEP documentation to ESTFProgram@ed.sc.gov.

  • Unless you have confirmed your child’s school will submit your child’s test results on your behalf, you will need to submit your child’s scores to SCDE.

    Once you have your child’s test results (remember, both reading and math), you’ll email them directly to the ESTF Program Administrator at ESTFProgram@ed.sc.gov.

    Check back here, as the SCDE may create another method to upload test results and documentation.

Using ClassWallet

  • Go to app.classwallet.com. If it's your first time logging in, click the "First Time Login" button. You must accept the Affidavit to access the funds. 

    NOTE: read the affidavit closely. By signing the affidavit, you are agreeing to program policies, including that you have withdrawn from your residency school.

    ❓Click here for a Guide (PDF) with visuals.

  • Each child approved for the ESTF scholarship will receive $7,500 total for the year, distributed in four installments.

    Funds are added to your ClassWallet account on or before the following dates:

    • July 31, 2025– $1,875

    • September 30, 2025 – $1,875

    • December 31, 2025 – $1,875

    • February 28, 2026 – $1,875

    You’ll be able to use the funds directly through ClassWallet to pay for approved educational expenses. No reimbursements are allowed, so make sure to use the account for all purchases.

  • There is a separate sub-account for each child. If you click on your child's name in the corner, you will be able to select another child. You must agree to the affidavit for each child to receive the funds.

  • First, make sure you have a tuition bill/screenshot saved. Then, check out this video for a step-by-step walkthrough of making a payment.

    Note: your tuition bill must have all of these things listed:

    • Provider or school name and address

    • Student name

    • Parent name

    • Date of invoice

    • Date of service

    • Type of service (tuition, tutoring, etc.)

    • Total amount due

  • Login to ClassWallet and click “Start shopping” under “Shop in the marketplace”. Once there, you will see online stores where you can shop. Build a cart, and when you go to checkout, you will return to ClassWallet to finalize your payments.

Allowable Expenses

    • Tuition and fees for eligible schools or approved education service providers

    • Textbooks, curriculum, and other instructional materials (including supplemental materials or online instruction)

    • Tutoring services (in person or online)

    • Technology (computers or devices used primarily for education, with approval)

    • Online courses from approved providers

    • Fees for tests, including national exams, AP exams, industry certifications, and college entrance exams

    • Educational therapies for students with disabilities (e.g., speech, occupational, physical, behavioral)

    • Contracted services from public schools or public charter schools, such as:

      • Individual classes

      • After-school tutoring

      • Transportation

      • Extracurricular activity fees or costs

    • Teaching services or classes approved by the SCDE

    • Transportation fees to and from eligible providers (up to $3,000 per year, paid to service providers)

    • Fees for transferring to a public school in another district

    • Required school uniforms, up to $500

    • Consumables and supplies necessary to complete a course or curriculum

    • Other educational expenses approved by the Department that support personalized learning

    Funds cannot be used for duplicate services already provided by the student’s school or health insurance, or for personal reimbursements.

    • Breakfast and lunch fees

    • Childcare fees

    • Before and after school care fees

    • Field trip fees

    • Food, fundraising, graduation, and childcare fees

  • No, you cannot be reimbursed. There is no mechanism for ClassWallet to “pay you back” for money you spent before you received your first allotment of ESTF money or if you did not use ESTF money for the purchase. You may be able to return your purchase and re-buy the item with ESTF money.

  • Yes! Technology orders are subject to the limitations below. Before placing an order, please review these limitations carefully to prevent your order from being rejected.

    Technology Order Limits

    Every two years

    • 1x Computer - $1500 max

    • 1x Tablet - $1500 max

    • 1x Monitor - $300 max

    • 1x Printer - $300 max

    Every year

    • 1x Headset - $200 max

    “Computer” refers to laptops and desktop computers—you may not purchase both a laptop and desktop computer within a two-year interval.

    These limitations are subject to change at the state's discretion.

    Updated: February 2025.

  • Yes, school supplies must be for individual student use and include items like binders, calculators, colored pencils, crayons, dictionaries, erasers, folders, glue, index cards, markers, notebooks, paper, pencils, pens, rulers, scissors, thesaurus, and USB cards. No bulk purchases are allowed.

  • Technology orders are subject to the state limitations below.

    Review the limitations carefully to prevent your order from being rejected.

    Every year

    • 1x Headset - $200 max

    • 1x Calculator (non-graphing) - $200 max

    • Printer toner cartridges are limited to $100 per purchase and $300 total per year.

    Every two years

    • 1x Computer - $1500 max

    • 1x Tablet - $1500 max

    • 1x Monitor - $300 max

    • 1x Printer - $300 max

    • 1x Graphing Calculator - $200 max

    “Computer” refers to laptops and desktop computers—you may not purchase both a laptop and desktop computer within a two-year interval. These limitations are subject to change at the state's discretion. Updated February 2025.

Support and Assistance

  • That’s what Outbridge is here for! Tell us what you need help with and someone will reach out to you with support!

  • Feel free to reach out to help@classwallet.com or call (877) 313-1299. They are available Monday through Friday 8am-8pm EST and Saturday 10am-4pm EST.

General Questions

  • Outbridge is a service provided by the team at Outschool.org to help families navigate education scholarship programs.

  • The ESTF is a program administered by the South Carolina Department of Education. It allows qualifying South Carolina families with a student in K-12th grades to apply for a scholarship of $7,500 per student, per year. Your funds will be held in your digital wallet by ClassWallet.

  • Due to overwhelming demand, the 10,000 spots available for the 2025-2026 school year are full.

    Apply for the 2026-2027 school year.

Using Your ESTF Funds: Deadlines & Rollover