NC Opportunity Scholarship Award Amounts — How AGI and Household Size Determine Your Tier

The Four Award Tiers

North Carolina's Opportunity Scholarship uses a four-tier system based on your household's adjusted gross income relative to the federal free or reduced-price lunch (FRL) threshold. Every tier is now eligible — HB 823 eliminated income caps in 2023 — but lower-income families receive larger awards.

Here's what each tier pays per student for 2026–27:

Awards are capped at 100% of the school's required tuition and mandatory fees, or the tier maximum — whichever is lower. If your school charges $5,000 in annual tuition and you qualify for Tier 1, you receive $5,000 (not $7,942).

How AGI Determines Your Tier

NCSEAA uses your household's prior-year adjusted gross income from your federal tax return (Form 1040, line 11). Every adult living in the household counts — not just the applicant parent. If two adults earn income, both incomes combine.

The income thresholds scale with household size. For a family of four in 2026–27:

• Tier 1: household income up to $61,050
• Tier 2: $61,051 to $122,100
• Tier 3: $122,101 to $274,725
• Tier 4: above $274,725 or income not reported

For a family of six, those thresholds shift to $82,066 / $164,132 / $369,297. Each additional household member raises every cutoff.

What Counts as Household Income

NCSEAA counts the prior tax year's AGI for all adults in the home. Verification options include federal tax returns, W-2s, 1099s, or official documentation of public assistance (SNAP, TANF). If you receive non-taxable military housing allowances, those aren't part of AGI.

Choosing not to report income automatically places you in Tier 4. For many families earning above the Tier 3 ceiling, this makes no difference — the award is the same either way. But if your income falls in Tiers 1–3, skipping income verification costs you thousands.

Per-Child Awards

Each child in your household applies individually. A family with three children at a participating private school can receive three separate awards. A four-person household earning $55,000 qualifies for Tier 1, meaning each child is eligible for up to $7,942 per year — potentially $15,884 for two children or $23,826 for three.

The award is per student, per year, paid in two semester installments directly to the school. Parents never handle the money; NCSEAA sends it to the school after both the school administrator and the parent complete a dual endorsement in MyPortal.

Stacking With ESA+

If a child has a documented disability with a valid public LEA Eligibility Determination, they can receive both the Opportunity Scholarship and an ESA+ award simultaneously. The Opportunity Scholarship pays tuition first. ESA+ covers any remaining tuition balance plus supplemental expenses (therapy, tutoring, curricula, technology) through ClassWallet.

A Tier 1 family whose child's public LEA Eligibility Determination lists Autism could combine up to $7,942 (Opportunity Scholarship) with $17,000 (high-need ESA+) — up to $24,942 in total annual support for one child, subject to tuition and award limits.

Calculating Your Family's Position

To figure out your tier before applying: pull last year's Form 1040 and find line 11 (AGI). Count every person living in your household. Check that AGI against NCSEAA's published income guidelines for your household size — the current tables are at k12.ncseaa.edu.

The NC Opportunity Scholarship & ESA+ Parent Guide includes a printable award tier calculator worksheet and worked examples for single-income, dual-income, and multi-child households.

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