NC Opportunity Scholarship Deadline and 2026–2027 Changes — What's New This Year

The Deadlines That Matter

The priority application window for the 2026–27 Opportunity Scholarship opens on the first Monday in February and closes on the first Monday in March at 11:59 PM in NCSEAA's MyPortal. Applications submitted during this window get first priority for funding. Late applications are processed only if priority demand doesn't exhaust the budget.

Other critical dates:

• December: Set up your MyPortal account and gather income documentation
• Within 7 days of application: Upload all required income verification or disability documents (ESA+)
• April–May: Award decisions and waitlist notifications posted in MyPortal
• May–June: Accept award, sign Parent Agreement, complete W-9
• October 1: Fall semester school transfer deadline
• March 1: Spring semester school transfer deadline
• July 15: Schools must upload test scores to NCSEAA

Funding Has Grown Dramatically

House Bill 10 (Session Law 2024-55), passed in November 2024, changed the financial picture for the Opportunity Scholarship in two ways.

First, the legislature appropriated $463.46 million in retroactive funding to clear the 55,000-student waitlist from the 2024–25 application cycle. That waitlist is gone.

Second, HB 10 locked in an escalating funding schedule:

• FY 2025–26: $625 million
• FY 2026–27: $675 million
• FY 2032–33 and beyond: $825 million permanently

This statutory funding schedule means the Opportunity Scholarship's budget isn't subject to annual legislative budget battles. It increases automatically each fiscal year.

What Changed for 2026–27

New testing requirements for grades 3 and 8: Private schools enrolling Opportunity Scholarship students in grades 3 and 8 must now use a test from NCSEAA's designated list — i-Ready, MAP, Star, CAT 6, ITBS, Stanford, TerraNova NEXT, or CTP. Schools can no longer choose any nationally standardized test for these grade levels. Grade 11 students still take the mandatory ACT.

ESA+ core academic spending floor: A new requirement for ESA+ accounts mandates that families spend at least $500 per student per year on core academic instruction (math, science, or English/language arts). This counts tuition, approved curricula, or academic tutoring in those three subjects. Art and music tutoring don't count toward the $500 minimum.

Art and music tutoring now allowed under ESA+: Instructional art and music tutoring services from enrolled vendors are now approved ESA+ expenses. However, art supplies, musical instruments, and craft materials remain prohibited.

Waitlist Chances

The 2024–25 waitlist was cleared, but that does not guarantee awards in later cycles. Renewal applicants receive first priority, followed by new applicants in Tiers 1 through 4, based on available funding.

When demand exceeds available funding, awards follow that priority order. Late applications are placed at the bottom of the processing queue and funded only if all priority waitlists are cleared. Apply during the priority window.

Federal Tax-Credit Watch

Federal tax legislation enacted in 2025 created a tax-credit scholarship framework that states can opt into starting in calendar year 2027. If North Carolina passes enabling legislation, this would create an additional supplemental funding stream on top of the existing Opportunity Scholarship and ESA+ programs — not a replacement. Watch the NC General Assembly's upcoming sessions for opt-in legislation.

For the complete timeline, updated tier amounts, and a step-by-step application walkthrough, the NC Opportunity Scholarship & ESA+ Parent Guide covers everything in one place with current 2026–27 figures.

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