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Tuition & Affordability

The Step Up Scholarship makes Curious Innovators possible.

Step Up For Students is a state-approved, nonprofit Scholarship Funding Organization that helps Florida families choose the education that fits their child. For most families, it covers nearly all of our tuition.

You do not have to choose between a personalized education and an affordable one.

Step Up For Students is a state-approved, nonprofit Scholarship Funding Organization (SFO) that administers Florida's education scholarships. Because Curious Innovators is an approved provider, most families use these funds to cover the vast majority of their tuition, with little or no out-of-pocket cost. We accept the PEP and Unique Abilities (UA) scholarship programs.

What's Available

Scholarships Florida families can use.

Award amounts vary by program and eligibility. Here is a snapshot of the funding many of our families receive.

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Family Empowerment (PEP)

Averages around $7,800 per student for Florida families, applied toward tuition and approved educational expenses.

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Unique Abilities

Averages roughly $10,000 for qualified students with specialized learning needs, supporting a tailored education plan.

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Direct Pay Provider

Curious Innovators is an approved Direct Pay provider, so families skip the reimbursement paperwork entirely.

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Quarterly Deposits

Funds deposit quarterly into your Education Savings Account through the EMA portal, ready to apply toward tuition.

How to apply

The application lives with Step Up For Students, and it is more straightforward than most families expect. In short:

  1. Create an account and apply through the EMA portal at stepupforstudents.org.
  2. Provide proof of your child's age, any diagnosis (if applicable), and Florida residency.
  3. Complete your documentation using the Application Checklist provided in the portal.

Once awarded, funds deposit quarterly into your Education Savings Account. Families can spend through MyScholarShop with pre-approved vendors, or submit reimbursement requests through their EMA account. Because we are a Direct Pay provider, tuition can be paid straight to Curious Innovators, saving you the reimbursement runaround.