Indiana Education Funding: Choice Scholarships vs ESA

Choice and ESA are different routes

Indiana Choice Scholarships are connected to participating nonpublic schools, which submit applications for families. The separate ESA has its own student eligibility and account rules. A child’s disability-related or sibling eligibility for ESA is a different question from admission and tuition assistance through Choice. Identify the program before researching curriculum purchases.

Follow the current ESA administrator

Indiana transferred ESA administration from the Treasurer to the Department of Education on July 1, 2026. The older Treasurer page contains historical ClassWallet and payment information alongside the transfer notice. Follow that notice to current Department of Education instructions before relying on an old portal, application date or provider workflow. For Choice, ask the participating school about the actual award and tuition balance.

Indiana Choice Scholarship

Choice Scholarships help pay tuition at participating Indiana nonpublic schools.

Program sources reviewed September 17, 2026

Who can qualify

Students and schools must meet the current Choice requirements. The participating school submits the scholarship application on the family’s behalf.

Award and budget

Awards depend on the student and applicable funding formula. Ask the participating school for the award and remaining tuition balance.

How home education fits

This is a participating-school tuition route. Independent homeschooling does not turn a curriculum purchase into a Choice Scholarship expense.

Curriculum and permitted expenses

The scholarship offsets qualifying nonpublic-school tuition and fees through the school. It is not a general curriculum shopping account.

Applying and using funds

Contact an eligible Choice school for enrollment, documentation and the current application cycle. Indiana’s separate ESA program has different rules.

• Official Indiana guidance

Indiana Education Scholarship Account (INESA)

Indiana has a separate ESA program serving eligible students with disabilities and qualifying siblings. It must not be confused with the Choice tuition scholarship.

Program sources reviewed September 17, 2026

Who can qualify

Review the current disability, sibling and other requirements with the Department of Education. Prior Treasurer information may describe a retired application process.

Award and budget

Confirm the student-specific award under the current administration rather than applying a general statewide figure.

How home education fits

The education arrangement must qualify under INESA. Do not assume that all independent homeschool students qualify for this targeted program.

Curriculum and permitted expenses

Eligible educational services and expenses follow the INESA rules and provider requirements, separate from Choice Scholarship tuition.

Applying and using funds

Administration transferred from the Treasurer to the Department of Education on July 1, 2026. Follow the official transfer notice to the current program office.

• Official Indiana Esa guidance

Indiana School Scholarship SGO program

Indiana’s state SGO program awards school scholarships funded through charitable donations. The Department of Education links certified participating organizations and schools. Apply that program’s student and school requirements, separately from Choice Scholarships, Indiana ESA and federal scholarships.

Indiana DOE: School Scholarships and certified SGOs. Our SGO guide explains what to check before applying.

Federal scholarships starting in 2027

Indiana has made an advance election to participate in the Education Freedom Tax Credit (also called the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit) for 2027. The Education Freedom Tax Credit (EFTC/FSTC) is separate from the state options above. ECCA refers to its earlier legislative proposal.

IRS participation list, as of 2026-09-14: advance election recorded. An advance election does not establish an approved SGO list, an open student application or an awarded scholarship. Check the Education Freedom Tax Credit guide and how to find an SGO for the next steps.

Are Indiana ESA and Choice Scholarships interchangeable?

No. They serve different eligible students and use different funding rules. Check the program tied to the child’s award before applying tuition-scholarship guidance to an ESA curriculum purchase.

Can Indiana homeschool families use these options?

Independent homeschool families should not treat the Choice Scholarship as a curriculum stipend. For INESA, confirm the student’s disability or sibling eligibility and education arrangement with the current Department of Education program office. The older Treasurer process is no longer the application destination.