New Application Process for Unique Abilities (FES-UA) 2025-26

Hi and welcome to Step up for Students. Thank you for your interest in participating in the application process for the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Unique Abilities or known as the fesua. Today we will learn how to create your account and complete an application. The following slides provide instructions on how to adjust your browser settings to your preferred language, allowing you to view Emma in the language you choose. To use the translation feature in Google Chrome, click the three dots in the top right corner. Select Select Translate. These steps are specific to the Google Chrome browser. Finally, choose the language from the drop down menu that best suits your translation needs. Your page is ready. You can now view it in your preferred language. Here are a few reminders before you get started on your scholarship application. Per new legislation, families can only apply for one scholarship per student at the same time. Each time you log onto the EMA platform, you must complete a Multi Factor Authentication. We recommend you use a cell phone or phone number that does not answer as a recording. You will receive updates via email when your application review is complete. The new Student Application Checklist is now available on our website@sufs.org see the QR code for easy retrieval. We want to share an important legislative update. If Your student turns 3 or 4 years old before December 31st of the school year in which they are applying, then they will now be eligible for the FESUA Scholarship. To apply, you will need to submit the child's birth certificate as documentation in addition to proof of residency and diagnosis. To apply for the Family Empowerment Scholarship for unique abilities, please visit stepupforstudents.org if you already possess an EMA account, enter your username and password. If you do not have an EMA account yet, please click on Sign up for new Users. You're going to enter your email address and then click on the Send Code button. An email will be sent to you containing a code that you will need to enter on the sign up screen. To proceed, input the code you received in your email into the Verification code box, then click on Confirm. Click Continue. Please complete all open boxes. Account type is Parent Guardian Username will be your login username. The email address is preferred. Legal first name and Legal last name is the parent Guardian name password along with username will be how you access the system. Please choose three security questions along with their respective answers. The answers you provide will be utilized to confirm your identity when you reach out. To Step up for students, you will now need to complete the two step verification process. The primary phone number provided must be compatible with Multi Factor Authentication. We suggest using a cell phone that you can easily access for confirming codes sent via call or text. To review the terms, conditions and rules, please click on the link provided. After you have read and accepted the terms, check the box to confirm your agreement and then click ok. The next step involves completing your Guardian Profile, which is a one time process. This is the place to update any information such as your address. If you prefer all content in Spanish, please select Spanish as your primary langu. Provide your contact details. If you wish to permit someone else to call on your behalf, select Add a Caller to designate an authorized caller. For the authorized caller, create a four digit PIN and ensure they are aware of it. All fields must be filled out. After completing everything, click Add the following part of your profile setup is titled Manage Consents. In this section, you will grant Step up for Students the authorization to reach out to you. Please take a moment to read each section and choose either yes or no. This section allows you to choose additional methods for us to communicate with you by specifying your contact preferences. For instance, if you'd like to receive text messages, please check the box next to text. Once you have made your selections, click Save to finalize your choices. You will get an email alert each time there is an update to your profile. After clicking Save, you will be redirected to your My Students section. Here you can either find Students if needed, or Add a Student. To Begin, click on the blue box labeled Add a Student located in the top right corner. Please avoid using nicknames while completing this section. When you have finished, click on Save. You will be directed to your dashboard where you can choose the scholarship program you would like to apply for. Important the Scholarship program regulations forbid a student from applying simultaneously for both FESEO ftc, including PEP and fesua. Please ensure that all students have been added to the My Students section prior to submitting an application. At any point, you have the option to choose Save as a draft to preserve your work and return to it later. All your saved drafts will be accessible on your dashboard, allowing you to select them and continue where you left off. Once you have selected your students by sliding the radio button to the right, Please answer the two following has the student graduated from the 12th grade? Has the student completed a high school equivalency, GED or similar? Then click Continue in the bottom right corner. Important reminder if you choose YES to signify that your child is graduating, they will be marked as continuing into the next school year but will not receive funding for that year. This is typical for FESW students who spend Multiple years in 12th grade if you answer yes to either of the questions, your student will not qualify for additional funding for the upcoming school year. After you've finished selecting the students, please click Continue to locate it in the bottom right corner. At any stage prior to submitting your application, you have the option to add an existing student by clicking the blue Add a Stud button. To move forward with a chosen student, simply click on the View Details link located beneath the student's name and complete the fields below. Enrolled School Information and Expected School Information Please be informed that you can now select either 3 or 4 year old when determining a grade level. Keep in mind that students must be three or four years old by December 31st of the school year for which they are applying. If you are a parent or guardian using funds for for Pre K tuition and fees, choose Pre K from the drop down menu. Please select a student's diagnosis. You must select one, however you may select more than one if needed, then upload required diagnosis related documentation. You must upload at least one. Please see the definition of other health impairment listed here on the screen. This includes but is not limited to asthma, add, adhd, Tourette syndrome, diabetes, epilepsy, a heart condition, hemophilia, lead poisoning, leukemia, nephritis, rheumatic fever, sickle cell anemia, and acquired brain injury. For more information, please visit our Handbook for the FESUA Scholarship on our website. Do any of these apply to your student? This information helps ensure your student gets all eligible benefits. If you answered YES to any of the questions above, you are required to upload supporting documentation to avoid processing delays. Once you have filled out all the sections, click Continue in the bottom right corner to move forward or select Save as Draft to save your progress and return to finish the application later. After completing the previous section, go to Guardian Information and click Few Details to verify accuracy. For changes to grayed out fields, click the profile icon in the upper right corner. Not making corrections may cause processing delays. You will need to provide your Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number and Proof of residency. To prove residency, submit documents that are 1 valid, 2 current meaning dated within two months for recurring bills and statements, and 3 match the guardian's full name and current physical address on the application. Check the Guidelines for Acceptable Documents. This list identifies what documents are required for proof of residency. You need to upload either one document from column A or two different documents from column B. Submitting only one document from column B will result in an error. To resolve this, scroll up and submit another document. Type both Proof of Residency documents from column B must be in the same guardian's name. Submitting a Florida driver's license requires another document like an insurance statement. Two pay stubs for income verification count as one document, so an additional document is still needed. Here is the necessary documentation for dependent children of active duty members of the United States Armed Forces moving to or from Florida on permanent change of station orders. After answering all the questions in the Guardian Information section, click Continue to move on to the next part. You should now be on the Summary section, which provides an overview of all submitted documents and completed sections. You have the option to review and modify any aspects you wish to change. Use the headers at the top of the page to easily navigate through different sections. Complete the Parent Guardian terms and conditions. Make sure to click on each box once you have read and agreed to the terms. You will also be required to complete the sworn Compliance statement. Make sure to click on the box at the bottom once you have read and agreed to those terms. Please enter your name in the designated box and provide your signature in the Signature area. If you'd like to retain your signature, click Keep. Should you wish to modify your signature, simply click Clear and sign again. Once you've approved your signature, you have the option to either select Sign Save as Draft to finish your application at a later time, or to click Submit. By clicking Submit, your application will be forwarded for processing. A confirmation notice will appear on your screen. Your application has been successfully submitted. You can now go back to the dashboard to review your recent submission and check the status of your application. Once your application has been processed, you can view it under Action Items to approve your submission. To proceed, click on the arrow located to the right of the application that is currently in pending Action status as shown above. You should be able to view the student who is marked as eligible for this specific application on your screen. On this page, you can click the highlighted link to view an overview of the scholarship, award and funding process. A detailed step by step guide to your scholarship will now be presented. You can always come back to decline this scholarship and apply for another one if the application window is complete. Still open. If your student is already enrolled in a school, you'll need to withdraw them from that school before you can decline the scholarship. To view the specifics of the application, just click on the View Details link. The information is now available for qualified students. You can carry out this action for all eligible students within your account. Guardians need to select either Decline Scholarship or Accept Scholarship on the screen. Please be aware no scholarship decision will be made until you either accept or Decline your student scholarship if you decide to accept the scholarship, you will either receive confirmation of the award or a notification indicating that the program has reached its capacity. An email will be sent to inform you. If you choose to accept the scholarship, you will either receive confirmation of your award or notice that the program has reached its capacity. You will be notified via email. You are welcome to return here anytime to check your status after you accept the scholarship, you will see Scholarship accepted next to the student's name. What steps should I take if I mistakenly decline my student scholarship? To restore a scholarship for a student, simply click the View Student button on the dashboard associated with that specific student. Next, click on the View Application button. On this page, click the highlighted Accept Scholarship link in blue. A pop up will emerge offering you the choice to click the Cancel button to return or to Accept Scholarship button to continue. If you click the blue Accept Scholarship button, you will be taken to this page. Please be aware that a Scholarship Accepted notification will then appear. Displayed here are the application statuses pending. Your student's eligibility status is currently being reviewed. Please keep an eye on your EMA account for any updates awarded. Your application has been approved and a student is now eligible for a scholarship. However, please be aware that the student has not yet received funding for the current school year funded. The scholarship for your student has been successfully credited to your EMA account. You are now able to use the funds available in your account at capacity. The scholarship has reached its capacity as defined in statute for the school year and a scholarship for which you applied is not currently available for your student after a student is awarded. If you plan to use your student scholarship at an eligible participating school, you need to contact the school to start the enrollment process. Student ID this is your unique identification number as a student which the engagement center will require to access your application Award id. Give this number to an eligible private school of your choice. They will use this number to enroll your student. Once an eligible private school enrolls a student in their system, you will receive an email notification asking you to log in and review the enrollment requests. If the amount due to the school matches your total yearly obligation to the institution which encompasses both the scholarship and any out of pocket expense expenses. Confirm your enrollment. If the amount due to school is inaccurate or if your student plans not to attend this school, simply decline the enrollment offer. All payments to schools require quarterly verification and approval from the guardian. You can review, approve or deny these school payments directly from your dashboard. Please note no payments to a school will be processed until this action is completed. Still need assistance. Feel free to chat, call or email us here at Step up for Students.