Last verified: October 2026
How much can a Raleigh-area student get from the Opportunity Scholarship in 2026-27?
A Triangle student can receive at most $7,942 at Tier 1, $7,148 at Tier 2, $4,766 at Tier 3 or $3,574 at Tier 4 for 2026-27. NCSEAA, the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority, pays half each semester, so a Tier 1 grant arrives as two payments of up to $3,971.
Those are ceilings. When a school's required tuition and fees are lower than your tier amount, the grant shrinks to match the bill.
What income puts a Wake County family of four in each tier?
For four people, 2026-27 income up to $61,050 is Tier 1, up to $122,100 is Tier 2 and up to $274,725 is Tier 3. Anything above that, or a family that chooses not to report income, lands in Tier 4.
Our tier calculator holds the full NCSEAA table for households of two through twelve. Keep the tax records you submit, because NCSEAA checks a share of lower-tier awards.
Is the 2026-27 Opportunity Scholarship still open to new Triangle applicants?
No. NCSEAA's page says it is no longer accepting 2026-27 applications. Late offers went out August 21, 2026 and had to be accepted in MyPortal by September 11, 2026.
The next chance is the 2027-28 cycle, which NCSEAA has not dated yet. The 2026-27 priority window ran from February 2 to 5 p.m. on March 2, 2026, so families should be ready in early February.
How many Triangle schools can be paid with the scholarship this year?
The 2026-27 Direct Payment table we downloaded on October 30, 2026 had 133 rows in Wake, Johnston, Durham and Orange: 81 in Wake, 37 in Durham, 9 in Orange and 6 in Johnston.
Several of the region's best-known independent schools were not on it, including Ravenscroft, Durham Academy, Cary Academy, Duke School and Carolina Friends. Our directory flags every school one by one.
What changed for the Opportunity Scholarship in 2026?
The 2026 state budget tightened testing oversight: NCSEAA must audit at least 4% of participating schools each year, and schools must keep test records for four years. State Auditor Dave Boliek also opened a review of the program in June 2026, which his office expected to finish this fall.
The budget also moved $35,751,409 in savings identified by the Department of Public Instruction back to public school priorities. Award amounts and eligibility for 2026-27 did not change.
NC Opportunity Scholarship: what it is, and what it is not
| The Opportunity Scholarship is | The Opportunity Scholarship is not |
|---|---|
| Money NCSEAA pays to a registered private school | A deposit into a family account |
| Available at every income level, with smaller amounts higher up | Reserved for families leaving a public school |
| Limited to required tuition and fees | Help with aftercare, lunch, uniforms the school does not bill, or trips |
| For kindergarten through grade 12 at an in-state school | A home school, online-only or pre-K benefit |