Best Education Bargains

Utah's education system offers many great bargains that parents are often unaware of.   

Choose your child's school

School choice is the ability to choose your child’s school.  Below are some programs, both publicly and privately funded, that help expand school choice.

• Carson Smith Special Needs Scholarship>> This is a K-12 scholarship worth up to $6,442 for students with disabilities.  Parents can use the scholarship to help pay tuition costs at participating private schools.
• Charter Schools>>  These are public schools that are open to any student and independently run by parents and educators.
• Children First Utah>>  This is a privately funded scholarship program that helps low income families pay for tuition at private schools.
• Open Enrollment / Public School Choice>> This allows students to attend any public school in Utah, regardless of where they live, so long as there is space at the school.

Tutoring Services

• UBSCT Tutoring Voucher or Basic Skills Education Program>>  Students who fail Utah's graduation exam in 10th grade are eligible to receive a state-funded voucher to pay for tutoring services.

Earn college credit in High School

There are several programs in Utah schools that allow high school students to earn college credit and even graduate with an Associate's Degree.

• Earn an Associate's Degree>>  Through Utah's concurrent enrollment program, students can graduate high school with an Associate's Degree.  If you do this and graduate with a 3.0 GPA, you're eligible to receive the New Century Scholarship, good at Utah colleges and universities.

Other College Credit Programs

• Advanced Placement Courses>>
• Applied Technology Programs>>
• Concurrent Enrollment>>
  
• International Baccalaureate>>
• Itineris Early College High School>>  This charter school is one of 20 Early College High Schools sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help high school students prepare for college and earn college credit.

Earn college scholarships

The State of Utah offers several college scholarships based on student grades and other factors.

• New Century Scholarship>> Worth up to 75% of college tuition this year. To be eligible, a student must graduate high school with an Associate’s Degree and 3.0 GPA or higher.
• Regents’ Scholarship>> Worth up to 75% of college tuition this year. To be eligible, a student must graduate high school with a 3.0 GPA or higher.
• Centennial Scholarship for Early Graduation>> Worth up to $1,000 a year for two years. To be eligible, a student must graduate high school early with a Student Education Occupation Plan.

Pre-School

• Utah UPSTART>> Utah now offers a state-funded, online pre-school program for children ages 4 to 5.