Iowa's Complete Guide to ESA Funds

The Students First Education Savings Account (ESA) is Iowa's state-funded program that lets parents direct public education funds toward tuition and other qualified educational expenses at accredited nonpublic schools across Iowa.

We're proud to be available to Iowa families using their ESA funds for math instruction.

Eligibility

Eligibility requirements for the ESA in Iowa

Beginning with the 2025-26 school year and for each subsequent year, all Iowa resident K-12 students are eligible to participate in the Students First ESA program - regardless of family income.

Students must meet three requirements:

An Iowa resident
Enrolled in - and attending - a K-12 Iowa-accredited nonpublic school for the applicable school year
Have a parent or guardian who is an Iowa resident

Note — Iowa's ESA program is specifically designed for students attending accredited nonpublic schools. Homeschooled students cannot participate.

Application

How to apply for ESA in Iowa

Applications for ESA funds must be submitted through the Odyssey portal - Iowa's contracted ESA program administrator.

The application window for the 2026-27 school year opened on 16 April and closes at 11:59pm on 30 June 2026.

To apply, parents/guardians must:

Create an Odyssey ESA Portal account (returning applicants log in to their existing account)
Submit the Students First ESA application (only one application is needed per household - multiple students can be added under one application)
Provide their 2025 Iowa State Tax Return information to automatically verify Iowa residency through the Iowa Department of Revenue

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If automatic verification fails, additional documentation may be requested. This could include utility bills, lease agreements, or a signed narrative explaining the residency situation.

Applications that can be verified automatically receive a response within 30 minutes of completion. Applications requiring manual review require additional processing time.

Note — ESA funds are awarded per student. Every child must be added to the household application individually to receive their own scholarship.

Using Your Funds

How to spend ESA funds and what they can be spent on

For the 2026-27 school year, approved ESA students will receive $8,148 - equal to the per-pupil funding allocated to public school districts.

Funds are deposited in two installments, with 50% made available on July 15 for fall tuition and fees, and the remaining 50% following on December 1 for spring tuition and fees.

ESA funds must first be used to pay tuition and fees at an Iowa-accredited nonpublic school. After tuition and fees are paid each semester, any remaining funds may be used in the Odyssey Marketplace on eligible expenses.

Purchases with ESA funds can only be made through the Odyssey Marketplace. Any purchases made outside of the Odyssey Marketplace are ineligible and will not be reimbursed.

ESA funds can be spent on:

Tuition and fees at an Iowa-accredited nonpublic school (required first)
Tuition or fees for nonpublic online education programs
MyEdSpace (see more information below)
Textbooks
Curriculum fees and educational materials for a specific subject or grade level
Tutoring services
Educational therapies, cognitive skills training, vocational and life skills training (when provided by a vendor with credentials issued by the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners or other state-approved entity)
Educational software (such as Microsoft Office and Adobe products)
Laptops, desktops, and tablets
Standardized tests, AP examinations, and exams related to postsecondary admission or credentialing
Services and paraprofessionals for pupils with disabilities from an accredited provider

ESA funds cannot be spent on uniforms or clothing, transportation, food or drink, or disposable materials including paper, notebooks, pencils, pens, and art supplies.

All documentation related to purchases must be retained as accounts may be audited. Misuse of ESA funds can result in removal from the program and required repayment.

Unused ESA funds remaining at the end of one year are eligible to be used the following year, providing the student remains eligible.

MyEdSpace

How to use your ESA funds with MyEdSpace

Thanks to our expert teachers, world-class resources and proven record of success, MyEdSpace is a suitable option for Iowa families to spend their Students First Scholarship funds on math education.

Families can use their scholarship funds with MyEdSpace, to give their children access to top US teachers, via live, online math lessons. Plus all this:

Every live lesson is recorded and available to re-watch whenever and wherever, 24/7
Bespoke workbooks for every lesson
Targeted practice questions to reinforce knowledge
Step-by-step video explanations for every topic

How to use your Iowa Students First Scholarship funds with MyEdSpace — live online math classes with expert teachers

To use your funds with MyEdSpace, follow these simple steps:

1.Log in to your Odyssey Portal
2.Search "MyEdSpace" in the Odyssey Marketplace
3.Select MyEdSpace and authorize the payment

At that point Odyssey will work with us directly to process the transaction. Once processed, we'll email you your MyEdSpace login details. And, that's it.

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