More than 40,000 new Opportunity Scholarship applications were submitted during the priority application period this year, according to new data from the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA).

Opportunity Scholarships, which are awarded to help cover the costs of tuition and fees at private schools, have received a lot of attention over the past two years. In 2023, the General Assembly expanded eligibility for the program to all North Carolina families, regardless of household income. After funding for the program proved insufficient to cover all of the 72,000 new applications that were received, in 2024, the General Assembly appropriated more funding for the roughly 55,000 who remained on the waitlist.

The data show not only that there is sustained demand for the program but also that the lowest-income families are still being prioritized.

Opportunity Scholarship recipients by tier, FY 2024–25

According to a March 6 presentation by Stephen Bailey of the General Assembly’s Fiscal Research Division, 79,775 recipients had been awarded Opportunity Scholarships for FY 2024–25.

Source: North Carolina General Assembly

The plurality of recipients came from the lowest-income tier, showing that the program continues to prioritize families with the greatest financial need.

According to the Fiscal Research Division’s presentation, recipients were split fairly evenly among Tiers 1 through 3, while the fewest number of recipients were in Tier 4 (the highest-income tier):

  • Tier 1 (29.7 percent)
  • Tier 2 (27.8 percent)
  • Tier 3 (28.1 percent)
  • Tier 4 (14.3 percent)

Strong demand during 2025–26 priority application period

According to the NCSEAA, which administers the Opportunity Scholarship program, the total number of applications received during the 2025–26 priority application period was 40,089. The award tier with the greatest number of recipients was Tier 1.

Source: NCSEAA

The significant number of new applications received shows sustained demand for the program.

According to the NCSEAA, although the priority application window for 2025–26 is closed, the portal is still accepting applications, which will be addressed if funding remains following renewals and priority applications.