Learn More About North Carolina’s K12 Scholarships

Enlightium Academy is a direct payment school for North Carolina’s ESA+ and Opportunity Scholarships, collectively known as K12 Scholarships.

• K12 Scholarship funds can be used to offset or cover required tuition and fees at direct payment schools, including Enlightium Academy. This includes:
  • Partially or fully covering the tuition for the Online Program.
  • Partially or fully covering the tuition for the Book-Based Program. Opportunity Scholarship funds may not be used to cover the cost of print materials for the Book-Based Program at this time.
  • Partially cover the tuition for the Enlightium Prep Online Program.
• Opportunity Scholarship recipients may receive between $3,000 and $7,000 per year, depending on household income. ESA+ recipients may receive $9,000 or more, depending on specific eligibility criteria.
  • Funding amounts may vary from year to year. The amounts given here are based on the published award amounts for the 2026-2027 school year. Enlightium Academy cannot guarantee specific award amounts.
• Families will need to apply annually. Deadlines for applications and enrollment can be found on the North Carolina Education Assistance Authority website.
• What are your next steps?
  • Learn more at k12.ncseaa.edu.
  • Apply for the Opportunity Scholarship or ESA+ Scholarship, or find the next application window.
  • Enroll your student at Enlightium Academy and complete the admissions process.

• The Opportunity Scholarship is generally available to students entering grades K-12 and residing in North Carolina.
  • In order to receive funds, Opportunity Scholarship students must attend a direct payment school (such as Enlightium Academy).
  • The ESA+ scholarship is designated for students who have a disability and are eligible for special education services. An IEP Eligibility Determination from a North Carolina public school must be submitted as part of the ESA+ application process.
• Annual Assessment:K12 Scholarship recipients in grades 3-12 are required to take a nationally norm-referenced test. Students in 11th grade are required to take the ACT.
  • Enlightium Academy administers the Iowa Complete to students in grades K-8 annually.
  • Per NCSEAA requirements, Enlightium will arrange for the administration of required assessments to all K12 scholarship recipients attending Enlightium Academy and submit test scores to SEAA annually.
• Regular Participation:Enlightium Academy is required to notify NCSEAA if students do not attend classes or submit assignments for ten consecutive school days. These students will be considered withdrawn by NCSEAA.
  • Enlightium Academy is also required to notify NCSEAA if students are officially withdrawn from Enlightium for any reason.
  • The NCSEAA may require a refund of scholarship funds for withdrawn students. In some cases, this may result in an outstanding balance for the student. The primary parent on the account is responsible for any amounts not covered by the scholarship.

• Offset the cost of tuition or pay off your tuition entirely.
• Note: Any amount not covered by the student’s scholarship is the responsibility of the primary parent on the account. Optional add-ons, such as summer extensions or credit overages, may not be covered by scholarships. Enlightium cannot guarantee specific award amounts.

How do I use my scholarship funds at Enlightium Academy?
If you have been awarded an Opportunity Scholarship or ESA+ Scholarship, you will need to select Enlightium Academy as your student’s school in MyPortal. An Enlightium representative will then be able to certify your enrollment for the NCSEAA.

After your student’s enrollment is certified, you will need to endorse payments to Enlightium in MyPortal once for the fall semester and once for the spring semester.

How will I know when my student’s enrollment has been certified, or when payments have been endorsed or received?
Enlightium Academy will notify the primary parent on the account when enrollments are certified and when payments are endorsed. We will also send a notification via email when payments are received from the NCSEAA for your student.

Will my tuition be scheduled differently if I use a K12 scholarship?
Payments expected from the NCSEAA will be scheduled in two installments, one per semester, to accommodate the NCSEAA payment schedule. For any expenses that are not covered by the scholarship, payments will be scheduled in accordance with your preferences and Enlightium Academy’s billing policies.

• Visit the NCSEAA website.
• Post questions in the North Carolina group in the Enlightium Parents app.
• Contact Enlightium’s Billing Department at billing@enlightiumacademy.com.