Last verified: October 2026
Can an Orange County family pay for industry certifications & career training with scholarship funds?
Certification exam fees, pre-apprenticeship tuition and career-interest assessments are authorized.
Industry certifications & career training: which program pays?
The three programs handle this purchase in different ways.
| Status | How the rule reads | |
|---|---|---|
| Unique Abilities (FES-UA) | Eligible | Authorized costs: pre-apprenticeship tuition (age 16 and up), transition and job-coach transition services, and the fees for industry certification exams. |
| PEP (home-directed ESA) | Eligible | Industry certification exams and pre-apprenticeship programs qualify. |
| Private School Scholarship (FTC/FES-EO) | Eligible from leftover funds after tuition | Payable from leftover funds. |
What rules apply to industry certifications & career training purchases?
- Transition services and job coaching are available only under FES-UA.
What is not allowed for industry certifications & career training?
- Commercial-grade tools and equipment
How does this work in Orange County?
A certification track fits neatly with a part-week hybrid schedule, because the lower tuition leaves more of the grades 9-12 award to spend on the course itself.
How do I buy it?
Begin in MyScholarShop, where every listed item already has approval. Next, search the EMA provider directory for tutors, therapists and instructors who can be paid directly. If neither works, buy the item, save an itemized receipt and file for reimbursement. Anything the guide does not name as eligible needs a pre-authorization request before purchase, and the 2026-27 window for those runs until May 28, 2027.
Related questions
- What else can the scholarship buy under high school & career?
- How much is the Orange County award?
- Which programs can my child use?
- Can funds pay for dual enrollment & college credit?
Build my child's spending plan →
Sources: the 2026-27 Step Up For Students purchasing guides for FES-UA, PEP and the Private School Scholarship. These are summaries and not legal advice; your scholarship funding organization's handbook governs.