Every family in Florida can open the door to a private education.
If you need a little help, or a lot of help, we are here to help.
Applying for additional funding for your student to attend RBCS can seem intimidating and overwhelming. We want to help you understand the details as you navigate the options.
Our goal is to make private Christian school affordable for your family.
Making Rocky Affordable
Watch: Making Rocky Affordable
Scheduling a tour is the best way to know the particular options for funding, scholarships, and financial assistance that fit your specific needs. Families must apply for the most applicable option below before receiving in house RBCS tuition assistance.
Apply early. Tuition Assistance is determined on an annual basis. Deadlines may apply.
Every Florida resident is eligible for Universal School Choice. We recommend that you apply for any and all options that may apply to your students. Application must be made online annually at www.stepupforstudents.org.
Scholarships for Florida Residents
If you are a resident of the State of Florida, your student is eligible for Universal School Choice. According to the county you reside in, around $7,000.00 or more is available for each student every year from Kindergarten through 12th grade to offset tuition expenses for private schooling.
Step Up for Students is the umbrella program for several different types of funding.
Click here to apply for your state funded scholarship.
Quick facts:
- Available to Florida residents, regardless of household income, who are eligible to attend a K-12 public school.*
- The scholarship will first pay for the cost of private school tuition and related fees or public school transportation.
- $7,800 average amount awarded for private school scholarships for the 2023-24 school year
- $750 minimum awarded for transportation scholarships
- Florida students who are not full-time private nor full-time public school students now have access to the Personalized Education Program (PEP) through the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program.
*Priority will be given to families whose household income is 400% of poverty or below as outlined in the income priority guidelines.
- Applications are processed in the order they are received (including all supporting documentation).
- Award amounts are based on the student’s grade level and county.
- Renewal students have first priority for programs.
- Scholarships can be transferred to other eligible schools if the student moves within the state, or simply wants to attend a different participating private school.
- Scholarship payments for private school tuition and fees are sent electronically to the school in which the enrolled child is attending on a quarterly basis. Scholarship payments must be approved by the parent/guardian prior to dissemination of payments.
- Tuition Assistance for children entering 3 or 4 year old Kindergarten is limited to those with special needs. Students entering K5 through 12th grade are eligible (Students entering K5 must be 5 on or before Sept. 1 and students entering 1st grade must be 6 on or before Sept. 1).
No state funded scholarship options may be combined.
Please log onto your Step Up For Students account and check your Application Status often. Award letters must be promptly turned in to the RBCS Business Office.
Click here to apply & for income guidelines, FAQ’s, deadlines, and more.
Scholarships for Students with Special Needs
Personalize the education of your child with unique abilities. This scholarship is delivered as an education savings account (ESA) that you can direct toward a combination of programs and approved providers. This includes schools, therapists, specialists, curriculum, technology, a college savings account and more.
Step Up for Students is the umbrella program for several different types of funding.
Click Here to Apply for the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Unique Abilities
Who Is Eligible?
Students from age 3 through grade 12 or age 22, whichever comes first, who have a specific diagnosis.
- Anaphylaxis
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Being a high-risk child
- Cerebral Palsy
- Down syndrome
- Emotional or a behavioral disability
- Hearing impairment, including deafness
- Hospital or homebound
- Identification as dual sensory impaired
- Intellectual disability
- Language impairment
- Muscular dystrophy
- Orthopedic impairment
- Other health impairment
- Phelan-McDermid syndrome
- Prader-Willi syndrome
- Rare diseases
- Specific learning disability
- Speech impairment
- Spina bifida
- Traumatic brain injury
- Visual impairment, including blindness
- Williams syndrome
Amount varies according to grade, county of residence and disability.
View the Scholarship Application Checklist >
View scholarship award amounts ›
No state funded scholarship options may be combined.
Please log onto your Step Up For Students account and check your Application Status often. Award letters must be promptly turned in to the RBCS Business Office.
Click here to apply & for income guidelines, FAQ’s, deadlines, and more.
RBCS Tuition Assistance
Enrollment Fees must be paid to the Business Office before your RBCS or Ministerial application will be assessed.
RBCS In House Tuition Assistance Process
Who qualifies?
- Families must be active members of a Trinitarian church.
- Families must obtain an annual referral from their pastor.
- Families must apply for a Step Up for Students scholarship before receiving in house financial aid.
- New students must have an active application and be in the Admission Process while applying for aid.
- Families with multiple enrolled children or single parent households are more eligible.
New families may apply for Tuition Assistance at the same time they are applying for admittance to RBCS. Tuition Assistance decisions are only made after a student has completed the enrollment process, including a family interview, and been accepted.
Annual application must be made for returning families.
- Apply for a scholarship at www.stepupforstudents.org. This approval process can take 2-6 weeks.
- Complete the RBCS Financial Aid Application.
- Complete the FACTS Grant & Aid Application at www.online.factsmgt.com. There is a $40 FACTS fee per family associated with this application. Financial Aid applicants are subject to an independent evaluation by the FACTS Grant & Aid Assessment organization before going to the RBCS Financial Aid Committee for final determination.
- Submit the Pastoral Reference form. Parents must regularly attend and be a member of a local Christian, Trinitarian church to be eligible for RBCS aid.
- Complete enrollment for your child(ren). A student must be Accepted or Reenrolled. This includes payment of enrollment and capital improvement fees or the Reenrollment fee.
Ministerial Scholarship
In recognition of the value of those men and women in a full-time vocational Trinitarian ministry who work to advance the Kingdom of God, RBCS provides this scholarship to enable such persons to obtain a Christian education for their children.
Minister must be the legal guardian of the child(ren) living in their home. Vocational ministers are not necessarily senior pastors, but could fill such full-time roles as associate pastor, youth pastor, children’s pastor, missionary, etc.
- The maximum benefit of this scholarship is 50% of the base tuition due for a family (discount may be less for Special Programs offered at RBCS). This scholarship is applied after all other scholarships and/or financial aid.
Ministerial Scholarship Application
529 Savings Plan Your 529 Savings Plan can be used to pay for private school tuition. Click here to find out how.
A parentally placed private school student with a disability does not have an individual right to receive some or all of the special education and related services that the student would receive if enrolled in a public school under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
RBCS admits students of any race, color, national, and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.