How do I apply for a Pay it Forward Scholarship?

Complete the online application. Your most recently filed tax return must be attached to the application in order for the form to be successfully submitted.

What is the deadline to apply for a Pay it Forward Scholarship?

December 31st for the upcoming scholarship cycle (Example: December 31, 2024 for the 2025 Pay it Forward Scholarship)

How do I know if my child is approved for a Pay it Forward Scholarship?

Your child is automatically approved once you complete the online application process, as long as the information provided is accurate. Pay it Forward Scholarships will review and audit applications and contact parents if we have a question regarding your child’s eligibility or if information is missing from the application. We complete an enrollment verification process where applicant information is reviewed with the school prior to scholarship distribution. Parents should receive a confirmation email for each child for whom they submit a scholarship application.

How much of a scholarship will my child receive?

Your child will receive an equal distribution of any scholarship funds received by PIFS that are designated for your school.

Ex: If PIFS receives funds for ABC School and there are 10 approved students (including your child) who we verified are enrolled/enrolling at ABC School, we would divide those funds equally amongst the 10 students. If no funds are received for your child’s school, there are no funds to distribute. Scholarship funds vary from year to year. PIFS does not provide a guaranteed scholarship amount prior to our distribution. Scholarships are meant to be a help to parents who are sending their child to private school. It is a rare circumstance that PIFS provides a full-tuition scholarship.

How are Pay it Forward Scholarships distributed to the school?

Pay it Forward Scholarships partners with ClassWallet to distribute scholarship funds. Schools and parents of scholarship recipients create a ClassWallet account. Parents authorize the scholarship funds through ClassWallet before they are transferred to the school via ACH. Other available methods of distribution include checks and/or credit card transactions.

Does my child’s school have to do anything to receive the scholarship funds?

No. Pay it Forward Scholarships does all the scholarship administration! We ask the school to verify enrollment and eligibility status of students, then once the scholarships are distributed, and the parent authorizes the funds are sent to the school and the school credits your child’s account with the scholarship when it is received.

What if my school uses or promotes a different student scholarship organization?

No problem at all. We encourage parents to maximize their scholarship resources, just like college and layer scholarships from SSOs that have designated funds for the school. The Georgia Department of Education sets an annual cap of scholarship funds per child. Schools are not limited to receiving funds from only one SSO.

What if my child’s school says it won’t accept scholarships from other SSOs?

Just let them know that the Georgia Department of Education has ruled that your scholarship is your property and not the school’s. You don’t have to go through the school’s financial aid to receive a Pay it Forward Scholarship.

Do I have to reapply for my child to receive the scholarship each year?

Yes, you need to submit an updated application each year you wish for your child to receive a scholarship. Once your child is approved and receives a scholarship, he/she remains eligible for their entire school career, but Pay it Forward Scholarships must have an updated application on file each year.