FES-UA replaced the McKay and Gardiner scholarships. Instead of paying one school, it loads an account the parent directs — so a Hillsborough family can split it between a private school, an outside speech-language pathologist and a reading tutor.
Eligibility rests on documentation, not income: a diagnosis from a licensed physician or psychologist (or a qualifying professional acting under one), or an existing IEP. Specific learning disability, speech impairment, autism spectrum disorder and language impairment are the categories Hillsborough private schools report serving most often.
143 Hillsborough private schools are listed as FES-UA participants in the state directory, and 102 tell the state exactly which disability categories they serve. Each school page reproduces that list so you can match a diagnosis before you call.
New 2026-27 FES-UA applications close November 15, 2026. A student holds either FES-UA or the standard Private School Scholarship, not both; families switching programs use the published switching windows.
How to stack it
Unique Abilities Scholarship (FES-UA) can usually be combined with school-based tuition assistance and at least one other source on this site. Complete the funding check and an advisor will map the full stack for your child.