Where do families apply for TEFA?
Families apply through the program's official site, educationfreedom.texas.gov (opens in a new tab), run by the Texas Comptroller. This site is an independent directory. It is not affiliated with the state or the program, and it cannot take or submit an application for you.
When does the 2027-28 TEFA application open?
The 2027-28 dates are not yet published. The official site shows only a 2027-28 interest list (opens in a new tab).
Applications for 2027-28 are projected to open around 3 Feb 2027; no official date was published when we checked. (source: educationfreedom.texas.gov, checked 29 Sep 2026) (opens in a new tab)
That date is an estimate based on one prior year. For 2026-27, family applications opened on February 4, 2026, as the Comptroller announced (opens in a new tab). The deadline was later extended to March 31, 2026 (opens in a new tab). The 2027-28 deadline is not yet published.
How much was a TEFA award in 2026-27?
The program set these amounts for the 2026-27 school year. Amounts for 2027-28 are not yet published.
- TEFA pays $10,474 a year (private-school award) in 2026-27. (source: educationfreedom.texas.gov, checked 29 Sep 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- TEFA pays $10,474 a year (pre-k or kindergarten program award) in 2026-27. (source: educationfreedom.texas.gov, checked 29 Sep 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- TEFA pays up to $30,000 a year (up to, for a student with a disability) in 2026-27. (source: educationfreedom.texas.gov, checked 29 Sep 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- TEFA pays $2,000 a year (homeschool / other award) in 2026-27. (source: educationfreedom.texas.gov, checked 29 Sep 2026) (opens in a new tab)
The program decides which award applies to each child. Check the official site for your own situation.
The pre-k award has its own rule. The program's website (opens in a new tab) says: "State law requires that TEFA Pre-Kindergarten applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for free public Pre-Kindergarten." (checked 29 Sep 2026). So a school's pre-k price shows no award figure on this site: whether a child qualifies depends on that rule, not on the school.
Do families already in TEFA need to apply again?
Under the rules in the Comptroller's November 25, 2025 release (opens in a new tab), returning participants do not reapply. The 2027-28 rules are not yet published; the next window is expected to be for new applicants and families on the waitlist.
What happens after you apply?
In 2026-27, the first round of award notices went out the week of April 20, 2026, as the Comptroller reported (opens in a new tab). A lottery (opens in a new tab) the week of April 27 set the order for the next round and the waitlist, and waitlist positions went out the week of May 11. Families had until July 15, 2026 to confirm enrollment. Under the adopted rules (opens in a new tab), accounts are first funded by July 1 of each year. The 2027-28 dates for these steps are not yet published; Tier 1 notices are PROJECTED for late April 2027.
What can you do before the window opens?
Use the time to look at schools. Build a shortlist of schools on this site, compare tuition and program status side by side, and see on each school's page what it may cost after a TEFA award where the school is on the official TEFA list.
Where do the dates on this page come from?
Dates link to their sources where shown, and the page footer shows the day we last checked them. Dates marked projected or expected are our estimate from past years, not a published date. The official site always has the final word.