Education Freedom Scholarship Program

The Education Freedom Scholarship (EFS), or TN Voucher Program, began in 2025. Christian Academy of the Cumberlands participates in the program and accepts funds from the EFS program. The Tennessee State FAQ page is available here. You can also visit the Tennessee State EFS website for more information and to set up a new account.

At-A-Glance Information

  • How many scholarships are available? In 2026-27, 35,000 scholarships were awarded statewide, with 90 CAC students receiving a scholarship.

  • When does the application open and where can I find it? The 2027-28 application will open at tn.gov/education/efs in January 2027.

  • What do I need to apply? View the checklist of items needed to apply by clicking here.

  • Who is eligible? To be eligible, a student must be a resident of Tennessee who is entitled to attend a public school in any of the grades kindergarten through twelve (K-12) during the year for which the EFS would be used (2 documentations of proof required), a U.S. citizen or lawfully present in the United States as defined in the EFS rule, have completed fewer than 13 years of school in K-12 at the beginning of the school year. Pre-K students are not eligible.

  • Do we apply for each child in our family? Individual applications must be filed for each child in a family.

  • Do we reapply each year? Families must reapply each year for each child, but will be given priority for voucher awards.

  • I don’t think I’m eligible for need based scholarships–do I still apply? We encourage all CAC families to apply.

  • When will we know if we were awarded a scholarship? TDOE awarded 2026-27 scholarships in March, 2026. TDOE suggests that once a family submits an application, they check their email and EFS portal regularly for updates and notifications about their application. 

  • How can I be best prepared for the application process? Create an account on the EFS website. Ensure your email and password are properly working. Check your residency documents and ensure your name is the same on all documents (ex: Nick vs. Nicholas).

  • Does EFS cover the full cost of admission? Yes, for the 2026-2027 school year. The EFS scholarship amount for 2026-27 was $7,530.