Parent Resource Center
Student Qualifications
The Utah state law governing the CSOS program requires that CFEF verify each applicant’s eligibility in key areas. The scholarship application will request a variety of information from the parent or guardian that must verify eligibility for a scholarship and determine the amount of a scholarship. The criteria below will
Scholarship Awards
Utah state law allows Children First Education Fund to award a full-year scholarship award to qualified applicants up to the following amounts based upon the weighted pupil unit (WPU) as defined by the state as the amount established each year in the enacted public education budget. Scholarship awards are distributed
2026-27 Scholarship Award Amounts
Scholarship award for students in kindergarten through grade 12: $10,000 Scholarship award for Pre-school Students Full-Time = $4,800 Part-Time = $2,600 Sibling Scholarships The sibling scholarship previously available for siblings without a disability is no longer available. The 2026 legislature removed this option from the CSOS statute. Siblings without
Children First Education Fund Application Guide
The CFEF application is required annually from all new applicants, all continuing students, and all students switching from the legacy Carson Smith program. Scholarship applications can be found at this link. Please adhere to the schedule posted below. CFEF will accept applications for the CSOS program after the closing dates
What is the Carson Smith Scholarship Opportunity Program?
History The Utah state legislature passed original legislation in 2019 called the Special Needs Opportunity Scholarship program and updated this legislation in 2024 by merging the program with the legacy Carson Smith Scholarship program. The new program is called the Carson Smith Opportunity Scholarship (CSOS). The legislation requires that a
Reimbursement of Funds
PRIVATE SCHOOL STUDENTS The CFEF platform allows qualifying schools to upload invoices for tuition and fees for attending scholarship students. Private school tuition payments will be made via a secure ACH process directly to qualifying schools on behalf of scholarship students as follows: A scholarship award of $9,348 will be