Is the Georgia Promise Scholarship a voucher?
It works more like an education savings account than a voucher: the state deposits up to $6,500 a year into an Odyssey account that the parent directs. The money can pay a participating school's tuition, or cover tutoring, curriculum, therapy and approved supplies for a child in home study.
How do I know if my Atlanta address qualifies for Promise?
Find your zoned elementary, middle and high schools and compare them with the 2026-27 eligible list. 112 metro schools are on it, mostly in DeKalb County and Atlanta Public Schools. If any one of your child's zoned schools is listed, the zoning test is met.
Does income matter for the Promise Scholarship?
Only for spring entry and for tie-breaking. In fall windows income counts only if applicants outnumber funding, and then families at or below 400% of the federal poverty level go first. For spring, which is what the November 1-30, 2026 window feeds, only those households are considered.
How many metro students already use Promise?
In its first year statewide, 20,217 students applied between March and December 2025 and 7,744 qualified, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Preliminary counts from July 2025, reported by WSB-TV, put DeKalb County at 872 recipients, the largest number in that report.
What happens if my child's school isn't participating?
You can still choose it, but Promise can't pay it. You'd forfeit tuition payments and could spend the account only on other approved items. Ask the school whether it applied in the October 2026 window.
| What it is | What it isn't |
|---|---|
| An account for students zoned to listed schools | A universal voucher |
| Paid in four deposits of $1,625 | A lump sum in August |
What's the next step?
Take the two-minute funding check. A School Funding Advisor will check your address and your child against each program and send you the dates.