Reimbursements

Important note for New Worlds Scholarship Families: As a result of House Bill 1361 from the 2024 Florida legislative session, reimbursements for program purchases will be eliminated after the 2023-24 school year. New Worlds families must submit requests for reimbursements of items or services purchased between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024 with all necessary documents by Sept. 30, 2024 . Please visit the New Worlds Scholarship Handbook for more information.

Making Educational
Spending Easier

We are pleased to announce that reimbursement services will now be managed through the family's EMA account, replacing the U.S. Bank Focus Cards. Renewal FES-UA students remain unaffected, continuing with the legacy system for now.

*Please read below for more information if you are a family with funds on a U.S. Bank Focus Card.

Families seeking a reimbursement can select from one of the following payment methods:

Direct Bank Transfer
Securely deposit funds directly into your bank account via an ACH transfer.

Check
If you prefer a more traditional approach, you can select to have a check mailed to the address in your EMA profile.

PayPal®: Opt for PayPal®, a widely used and trusted online payment platform, to receive your reimbursement with ease. Note: By selecting this method, families may be subject to receiving a 1099-K form. Click here to learn more.

Factors to Consider

Direct Bank Transfer

Once a reimbursement request is approved, Step Up will initiate the transfer of funds which will be electronically transferred into the families’ bank account ten business days later. This option requires a bank account and is convenient for families who prefer an automated process.

Check

A check will be mailed roughly one week after the reimbursement request is approved by Step Up. This option may be preferred by those who are more comfortable with traditional transactions and/or families who do not have a bank account.

PayPal®

After the reimbursement request has been approved, transactions often occur within 10 business days. However, it may take additional time to transfer funds from a PayPal® account to a bank account or a credit/debit card. Paypal® is also widely accepted on various websites, and it allows for quick peer-to-peer transfers.

Note: By selecting this method, families may be subject to receiving a 1099-K form. Click here to learn more. Step Up is not able to provide tax advice. For additional questions related to the 1099-K form, please speak with a tax professional.

Selecting Your Preferred Payment Method

Families who intend to submit reimbursement requests will need to log in to their EMA account to select their preferred payment method before submitting a reimbursement.

  1. Log in to your EMA Account
  2. Click on the “Profile” icon in the top right corner of the dashboard
  3. Select "Edit Profile"
  4. Scroll down to the “Payment Method” section and click on "Manage"
    If you need to change your address, please do so in your EMA parent profile then return to the Payment Method screen.
  5. Select “Next” and choose your payment method from the dropdown menu
    The fields will vary based on the payment method selection. Please ensure all details are accurate before submitting.
  6. Save Changes
    Save the changes to update your profile. You will see a green box confirming your “Payment Method Connected.” You are now ready to submit a reimbursement.
  7. It may take up to 12 hours for this change to be reflected in your EMA account. If you continue to see the "Payment Method Needs Attention" message after updating your payment method, please log out, open a new window and log back in.