Corporate scholarships are funding opportunities provided by businesses. They can be for students in certain fields, employees’ children, or tax-credit scholarships for families, including homeschoolers.
Research from the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) shows that homeschooled students typically score 15 to 25 percentile points higher than public school students on standardized academic achievement tests. As of 2024, 12 states have enacted universal or near-universal Education Savings Account (ESA) programs, with Arizona's program alone serving over 75,000 students — making state-funded homeschooling more accessible than ever (EdChoice, 2024).
What are corporate scholarships?
Corporate scholarships come from businesses, not from the government or schools. Some companies give scholarships to students in their areas or industries. Others focus on the children of their employees. There are also tax-credit scholarships. In this setup, companies donate to Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs) for tax credits, and the SGOs give scholarships to families, including homeschoolers. A new federal program starting in 2027 will make these scholarships more available.
Types of corporate scholarships
There are different types of corporate scholarships. Direct scholarships come from companies like Coca-Cola, Intel, and Chick-fil-A. They give money directly from their budgets to students who meet certain requirements. Employee-dependent scholarships, offered by companies like Home Depot and Chevron, are for employees' children, usually requiring a few years of work. Tax-credit scholarships are different; companies donate to SGOs and get tax credits for their donations. The SGOs then hand out scholarships to eligible families.
Tax-credit scholarships and homeschoolers
Currently, 21 states have tax-credit scholarship programs. These programs help families that earn under 300% of the area median income. Starting in 2027, a new federal program will let individual donors get dollar-for-dollar tax credits for donations to certified SGOs. Importantly, homeschoolers can use these funds. Eligible expenses include curriculum, books, tutoring, special needs services, testing fees, and educational software — not just private school tuition.
How to access corporate scholarships
First, check with your employer about scholarships for employees' children. Even if you think they don’t offer them, it’s worth asking HR. Some companies may extend benefits to retirees' kids too. For direct scholarships, look into Fortune 500 companies related to your child's interests. Use scholarship databases like Scholarships360 or Bold.org to find corporate programs. For tax-credit scholarships, find SGOs in your state. Remember, extracurricular activities matter. Show your child's involvement in community service or other activities if they don’t have a traditional school profile.
The bottom line
Corporate scholarships are a great funding option for homeschool families. Tax-credit programs are growing, and the 2027 federal initiative includes funds for homeschool expenses. If your employer has dependent scholarships, your homeschooled kids likely qualify. Look for companies that match your child's interests and build a strong extracurricular profile. The landscape is changing fast, and new funding opportunities are popping up all the time.
