English Composition 1
Self-paced online English Composition 1 course (ENG 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →ArizonaHomeschool
Can Arizona ESA funds pay for college-level courses in high school?
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
Yes. A.R.S. 15-2402 lists tuition or fees for a nonpublic online learning program, and tuition or fees at an eligible postsecondary institution, among the allowed ESA costs. A high schooler can use ESA money for college-level courses, as long as the family keeps records and follows ADE's current rules.
The two lines in the law that matter
Subsection B(4) of A.R.S. 15-2402 lists what ESA money may pay for. Two items cover college-level study in high school.
Paragraph (f) covers a nonpublic online learning program: self-paced online courses from a private provider. Paragraph (h) covers tuition or fees at an eligible postsecondary institution, which is how families pay for dual enrolment or a university's own online courses. Paragraph (i) adds textbooks such a school requires.
- (e) Curricula and supplementary materials
- (f) Tuition or fees for a nonpublic online learning program
- (h) Tuition or fees at an eligible postsecondary institution
- (i) Textbooks required by an eligible postsecondary institution
Paying UPI Study from an ESA
UPI Study is an approved vendor for the Arizona ESA. Families pay through ClassWallet, which they open from the ESA portal, and keep the invoice for their records.
The homeschool plan is a one-time purchase for the family, which keeps the ESA paperwork to a single invoice rather than a monthly charge.
Which courses make sense in high school
Pick courses that do double duty: they fill a high school requirement now and match a general education slot most degrees ask for later.
| High school need | College-level course | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|
| English 11 or 12 | English Composition 1 | Nearly every degree asks for it |
| Math after Algebra II | College Algebra or Statistics | Common general education math |
| American history | US History 1 | Fits a history or social science slot |
| Elective | Introduction to Psychology | Popular social science choice |
What the ESA does not settle
The ESA decides what you may spend on. It does not decide which college will give credit for a course. Each college makes that choice when it reviews a transcript.
UPI Study courses carry ACE or NCCRS recommendations. Partner colleges such as TESU and UoPeople consider that kind of credit and can place it on their own transcript. Before you count a course towards a degree, ask the college your student plans to attend, in writing, whether it would consider that transcript.
A sample junior and senior year
A homeschool student who finishes Algebra II by the end of tenth grade can take College Algebra and English Composition 1 in the autumn of eleventh grade, then US History 1 and Introduction to Psychology in the spring. Twelfth grade can add English Composition 2 and Principles of Statistics. That is six college-level courses across two years, each one also filling a line on the high school transcript.
Keep the pace realistic. One or two college-level courses at a time, alongside the rest of the high school plan, is enough for most students, and a strong grade matters more than a long list.
- Grade 11 autumn: College Algebra, English Composition 1
- Grade 11 spring: US History 1, Introduction to Psychology
- Grade 12: English Composition 2, Principles of Statistics
Keep the records ADE may ask for
ADE reviews ESA spending, and allowable expense rules have been under debate for 2026-27. Keep the invoice, the course description and your student's final grade together, so any purchase can be explained in a few minutes. Record each course on your homeschool transcript as soon as it is finished.
- Invoice and ClassWallet receipt
- Course description or syllabus
- Final grade and completion date
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask the college your student plans to attend, in writing, whether it would consider the courses via a college transcript before counting on them for a degree.
UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. ACE and NCCRS review our courses and recommend credit; a college decides whether to give that credit and records it on its own transcript.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
Questions people ask
Is a self-paced online course an allowed Arizona ESA cost?
A.R.S. 15-2402(B)(4)(f) allows tuition or fees for a nonpublic online learning program. A self-paced online course from a private provider fits that description. Check ADE's current guidance for your account before buying, and keep the invoice.
Can ESA money pay for dual enrolment at a community college?
Paragraph (h) of A.R.S. 15-2402(B)(4) allows tuition or fees at an eligible postsecondary institution, and (i) allows required textbooks. Ask the college and ADE how payment works for your student, since the process depends on the school.
Does the ESA decide if a college gives credit?
No. The ESA only covers the cost. Each college decides what credit it gives when it reviews a transcript, so ask the college your student plans to attend in writing before counting on a course.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
College Algebra
Self-paced online College Algebra course (Math 111). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
US History 1
Self-paced online US History 1 course (HIST 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →Start when you have it in writing
How to pay UPI Study through ClassWallet, step by step.
Sources
- Arizona Revised Statutes 15-2402: Arizona empowerment scholarship accounts; uses (official)Subsection B(4) allowed uses include (e) curricula, (f) tuition or fees for a nonpublic online learning program, (h) tuition or fees at an eligible postsecondary institution and (i) required textbooks; subsection K keeps the account open after graduation while funds are used each year, and closes it after four consecutive years without postsecondary enrolment. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Arizona Department of Education: ESA ClassWallet page (official)Families enter ClassWallet through the ESA Applicant Portal to spend ESA funds (azed.gov blocks automated checks; wording from the archived copy recorded on 10 Jul 2026). Checked on 15 Nov 2026.