English Composition 2
Self-paced online English Composition 2 course (ENG 102). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
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What to do with unused Arizona ESA funds before graduation
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
Unused Arizona ESA funds stay in the account after high school graduation while the family keeps using some of it for allowed costs each year. Under A.R.S. 15-2402(K), the account closes after four consecutive years without enrolment in an eligible postsecondary institution, and what is left returns to the state.
What the law says
Subsection K of A.R.S. 15-2402 deals with the account after high school. It does not close at graduation. It stays open as long as the account holder keeps using part of the money for allowed expenses each year.
It closes after any period of four consecutive years after graduation in which the student is not enrolled in an eligible postsecondary institution. When it closes, any money left goes back to the state.
- Graduation alone does not close the account.
- Using part of the money for allowed costs each year keeps it open.
- Four consecutive years without postsecondary enrolment closes it.
A second way an account can close
The law also covers families who stop renewing. Under subsection H, if a parent does not renew for three academic years, the department gives notice and closes the account after 60 calendar days, and the money returns to the state. Check renewal dates every year.
Good uses in the last two years of high school
Money spent on courses that may later count towards a degree carries forward in a way that a one-off purchase does not. The law allows a nonpublic online learning program and tuition at an eligible postsecondary institution, so college-level courses are a natural fit for juniors and seniors.
| Goal | Course to consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Get general education done early | English Composition 1 and 2 | Nearly every degree asks for both |
| Math for most degrees | Principles of Statistics | Often required outside STEM |
| Explore a major | Introduction to Psychology or Sociology | Low-risk taste of a field |
| Science foundation | Biology 1 | Useful for health and science paths |
After graduation
If your student enrols at an eligible postsecondary institution, the law allows tuition, fees and required textbooks there. If they take a gap year, keep using part of the account for allowed costs each year so it stays open, and keep records of each purchase.
UPI Study is an approved vendor for the Arizona ESA, and a family plan bought before graduation keeps working afterwards for any course in the catalogue.
Turning courses into college credit
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 transcript. Ask the college your student plans to attend, in writing, whether it would consider that transcript before you rely on it.
A simple year-by-year checklist
Families who plan the final years of an ESA calmly tend to use the money well. Write the dates down once and check them every school year.
- Every year: renew the ESA on time and check the award in the portal.
- Grade 11: start one or two college-level courses that fit the high school plan.
- Grade 12: finish general education courses and keep invoices and grades together.
- After graduation: use part of the account for allowed costs each year, or enrol at an eligible postsecondary institution.
- Before four years pass without enrolment: plan the remaining spending, because the account will close.
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
Do Arizona ESA funds disappear when my child graduates?
No. Under A.R.S. 15-2402(K) the account stays open after graduation while some of the money is used for allowed costs each year. It closes after four consecutive years without enrolment in an eligible postsecondary institution, and money left returns to the state.
Can we keep leftover ESA money?
No. ESA money is for allowed education costs only. When the account closes, the law returns the remaining money to the state, so plan purchases that help your student's next step.
What if we forget to renew the ESA?
Under A.R.S. 15-2402(H), if a parent does not renew for three academic years, the department gives notice and closes the account after 60 calendar days, returning the money to the state. Renew on time each year.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
Principles of Statistics
Self-paced online Principles of Statistics course (Statistics 101). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Intro to Biology 1
Self-paced online Intro to Biology 1 course (Biology 100). ACE and NCCRS recommend 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.