Unlocking Educational Opportunities: Understanding ACE Scholarships in Montana
Every child deserves a great education, and ACE Scholarships is committed to helping lower-income parents provide that opportunity to their children. In Montana, ACE Scholarships offer a pathway for students to access private education, providing financial assistance to families who qualify. This article delves into the eligibility guidelines, application process, and impact of ACE Scholarships in Montana, providing a comprehensive overview for parents and supporters alike.
What are ACE Scholarships?
ACE Scholarships was founded in Colorado in 2000 to provide these low-income parents with school choice for their families through partial scholarships to K-12 private schools. ACE serves children whose families qualify for the federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program and the median income for our ACE families is $32,000 a year. Since launching in Montana in 2012, ACE Scholarships has awarded close to 9,000 scholarships allowing families to send their kids to schools that are right for them.
Eligibility Guidelines for Montana ACE Scholarships
To receive an ACE scholarship in Montana, families must meet specific eligibility guidelines. While the exact criteria may vary, some general requirements include:
- Income-Based: ACE scholarships are income based and limited to $2-3,000 annually for grades 1st through 8th grade. ACE serves children whose families qualify for the federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program.
- Grade Level: In addition, please note that to be eligible for a scholarship, children must be entering grades K-8 (certain partner programs require that children be entering K-5 or K-6), and in most cases, new scholarships are only awarded to children coming from public school or entering Kindergarten.
- Age Requirement: Children must also be 5 years old by the beginning of the school year for which they have been awarded a scholarship. Exceptions can be made for children who are at least four and a half years old if the school confirms that they have been accepted into the regular Kindergarten class and are expected to enter first grade the following academic year.
- Residency: Applicants must be residents of Montana.
It's important to consult the official ACE Scholarships website or contact their Montana office for the most up-to-date and detailed eligibility requirements.
How to Apply for an ACE Scholarship in Montana
The application process for ACE Scholarships is managed through the ACE portal. Here's a general outline of the steps involved:
Read also: Funding Your Education at MSU Bozeman
- Inquire: Inquire prior to April 15th in order to get the link to apply for the following school year.
- Application Availability: Applications are available in the Spring and usually open beginning March 1st through April 15th.
- Complete the Application: Parents must complete the online application form, providing all required information accurately.
- Submit Financial Documentation: Families will need to submit financial documentation to verify their income and household size. Follow the steps for FACTS Grant & Aid and ACE. February: We begin accepting applications for the Kalispell Montessori SSO Scholarship through FACTS for the following school year. As soon as FACTS has received all of your financial information and verified any submitted documents, they will notify us of a suggested award amount.
- Deadlines: Scholarships are generally awarded on a first-come, first-served basis so the earlier you complete your application, the better chance you will have of receiving a scholarship.
- Reapplication: Applicants for all awarded ACE recipients need to reapply annually to confirm their intent to continue to utilize the award in subsequent years but do not need to requalify based upon income.
Scholarship Amounts and Coverage
ACE scholarship amounts vary by state. Scholarships typically cover between 75 percent to 25 percent of tuition, depending on each family’s income and household size, although details vary by partner program. The maximum scholarship cap varies from city to city, and nationally the average award is around $2,568 in 2025-26 (the average award in New York City is $2,757). MVCA staff can help you with the application. An ACE Scholarship will pay up to 50% of private school tuition, or a maximum of $2,000 per year for grades K-8 and $3,000 per year for high school. The families are responsible for working out a payment plan with the school for the remainder of the tuition.
Partner Schools in Montana
ACE Scholarships has established partnerships with 67 partner schools throughout the state. These schools are committed to providing quality education to ACE scholars. Examples of schools that may partner with ACE Scholarships include:
- Elite School, over $20,000 tuition.
- Kalispell Montessori.
It is advisable to check with ACE Scholarships for a comprehensive list of partner schools in Montana.
The Impact of ACE Scholarships in Montana
Since launching in Montana in 2012, ACE Montana Families have accepted more than 11,450 scholarships totaling over $24.9 million. During the 2025/26 school year, 1,048 scholarships were delivered and the demand continues.
And the results are amazing, with a 92% graduation rate among ACE Scholarship recipients in Montana and 74% of Montana’s 2015 ACE graduates directly enrolling into college.
Read also: Scholarship Requirements and Opportunities
For Sadie’s mother, school choice means hope. It means her daughter’s future isn’t limited by their zip code or financial situation. It’s the freedom to choose a school that sees her, supports her, and helps her grow into the best version of herself.
Additional Scholarship Opportunities in Montana
Parents in Montana are able to apply for scholarship funds from MT Student Scholarship Organizations (SSO), which each have varying eligibility criteria and application processes. To apply, parents must apply directly with SSOs. Parents may apply to any, and as many, SSOs of their choice.
Parents may apply for scholarship funds with Best Beginnings and with Student Scholarship Organizations to help cover the cost of tuition at MCMS.
Here are some other scholarship opportunities available in Montana:
- Best Beginnings Child Care Scholarships (BBCCS): The Early Childhood Services Bureau (ECSB) offers Best Beginnings child care scholarships (BBCCS) to qualified low-income families whose child receives care from a licensed child care center, licensed group or family child care home, or Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) child care provider. Each family participates in the cost of that care by making a copayment based on a sliding fee scale.
- Kalispell Montessori SSO Scholarship: February: We begin accepting applications for the Kalispell Montessori SSO Scholarship through FACTS for the following school year. As soon as FACTS has received all of your financial information and verified any submitted documents, they will notify us of a suggested award amount. There is no closing date for this scholarship, but we cannot make an award decision until all information has been received. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible as our funding can be used up if we have a large number of applicants.
- St. Nicholas Scholarship: The purpose of the St. Nicholas Scholarship is to provide temporary financial assistance to currently enrolled families who are unable to meet their tuition obligation to the school, and who would otherwise be forced to leave our community or decrease the days of attendance for their child(ren). This application is for a single month of partial or full financial support from the St. Nicholas Scholarship Fund. If your family requires more than one month of assistance, please reapply each month. Only families who have been with our community for a minimum of 3 months and have a currently enrolled child will be considered for this scholarship. There is a 3 month limit on financial awards per year, per family. Awards typically cover 50% of monthly tuition but may vary based on funding available and number of eligible applicants. All information contained in this application is considered strictly confidential. This is an equal opportunity scholarship.
- Luke 12 Scholarship: Luke 12 Scholarships are privately funded scholarships by donors who believe strongly in Christian education and are for needy families who believe in Christian education but may not be able to afford to send their children to MVCA. We use FACTS Grant and Aid to determine your family’s eligibility for a 50 percent scholarship. This provides an accurate, unbiased way of determining which students receive awards and how much each of those awards should total. FACTS Grant & Aid Assessment securely collects families’ financial data through an online application and review of your family tax returns for the previous year. It is completely confidential. MVCA staff can help you with the process.
Supporting ACE Scholarships in Montana
For those inclined to make a difference and fortify our Montana community, this program is a no-brainer. Eighty-six percent of every donation to ACE directly funds a child’s scholarship, and the taxpayer receives a 100% state income tax credit, if eligible, through the Montana Tax Credit for Qualified Education Contributions for this donation.
Read also: Montana Student Scholarships
Qualified participants can contribute up to $1,700, at no cost to you, and help change a student’s life through educational opportunity.
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