Homeschool benefits and savings in Miami-Dade County
Miami Dade College's American Dream Scholarship pays the in-state tuition and class fees that other aid leaves unpaid, for up to 60 credits toward an associate degree, worth up to $7,093.20 at MDC's resident rate. Homeschool graduates in Miami-Dade County qualify if they earn the diploma in the graduation window and meet minimum test scores; the Class of 2026 window ran May to July 2026, with a file deadline of August 31, 2026. Other options include transit fare savings.
Benefits in Miami-Dade County
- Miami Dade College American Dream Scholarship
- Miami-Dade transit assistance
- Miami Dade College home-school dual enrollment
Miami Dade College American Dream Scholarship
Who qualifies
Graduates in Miami-Dade County
Earn a standard high school diploma, GED, or home school diploma in Miami-Dade County during the graduation window (May to July 2026 for the Class of 2026), and live in the county.
Meets minimum test scores
Students without a GPA on their transcript, such as homeschoolers, must meet MDC's minimum scores on approved standardized tests taken within the last two years.
Files the FAFSA
Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) even if you do not expect federal aid, or use the Student Aid Index (SAI) calculator and upload the results if you cannot file.
Enrolls full time
Be admitted to MDC as a first-time college student and register for at least 12 credits in the first fall term.
What it is worth
- One class (3 credits)
- $354.66
- Minimum full-time term (12 credits)
- $1,418.64
- Fall and spring at 12 credits
- $2,837.28
- Scholarship limit (60 credits)
- $7,093.20
Failed courses and courses withdrawn after the 100% refund date count toward the 60-credit limit.
From applying to keeping it
- Senior year
Apply and file the FAFSA
Apply for admission to MDC, file the FAFSA, and send ACT or SAT scores to MDC, or take ACCUPLACER or the PERT through MDC Testing.
- May to July
Earn the diploma
Homeschooled students must earn the diploma within the graduation window that MDC sets for their class.
- By Aug. 31
Complete your file
MDC must have the transcript with the graduation date, qualifying test scores, the FAFSA, and a fall registration of at least 12 credits. There is no separate scholarship application.
- Each fall and spring
Stay full time
Register for at least 12 credits every fall and spring and keep working toward an associate degree. Summer courses are covered with no minimum credit load.
- End of each spring
Keep a 3.0 GPA
Hold a cumulative 3.00 GPA and file the FAFSA every year. A scholar who loses eligibility cannot be reinstated.
What it pays for
Covered
- In-state tuition
- Class fees
- Summer courses for continuing scholars
Not covered
- Cash payments to the student
- Out-of-state tuition costs
- Aviation and Culinary Arts special fees
- Bachelor's degree coursework
Who pays first
- Federal and state grants and financial aid
- Other scholarships
- American Dream Scholarship
It is last-dollar aid: MDC applies every other scholarship, grant, and aid first, then American Dream pays the remaining in-state tuition and fees.
Donors in the Greater Miami community, such as the Mitchell Wolfson Sr. Foundation, fund the scholarship, and MDC awards about $4 million a year.
Who to contact
The American Dream Scholarship office answers eligibility questions and recalculates awards when students change their credit load.
ADS@mdc.edu 305-237-8888 American Dream Scholarship page
Miami-Dade transit assistance
Who qualifies
Lives in Miami-Dade County
Show a Florida driver's license or Florida ID with a Miami-Dade County physical address.
Earns under $35,910 a year
Show last year's tax return (not self-prepared), an IRS tax transcript, or an IRS non-filing notice with a wage transcript, plus a month of pay stubs.
Has a Social Security card
New applicants and in-person renewals both need the Social Security card.
Applies while funds last
The Mobility EASY Card is a limited grant given first come, first served, and it ends when the money runs out.
What the fare saves
Miami-Dade's transit fare table lists what a rider pays without a free or discount card.
- Rides with a Mobility EASY Card
- Free
- Metrobus or Metrorail trip
- $2.25
- 1-Day Pass
- $5.65
- 7-Day Pass
- $29.25
- 1-Month Pass
- $112.50
Households earning $23,475 to $31,300 can instead apply for the Commuter-Reduced Fare at half price, and replacement Mobility cards cost $5, then $20, then $50.
How to get the card
- Before you go
Gather documents
Bring the Florida ID with your Miami-Dade address, your Social Security card, last year's tax return or IRS transcript, and one month of pay stubs.
- In person
Apply at the Golden Passport Office
Go to the first floor of the Stephen P. Clark Government Center, 111 NW 1st Street, Miami, Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For application help, call 786-469-5028.
- After approval
Ride free
The card covers Metrobus and Metrorail, and the expiration date is printed on it.
- Each year
Renew before it expires
Renew on or before the printed date by mail, email, or fax with copies of your documents and a signed application, or in person with your last card.
What it includes
Included
- Metrobus rides
- Metrorail rides
Not included
- Households at or above $35,910 a year
- Applications after the grant money runs out
- Replacement cards, which cost $5 to $50
Who to contact about reduced fares
Customer Service answers questions about the Mobility EASY Card, the K-12 Discount EASY Card, and other special pass programs.
786-469-5151 Transit passes and reduced fares
Miami Dade College home-school dual enrollment
Who qualifies
Enrolled in home education
Your student must be enrolled in the Florida Home Education Program and upload the Florida Home Education Enrollment Verification Letter with the test referral form.
Has college placement scores
Send SAT or ACT scores, or take the PERT or ACCUPLACER at MDC in person or remotely. Middle school students must pass all three sections.
Meets the GPA rule
MDC lists a 3.0 unweighted high school GPA for dual enrollment, but Florida law bars a high school GPA requirement for home education students who show college-level skills on placement tests. Every student must keep a 2.0 college GPA.
Signs the yearly agreement
File one Home School Articulation Agreement each academic year, then a Home School Dual Enrollment Program Form for each semester.
What it is worth
MDC charges Florida residents $118.22 per credit hour in tuition and fees for associate-level courses, and Florida Statute 1009.25 exempts dual-enrollment students from tuition and fees, including lab fees.
- One class (3 hours)
- $354.66
- Two classes (6 hours)
- $709.32
- Full-time term (12 hours)
- $1,418.64
- Assigned course materials
- Free
MDC's home school pages do not state the cost to families themselves, so confirm with the Dual Enrollment coordinator that your student will not be billed.
From applying to keeping it
- Step 1
Apply for admission
Submit the Dual Enrollment admission application, receive an MDC ID number, and activate the student account.
- Steps 2 and 3
Send the referral form and scores
Submit the Home School Dual Enrollment and Test Referral Form with the verification letter, then provide SAT, ACT, PERT, or ACCUPLACER scores.
- Step 4
Sign the packet
After scores are verified, MDC emails the Home School Dual Enrollment Packet through Adobe Sign. Your student completes sections I and III of the program form and signs section II.
- Steps 5 and 6
Registration and books
An MDC Dual Enrollment coordinator registers your student for the chosen classes and emails a confirmation, and course material instructions arrive at the MDC email address.
- Each semester
File the program form
Within the same academic year, submit only a new Home School Dual Enrollment Program Form for each later semester.
What it pays for
Covered
- Tuition and fees, including lab fees
- Assigned course materials
- Shark Pack digital materials for eligible courses
Not covered
- Courses not approved on the program form
- Students who are not in the Florida Home Education Program
Who to contact
MDC directs home school families to the district Homeschool Department, 489 East Drive, Miami Springs, for home education enrollment questions, and lists campus Dual Enrollment coordinators on its contact page.
305-883-5310 MDC Dual Enrollment contacts
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Florida
You must file the initial written notice with the county superintendent within 30 days of starting. You must file a termination notice and the annual evaluation within 30 days of ending the program.
Florida sets these rules:
- Subjects: Parent-directed instruction; Florida law does not prescribe a specific curriculum for a home education program.
- Testing: Provide an annual educational evaluation using one statutory method; a portfolio review is one option, and an alternate method requires agreement with the district superintendent.
- Records: Keep a portfolio with an activities log made as instruction occurs, reading-material titles, and work samples. Preserve it for two years and make it available for inspection on 15 days’ written notice.
- Teachers: Florida does not require a teaching certificate or degree to homeschool your own child.
Florida also has two education savings accounts that home-educated students can use.
- The Personalized Education Program funds a Florida K-12 student's approved education costs through a scholarship organization, with income and priority rules. It is separate from registering a home education program with your district.
- The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities funds approved education and disability costs for a student with a qualifying disability, including one in a registered home education program. The award depends on the disability and its services.
Read the Florida homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Florida
Questions parents ask
- Can a homeschool graduate get the American Dream Scholarship?
- Yes. MDC accepts a home school diploma earned in Miami-Dade County. Because a home school transcript usually has no GPA, your student qualifies through minimum test scores and must earn the diploma in the graduation window.
- My student graduates in 2027. Can we plan on the American Dream Scholarship?
- Not yet. MDC's page lists only the Class of 2026 rules, which closed on August 31, 2026, so ask the American Dream office for Class of 2027 dates, since each class has its own graduation window and deadline.
- Does homeschooling qualify our family for free or reduced transit?
- Not by itself. The Mobility EASY Card and Commuter-Reduced Fare depend on household income, and the applicant must have a Florida ID with a Miami-Dade address and a Social Security card.
- Can my homeschooled child get the K-12 Discount EASY Card?
- Not clearly. The county lists the half-price K-12 card for public, charter, and private school students and asks for proof of enrollment and a student ID, so call Customer Service at 786-469-5151 before applying.
- Can a homeschooled child take MDC classes through dual enrollment?
- Yes. MDC says students in grades 6-12 who are enrolled in public, participating private and charter, or home school are eligible. A home school student must first be enrolled in the Florida Home Education Program.
- What if my student's scores are not ready for MDC classes yet?
- MDC's College Connect courses let a high school student with a 2.5 unweighted GPA take up to 12 credits before showing college readiness in reading, writing, and math.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
College classes can cover part of high school. We teach the subjects your child needs alongside them, starting at the right level in each subject.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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