Homeschool reimbursement and benefits in Ohio
2 statewide programs in Ohio offer education services or help with specific costs. Eligibility and deadlines differ; check the program for your child's age and enrollment route.
Ohio Home School Expenses Credit
Ohio’s nonrefundable homeschool credit reduces state income tax by up to $250 for each qualifying dependent student, limited by your eligible expenses and tax liability. Claim eligible expenses on the return for the year you paid them; you need Ohio tax to offset, rather than a scholarship application.
Eligibility and program rules
Have a qualifying dependent
Your dependent must be exempt from compulsory attendance for home education under Ohio law.
Pay eligible expenses
Use books, supplies, software, applications, supplementary materials, or subscriptions directly for that student’s home education.
Have Ohio tax to offset
The credit is nonrefundable and cannot exceed the tax available to reduce.
Can subscriptions qualify?
Yes. The statute includes subscriptions used directly for home education.
What if my claim is denied?
Respond to the tax notice. Keep receipts and supply any records the department requests; the statute requires supporting information when requested.
What it is worth
Examples apply the statute’s expense and per-student limits before the tax-liability limit.
- One student; $100 eligible expenses
- $100
- One student; $500 eligible expenses
- $250
- Two students; $600 eligible expenses
- $500
Actual credit can be lower if you do not have enough Ohio income-tax liability.
From applying to keeping it
- During the expense year
Keep records
Retain receipts showing qualifying homeschool purchases.
- April 15, 2026
2025 deadline passed
The state’s published deadline for the 2025 income-tax return was April 15.
- When preparing your return
Calculate the credit
Use the lesser of eligible expenses or $250 times your qualifying student count, subject to available tax liability.
- If the department asks
Support the claim
Provide requested records; state law disallows the credit if required support is not supplied.
What it pays for
Covered
- Books and supplementary materials
- Supplies
- Educational software and applications
- Homeschool subscriptions
Not covered
- Computers and electronic devices
- Device accessories
- Credit beyond available Ohio tax liability
Who to contact
Contact taxpayer assistance about the return year, credit calculation, or a notice.
1-800-282-1780 Read Ohio filing instructions
Ohio College Credit Plus for home-educated students
Ohio can cover public-college tuition for home-educated students in grades 7 through 12 who receive College Credit Plus funding; you still buy textbooks. The spring 2027 funding window runs September 1 through November 1, 2026, at 5 p.m., so families who missed April can still apply.
Eligibility and program rules
Get college admission
Apply to participating colleges and obtain an acceptance letter.
Document home education
Upload the superintendent’s homeschool acknowledgement for the current or 2026-27 school year.
Apply as the parent
Create a parent OH|ID account and submit the funding application, including each college acceptance letter.
Are textbooks covered?
No. The homeschool family is responsible for textbooks.
Does college admission guarantee funding?
No. Admission and the state funding application are separate steps. Wait for the funding award before registering based on free tuition.
Can we choose a private college?
Yes, if it participates. The department warns that private-college credit may involve additional charges.
What it is worth
The department distinguishes funded public-college courses from private-college courses.
- Public college; awarded funding
- $0
- Participating private college
- Additional charges may apply
Textbooks remain your responsibility in either route.
From applying to keeping it
- September 1 to November 1, 2026, at 5 p.m.
Apply for spring
Use the spring funding window if you missed the full-year April 1 deadline.
- By December 6, 2026
Read your funding award
Check the funding application in your OH|ID account.
- After your award
Register for classes
Use the awarded funding to register for approved college courses.
- Before spring 2027 classes
Budget for books
Buy textbooks and ask any private college about additional charges.
What it pays for
Covered
- Public-college tuition for awarded courses
- Simultaneous high-school and college credit
Not covered
- Textbook purchases
- Private-college charges beyond funding
Who to contact
Ask the department about funding applications and the college about admission.
ccp@education.ohio.gov Read homeschool application steps
Local help in Ohio
The local programs we have checked across the state cover college and dual credit, library resources, recreation, sports and activities, testing and assessments, school services, and other services. Each local program sets its own rules for who qualifies. Search your ZIP code to see the ones that serve your address.
The state's homeschool rules
You must notify the resident district superintendent within five calendar days after beginning home education, moving into a district, or withdrawing from school, and notify annually by August 30.
- Subjects: Provide instruction in English language arts, mathematics, science, history, government, and social studies.
- Testing: Ohio's current home-education law does not require an annual standardized test or academic assessment filing.
- Records: Keep copies of each notice and the superintendent's acknowledgment; the state does not require a routine portfolio submission.
- Teachers: Ohio's current home-education statute does not impose the former diploma-or-supervision requirement.
Read the Ohio homeschooling guide
Questions parents ask
- Is Ohio's homeschool credit $250 per family or per child?
- Per qualifying child. The 2025 change replaced the $250-per-return limit with $250 multiplied by the number of qualifying students.
- Is Ohio's homeschool credit a cash refund?
- No. It reduces Ohio income tax; it cannot create a refund beyond the tax you otherwise owe.
- Can we still apply for College Credit Plus funding for 2026-27?
- Yes, for spring 2027. Submit the funding application by November 1, 2026, at 5 p.m.
- Is College Credit Plus funding paid to us?
- No. An award covers eligible college tuition; it is not a family allotment.
- Can I use these benefits to pay for TheHomeschoolingCompany?
- It depends on Ohio's expense rules. Before you claim Ohio Home School Expenses Credit, check that a curriculum subscription qualifies, and keep the receipts. We have not found an education savings account in Ohio that is open to homeschooled students.
- Can a computer qualify?
- No. Computers, similar electronic devices, and accessories are specifically excluded.
Put eligible funds toward the teaching
Choose a curriculum that teaches the courses and grades the work. Check your program’s purchasing rules before using funds to pay for it.
$149/month per child after the trial.