Homeschool reimbursement and benefits in Wyoming
2 statewide programs in Wyoming offer education services or help with specific costs. Eligibility and deadlines differ; check the program for your child's age and enrollment route.
Wyoming Hathaway Scholarship for homeschool graduates
Wyoming homeschool graduates can receive $2,360, $1,770, or $1,180 per full-time semester for eligible Wyoming college study beginning fall 2026, depending on their Hathaway tier. Apply through the college before your 21st birthday and meet the homeschool curriculum and testing requirements; part-time enrollment receives less.
Eligibility and program rules
Graduate from a Wyoming homeschool
Meet college-determined Wyoming residency and homeschool eligibility.
Complete the success curriculum
Finish the tier’s Hathaway Success Curriculum and submit standardized testing; homeschool eligibility has separate requirements.
Apply before age 21
Start the scholarship within the homeschool graduate deadline.
Meet college admission separately
Qualifying for Hathaway does not itself admit your student to college.
Can a part-time student receive it?
Yes. At least six regular-semester credits are needed, with prorated awards for six through eleven credits.
Does scholarship eligibility guarantee UW admission?
No. UW explicitly separates admission from scholarship qualification.
What it is worth
UW publishes the higher rates effective fall 2026.
- Honors
- $2,360
- Performance
- $1,770
- Opportunity
- $1,180
- Provisional
- $1,180
- Honors at six credits
- $1,180
Need-based supplements and lower enrollment can change the total; ask your college for the exact offer.
From applying to keeping it
- While homeschooled
Plan curriculum and tests
Use the homeschool tier requirements and retain records.
- Before the 21st birthday
Apply to an eligible college
UW reviews new students for Hathaway when they apply for admission; follow a community college’s own process if attending there.
- Beginning fall 2026
Receive the higher award
The new semester rates apply to incoming students and current recipients.
- Each later college year
Maintain renewal standards
Keep required GPA, credits, and continuous enrollment.
- Within six years after initiation
Use remaining eligibility
The overall benefit is up to eight full-time semesters or 96 equivalent credits, subject to tier rules.
What it pays for
Covered
- Eligible University of Wyoming study
- Eligible Wyoming community-college study
- Possible need-based aid after FAFSA review
Not covered
- K-12 curriculum funding
- Initial UW use of the Provisional tier before required community-college completion
- Regular semester enrollment below six credits
Who to contact
Ask your chosen college about the homeschool tier, award review, and renewal.
sfs@uwyo.edu 307-766-2116 Read Hathaway awards and enrollment rules
Wyoming Education Savings Account
Wyoming’s Education Savings Account offers eligible nonpublic students $7,000 annually for approved education expenses, including curriculum for learning at home. The 2026-27 application period closed August 6, 2026; the state is distributing funds after an injunction was lifted, while the underlying legal case continues.
Eligibility and program rules
Live in Wyoming
The child must be a Wyoming resident aged 4 and in pre-K through grade 12.
Avoid public-school enrollment
Students enrolled in public school do not qualify for the account.
Check the pre-K income rule
Pre-K families must be at or below 250% of federal poverty guidelines.
Provide core instruction and assessment
The state requires core-subject instruction and assessment through a state or nationally norm-referenced test.
Can we claim costs from the entire 2025-26 year?
No. Lifting the injunction was not retroactive. Previously approved eligible students may roll over only the listed fourth-quarter $1,750 allocation.
Can we ask for reimbursement?
Yes, in the stated categories: approved curriculum, eligible student admission fees, commercial transportation, and internet fees. Other purchases use the marketplace rules.
Did returning families have to apply again?
Yes. The 2026-27 application verifies eligibility, with prior information prepopulated for families still enrolled.
From applying to keeping it
- By August 6, 2026
Applications closed
The state closed the 2026-27 application period.
- Early September 2026
First-quarter deposit
The published disbursement schedule begins in early September.
- Early November 2026
Second-quarter deposit
Eligible participants receive the next quarterly payment.
- Early February and early May 2027
Later deposits
The remaining 2026-27 installments follow the published schedule.
- For a future application cycle
Join update notices
The state offers email notifications; no next-cycle opening is published on the page.
What it pays for
Covered
- Approved curriculum and textbooks
- Eligible tutoring and educational therapies
- Eligible educational technology
- Nongovernmental online learning
- Commercial transportation to education service providers
- Approved internet-fee reimbursements
Not covered
- Unrestricted family cash
- Public-school enrollment
- Full reimbursement of the blocked 2025-26 year
Who to contact
Ask about application status, eligible purchases, and the next application announcement.
wde-esa@wyo.gov 307-823-0212 Read current ESA status and spending rules
Local help in Wyoming
The local programs we have checked across the state cover transportation, recreation, grants and scholarships, college and dual credit, museums and arts, testing and assessments, school services, library resources, sports and activities, 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
To withdraw a child under 18, a parent, guardian, or other responsible person must meet in person with a school counselor or administrator and give written consent. This does not apply if the district was already told the child will enroll in another district, a private school, or a home-based program. Since July 1, 2025, families no longer submit curriculum to the district.
- Subjects: Provide a sequentially progressive curriculum in reading, writing, mathematics, civics, history, literature, and science.
- Testing: Wyoming does not require a statewide standardized test for homeschoolers.
- Records: No routine state portfolio filing is required; keep the withdrawal record and evidence of subject coverage.
- Teachers: No state homeschool-parent credential is required.
Read the Wyoming homeschooling guide
Questions parents ask
- Can we apply for a Hathaway scholarship for 2026-27 college study?
- Yes, within the homeschool age limit and your college’s admission and award procedures.
- Are the higher Hathaway amounts effective now?
- Yes. UW says the increase applies beginning fall 2026 to new and current recipients.
- Can a child learning at home qualify for the Wyoming ESA?
- Yes. Eligible nonpublic students can use approved curriculum and online learning, while meeting instruction and assessment rules.
- Is the Wyoming ESA currently operating?
- Yes. The state says the injunction was lifted and funds can be distributed, although the constitutional case continues.
- Can I use these benefits to pay for TheHomeschoolingCompany?
- Only if Wyoming Education Savings Account accepts it as an eligible expense, so ask before you buy. We are not an approved vendor for it.
- Can the award be used outside Wyoming?
- No. This scholarship serves UW and Wyoming community colleges under its eligibility rules.
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.