If your family uses an Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Account, you may be able to use it for something many parents don't realize is an option: real college courses, taken while your student is still in high school.
The short answer
Yes, in many cases. Arizona law lists "tuition or fees at an eligible postsecondary institution" among the approved uses of ESA funds (A.R.S. 15-2402). That can include Arizona State University courses taken in high school, such as ASU's online college courses. ESA rules also allow funds for tutoring and teaching services, which can cover coaching from an approved vendor.
The Arizona Department of Education reviews expenses for whether they're "reasonably related to an educational purpose," so it's always worth confirming the details for your student's account with the ESA program before you buy.
What a college course costs through ASU
ASU's online college courses are real ASU courses that anyone can take online. There's no application or GPA minimum. The costs are:
$25 to start a course
$400 to add the course to an official ASU transcript, paid only if your student is happy with their grade
That's $425 for a 3-credit college course, compared with about $2,250 for a comparable course at a public university.
How payment usually works
Course fees: ASU fees fall under postsecondary tuition and fees. Ask the ESA program how they want you to pay them for your account (for example, through ClassWallet or by reimbursement), and keep every receipt.
Coaching or tutoring: If the provider is an approved ClassWallet vendor, you can pay directly through ClassWallet. Caveat Academic Services is an approved ClassWallet vendor.
Is it a good use of ESA funds?
A college course is one of the few ESA purchases that leaves your student with something permanent: credit on a college transcript that can reduce what you pay for college later. It works best when your student is ready for college-level reading and writing and has a plan for which courses will count at the colleges they're considering. Our free parent guide has a readiness checklist you can go through with your student.
Questions to ask before you spend
Does my student's ESA account allow this expense, and what documentation do I need?
Will the colleges my student is considering accept the credit?
Who will check in with my student each week so the course gets finished?
Want help with this? We'll walk you through which courses fit your student and how ESA payment works, on a free 20-minute call. Book a free consultation.
Caveat Academic Services provides independent college preparation services and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Arizona State University or the Arizona Department of Education. This article is general information, not legal or financial advice; confirm current ESA rules with the ESA program.
