DC Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP)

The DC Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP) is a federally funded private school voucher program that provides scholarships worth up to $7,500 to low-income students in Washington, DC, particularly those attending schools in need of improvement (SINI). The scholarships can be used to cover tuition, school fees, and transportation to participating private schools. Students are awarded scholarships through random lottery when there are more eligible applicants than available scholarships or open slots. Scholarships are renewable for up to five years as long as students remain eligible and maintain good academic standing. To be eligible, students must reside in DC and have family income at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty line. The program has been operated by the Washington Scholarship Fund (WSF) and has served over 8,400 applicants since 2004, with approximately 1,700 scholarship students supported annually.