Find your Step Up account. Understand what it's telling you.
You applied. Now the dashboard says a word you've never seen, or you can't get in at all. This page is the one to bookmark — every status decoded, every dead end, and the exact number to call.
What this page covers
Log in to EMA
apply.stepupforstudents.org — the official portal where you applied. Same login for every one of your children.
Open the official portal Step 2Decode your status
Draft, On Hold, Complete, Funded — what each one actually means and which ones need you to do something today.
Read the decoder Step 3Spend it well
Funded? Find schools and approved providers near you who work with scholarship families.
Find providers"I can't even get into my account"
Forgot your username or password
Use the Forgot Username and Forgot Password links on the EMA sign-in screen. They're on the login page itself — you don't need to call anyone for this.
Locked out by two-factor
Only the Primary Parent on the account can request a multi-factor (MFA) reset. If you're the second parent on the account, the primary has to make that call.
You're not sure you ever finished applying
Log in and look for a status of Draft. A draft was never submitted — it holds no place in line and will not be reviewed. This catches more families than any other single thing.
Wrong email on the account
Check every address your household uses, including spam folders, before assuming nothing was sent. Then call support to correct it.
The official support line
Step Up For Students · Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. ET. Allow up to 48 hours for a reply by email. This is the right number for status questions, holds, and login help.
What every EMA status actually means
These are the status labels Step Up For Students uses. Applications generally move through them in this order.
In plain terms the journey is: submitted → under review → approved (Complete) → award accepted → funded. Status labels verified against stepupforstudents.org on July 5, 2026. Always confirm current details in your own account.
"Where is my money?"
Scholarship dollars are released to accounts on a quarterly schedule during the school year — roughly one deposit per quarter, not the whole award at once. So an application marked Complete can be entirely healthy while your balance still looks small.
Exact deposit dates are posted each year inside your EMA account and on the Step Up website. Always read this year's dates there rather than trusting last year's — they move.
And the step families miss most often: accepting your award is separate from applying. If you were approved but never accepted, nothing funds.
Three ways the money gets spent
MyScholarShop
The built-in marketplace inside your account. You buy, the money comes straight out of the balance.
Pre-approved providers
Tutors, therapists, coaches and programs set up to bill the scholarship directly. Find them here →
Reimbursement
You pay first, then submit the receipt. Some categories need pre-authorization before you buy.
Approved categories and pre-authorization rules change. Confirm current rules in the official purchasing guide before you spend.
Nobody should ever charge you to check your status
- You never pay a fee to check status or to "speed up" an application.
- Step Up For Students will never ask for your account password or banking details by phone, text, or email. Its real email comes from @sufs.org.
- Using a third-party service to log in to your account violates their user agreement. Only use apply.stepupforstudents.org and the official phone number.
- We are an independent guide. We will never ask for your EMA login, and we could not use it if you gave it to us.
We'll email you the deadlines that actually matter
The next application window, the renewal cut-off, and the quarterly funding dates — sent when they're close, not a newsletter.
No spam, no selling your address, unsubscribe anytime.