The parent’s walkthrough
How to use your Step Up scholarship, every click
Direct pay means you never pay up front and never wait to be paid back — the scholarship pays the provider, and the provider invoices the state. Here is the whole thing, like a recipe, with Teddy Dupay Basketball Academy in Tampa as the live example.
Prefer to watch? Coach Teddy walks the whole thing in 90 seconds — or watch it on YouTube. The written steps are below.
!How direct pay works
You reserve the funds. The scholarship sends the money. The provider invoices the state — not you.
1Log in to your EMA account
Same login you used to apply for the scholarship. Open EMA →
2Click Marketplace on the left-hand menu
It appears once you are logged in.
3Click Find Providers
That is the door to every approved direct-pay provider in Florida.
4Choose your student
The dropdown lists your enrolled students — pick which child this is for.
5Search the provider’s FULL name
The search only answers to the full name — a short name finds nothing. Our example: copy the name below and paste it in.
6Tap the provider, then choose the location
For our example, tap Teddy Dupay Basketball Academy and choose the Tampa location on West Kennedy Blvd.
7Pick the service that matches
Same service, same price you agreed on with the provider. Quantity is 1. Ask them if you are unsure.
8Add to Cart, then Reserve Funds
That’s the whole thing. The scholarship sends the funds to the provider, and the provider invoices the state after your child attends.
✓What happens next
The provider confirms by email, your child attends, and the provider bills the state. You never touch a card.
Hold your spot first — no card.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I spend Step Up scholarship money?
Any provider approved for direct pay in the EMA Marketplace — sports academies, tutors, music teachers, therapists and more. Log in to EMA, click Marketplace, then Find Providers, and search the provider by their full name. Teddy Dupay Basketball Academy in Tampa is a fully approved provider: camps, leagues, classes, memberships and private lessons all qualify.
Do I pay anything up front with direct pay?
No. You reserve the funds in EMA and the scholarship pays the provider directly — the provider invoices the state after your child attends. You never pay and wait to be paid back.
Who accepts Step Up For Students for basketball in Tampa?
Teddy Dupay Basketball Academy accepts Step Up For Students and PEP on every program and invoices the state directly. In the provider search, use the full name — Teddy Dupay Basketball Academy.
What if I cannot find the provider in the search?
Use their full legal name — short names and abbreviations find nothing. Still stuck? For Teddy Dupay Basketball Academy, text (813) 518-8739 and a real coach will walk you through it.
Questions about the scholarship side? Text (813) 518-8739 — a real coach answers.