Use this page like a troubleshooting map
Most families do not need more generic scholarship advice. They need the one guide that matches the exact step where the packet is getting messy: a receipt that does not prove payment, a provider invoice that leaves out student details, a claim that went on hold, or a purchase that may need pre-authorization before money is spent. This resource hub groups the guides by job so you can move straight to the right fix.
The guides here are written to stay close to the current handbook language and the real document checks families run into in EMA. They are also meant to work together. A strong reimbursement packet usually depends on several pieces lining up at once: the receipt, the proof of payment, the chosen category, the provider details, and any category-specific support documents.
Fastest path: if you are not sure where to begin, start with the proof-of-payment guide, the reimbursement guide for your scholarship track, and the invoice requirements page. Those three pages answer most of the document questions that lead to holds and denials.
Start with the packet basics
These guides help when you are still building the packet and want to make sure the purchase, payment proof, and scholarship track all line up before submission.
FES-UA proof of payment
Accepted payment proof, what does not count, and how to avoid amount, date, and paid-status mismatches.
FES-UAFES-UA reimbursement guide
What to gather before submission, how to think about categories, and where packet quality usually breaks down.
FES-EOFES-EO reimbursement guide
Receipt, payment, and category basics for private-school scholarship families using reimbursement.
When a claim is already stuck
Use these pages when the reimbursement is on hold, denied, or just feels vulnerable because one detail still does not match across documents.
FES-UA claim on hold or denied
What to check first, what an appeal actually looks like, and when a clean resubmission is the smarter move.
ChecklistTop FES-UA reimbursement mistakes
The repeat document misses that often turn a normal packet into a longer review cycle.
DocumentsStep Up provider invoice requirements
What invoices, receipts, and service records should show before you upload them in EMA.
Before you buy or upload
These guides are useful when the question comes earlier in the workflow: whether you should use MyScholarShop or reimbursement, whether an item may need pre-authorization, or how to clean up documents without oversharing sensitive data.
FES-UA pre-authorization letter
What a student-specific request should explain before you buy an item or submit a pre-authorization.
MarketplaceMyScholarShop vs reimbursement
Choose the simpler path for each purchase and understand which rules still matter either way.
PrivacyPrivate receipt scanner
Why local OCR, local PII scanning, and permanent redaction matter when family documents include children or payment data.
Quick answers before you open EMA
Which guide should I open first? Start with the document that is hardest to replace. If the problem is payment proof, begin there. If the provider invoice is vague, fix that next. If the item may need pre-authorization, answer that question before spending more time polishing the packet.
Do I need every guide for every claim? No. Most packets only need two or three of these pages. The point of the hub is to help you find the shortest path to a packet that is consistent, complete, and easier for a reviewer to approve.
How should these guides work with the app? Use the resource pages to understand the document rule, then use SunshineClaimBuddy to compare receipts, proof of payment, extracted text, and category choices before submission. The content tells you what matters; the app helps you catch whether your actual packet shows it clearly.
Official sources to verify
Use the current Step Up purchasing guides and FAQ help center as the final source of truth when a reimbursement rule, deadline, or category requirement matters to a live submission.
Step Up purchasing guides Step Up FAQ help center