Driver's ed may be free
Ohio's Drive to Succeed scholarship pays for driver training for qualifying families in Marion, Bucyrus, Mt. Gilead, and surrounding counties. Elite Driving School is a registered provider. If your household receives SNAP, Medicaid, WIC, or Summer EBT, it's worth five minutes to find out.
What the scholarship is
Drive to Succeed is a scholarship program run by the Ohio Traffic Safety Office. The State of Ohio has committed $6 million to it, expected to fund more than 10,000 students across all 88 counties.
The scholarship covers the 24 hours of classroom education and 8 hours of behind-the-wheel training required to get a license. That's exactly the course a driver under 21 needs in Ohio, and exactly what we teach.
The program is funded through June 2027, and scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
Scholarship eligibility and awards are determined by the Ohio Traffic Safety Office and its regional Educational Service Centers, not by Elite Driving School.
Who qualifies
To be eligible for the current round, a student must:
- Be between 15½ and 20 years old
- Hold a valid Ohio temporary permit
- Show financial need: proof that the household qualified for SNAP, Medicaid, WIC, or Summer EBT (SunBucks) within the past 12 months
- Not have already begun driver training
If the student is under 18, a parent or guardian also completes a short orientation course as part of the process.
Apply before you enroll. Students who have already started driver training aren't eligible. If you think you might qualify, apply for the scholarship first through your regional ESC (see below). Do this before starting lessons with us or anyone else.
How to apply
Four steps, from checking eligibility to getting on the schedule.
Check that you qualify
Gather proof of SNAP, Medicaid, WIC, or SunBucks eligibility dated within the last 12 months, and the student's Ohio temporary permit.
Apply through your regional Educational Service Center
Ohio splits the state into four regions, each run by a different Educational Service Center. Apply to the one that covers your county. See the table below.
Select Elite Driving School as your provider
Once you're approved, you'll pick an approved driving school from the state's list. That's us. We serve students across Crawford, Marion, Morrow, Richland, Seneca, Wyandot, Huron, Knox, Delaware, Hardin, and Union counties. In-car training is available at our Marion, Mt. Gilead, and Bucyrus locations.
Take your classroom hours, then call to get scheduled
Your regional ESC will direct you to an approved option for the 24 classroom hours: online, or in person with us in Bucyrus. Either way, your 8 hours of behind-the-wheel training happen with Elite. Just make sure Elite Driving School is selected as your provider when you register. Then call 740-725-9990 and we'll get your in-car training on the calendar.
Which region do I apply through?
Ohio splits the state into four regions, each run by a different Educational Service Center. You apply to the one that covers the county you live in. For most of the families we work with, that's North Central Ohio ESC.
| If you live in | Apply through |
|---|---|
| Marion, Crawford, Morrow, Wyandot, Union, Richland, Huron, or Seneca | North Central Ohio ESC ncoesc.my.canva.site/drivetosucceed |
| Delaware or Hardin | Midwest Regional ESC drivetosucceed.org |
| Knox | East Central Ohio ESC drivetosucceed.org |
The full county list for all four regions is on the state's Drive to Succeed page. Not sure, or live near a county line? Call us at 740-725-9990. We work with this program regularly and can point you to the right place.
What families ask us
Is there a deadline?
There's no single published deadline, but the funding is finite and awarded first come, first served. The current round runs through June 2027. Applying sooner is better than applying later.
What if we don't qualify?
Our under-21 course is $450 for the 8 hours of in-car training, and the 24-hour classroom portion can be taken online or in person in Bucyrus. See Classes for the details, or call us and we'll walk you through the options.
Does the scholarship cover the road test?
The scholarship covers driver training: the classroom hours and behind-the-wheel hours. Permit and license fees at the BMV are separate. Our FAQ covers what the BMV requires.
My student already has their temps. Is that a problem?
No. A valid temporary permit is required to apply. What disqualifies a student is having already started driver training. Having the permit already is exactly where you want to be.
We're 18, 19, or 20. Does this apply to us?
Yes. The scholarship covers students up to age 20, and since 2025 Ohio requires driver's education for first-time licensees aged 18 to 20. If that's you, this program was expanded with you in mind.
Ready to get started?
Apply through your regional ESC using the table above, select Elite Driving School as your provider, then give us a call and we'll get your in-car training scheduled.