The Eligible Services List (ESL) is the official guide USAC publishes every funding year describing exactly which products and services can be funded under E-Rate. It's organized into Category One (data transmission services and internet access), Category Two (internal connections, managed internal broadband services, and basic maintenance of internal connections), and a miscellaneous section.
How It Works
USAC publishes a new ESL for every funding year, with an archive going back to 1998, alongside an ESL glossary and FAQ (USAC: Eligible Services List). Only products or services used for educational purposes can be funded, and the exact eligibility conditions, including limitations on certain Category Two services, are spelled out entry by entry rather than as a single blanket rule.
Applicants are expected to review every ESL entry that applies to the specific products or services they're requesting, since eligibility language can shift between funding years even when the general category doesn't change. See our full eligibility guide for broader entity and service eligibility context beyond the ESL itself.
What This Means for You
Applicants
Check the current funding year's ESL before filing, not last year's memory of it. An entry's eligibility language or limitations can change even when the underlying product category stays the same.
Service Providers
Know which ESL entry your product or service actually falls under before quoting it as E-Rate eligible. A confident but wrong eligibility claim to an applicant creates review problems for both sides later.
We regularly see applicants reuse last year's ESL entry from memory instead of pulling up the current year's list, and get tripped up when a product's eligibility language shifted even slightly. The ESL is republished annually for a reason; treat it as a fresh document every funding year.
Common Questions About the Eligible Services List
How often is the ESL updated?
Every funding year. USAC publishes a new version, so always check the ESL for the specific funding year you're filing under.
What are the main sections of the ESL?
Category One, Category Two, and a miscellaneous section.
Does the ESL guarantee funding?
No. It only establishes what's potentially eligible. Actual funding still depends on filing an FRN and passing review.
Can eligibility change between funding years?
Yes. Specific entries, and their limitations, are republished annually and can shift even when the general category doesn't.
Where do I find past years' ESLs?
USAC maintains an archive of every ESL back to 1998 alongside the current year's list.
Informational only, not legal advice. E-Rate procedures and forms can change by funding year. Confirm current requirements in the applicable USAC and FCC guidance.