Free Guide for Foster Youth
College Paperwork, Step by Step
Applications, financial aid forms and scholarship deadlines can feel like a second full-time job. This guide walks through each piece in order, with the foster-youth rules that work in your favor. No account or sign-up is needed for anything on this page.
The Six Steps
1. Pick Your Schools and Programs
Community college, a four-year school, trade or vocational programs — all of them can come with money for foster youth. Apply to more than one so you have options. Many schools waive application fees for foster youth; ask the admissions office before you pay anything.
2. Fill Out the FAFSA
The FAFSA is the free federal form that unlocks grants, work-study and loans. If you were in foster care at any point after turning 13, you usually answer “yes” to the foster care question and file as an independent student — which means no parent information is needed and you can qualify for more aid. In California, undocumented students use the CADAA instead.
3. Claim Foster-Youth Money
The Education and Training Voucher (ETV) pays up to $5,000 a year for college or trade school if you aged out or left care after 16, including after adoption or guardianship. Many states also waive tuition at public colleges for foster youth — ask your state agency or the school's financial aid office.
4. Apply for Scholarships
There are scholarships just for current and former foster youth, from national awards to small local funds. Deadlines pile up in the spring, so start early and reuse your essays.
5. Ask About Campus Support Programs
Many colleges have a foster-youth support program with a dedicated advisor, priority housing, year-round dorms and emergency money. Ask the financial aid office or search the school's website for “foster youth” before you enroll.
6. Watch the Deadlines
FAFSA opens each fall for the next school year, and state and school deadlines can be much earlier than the federal one. ETV and scholarship deadlines are separate. Put every date in your phone with a reminder two weeks before.
Free Help with the FAFSA
You do not have to figure out the forms alone. These are free and made for foster youth:
- Your caseworker or Independent Living program — ask them to sit with you while you file, and to confirm your foster care status in writing if a school asks for proof.
- The school's financial aid office — every college has one, and helping you is literally their job. Ask for the foster-youth liaison if the school has one.
- Free trainings and recorded webinars — John Burton Advocates for Youth posts step-by-step FAFSA and CADAA trainings for foster youth and the adults helping them.
Money Just for Foster Youth
Education and Training Voucher (ETV)
Up to $5,000 a year for college, trade or vocational programs if you aged out or left care after 16. You apply through your state's ETV office, not the school.
Open the ETV guideScholarships for Foster Youth
Our scholarships page lists awards that are only open to current and former foster youth, with deadlines and application links.
Browse foster-youth scholarshipsState Tuition Waivers
Many states waive tuition at public colleges for youth who were in foster care. The rules differ by state — ask your state child welfare agency or the school's financial aid office whether yours is one of them.
Find your state's education contactOne Sentence That Opens Doors
Anytime you talk to a college — admissions, financial aid, housing — say: “I was in foster care. What programs do you have for me?” Fee waivers, priority registration, year-round housing and emergency grants often exist but are not advertised. Asking is free.
Official Sources
Reviewed October 13, 2026. This is general information; schools and state programs make eligibility decisions.
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