Educational Opportunities for Youth in care
If you live in Illinois and you have been in DCFS or foster care, the state provides extra resources to help fund your college education. Do you think you’re ready? Check out this helpful checklist from Foster Progress.
Foster Progress also provides several fact sheets on funds that you as a DCFS youth may be eligible for to help with college expenses that you can’t apply for through the FAFSA. Click here for more information: Financial Aid for Foster Youth in Illinois: DCFS Programs
Keep in mind that every year Illinois gives 53 scholarships to students who are or were in DCFS care, in order to cover the cost of tuition and fees for all Illinois community colleges and some state universities. Check out this DCFS document for more information about the program and how to apply. You might also be eligible for the Tuition and Fee waiver program. This program will cover tuition and fees for Illinois public universities or in-district community college, for 5 consecutive years.
For tips on filling out the FAFSA as a foster care or adopted youth, check out this video by StephiRaye. She takes you step by step on filling out the FAFSA correctly as a youth in care.
Some schools will also meet demonstrated financial need without the need for loans. What does that mean? It means that if you were accepted into these schools, they would cover your tuition through grants, not loans. You can find a list of schools and information about demonstrated financial need here. It is important to work with a trusted support person, including your caseworker, to make sure you are clear on what if anything you may need to pay for.
The Education and Training Voucher (ETV) is also available for students who have been in foster care. This is a national program that gives you $5,000 to cover the cost of education expenses at public colleges, public universities, and technical schools. Eligibility requirements may vary state-to-state, so make sure you’re looking up information for your area. For Illinois students, you can find more information and fill out the application in this helpful document.
Youth in Care may also qualify for the Youth in College/Vocational Training Program. This program provides DCFS youth currently in care who are enrolled in a public college or a vocational program with a monthly stipend of $511 per month and a one-time $200 start up payment to help with living expenses. Youth are eligible to receive the monthly stipend up until their 25th birthday while enrolled in school. For more information contact DCFS education advisers at 815-753-5562. Check out more information on the program in Getting There and Get Goal’d.