Education
Paying for College
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To apply for federal student aid, you need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
If you are applying for the CPS Education and Training Voucher this is a requirement to qualify for the program.
Completing and submitting the FAFSA is free and quick, and it gives you access to the largest source of financial aid to pay for college or career school.
In addition, many states and colleges use your FAFSA data to determine your eligibility for state and school aid, and some private financial aid providers may use your FAFSA information to determine whether you qualify for their aid.
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This provides exemptions to individuals formerly in Texas state foster care (Section 54.366 and 54.367 of the Texas Education Code) and adopted youth from payment of tuition and fees at Texas' state supported institutions of higher education. While U.S. citizenship or qualified alien status is not required, it is strongly encouraged as youth without such status will have difficulty obtaining any college federal financial assistance.
To be exempt from the payment of tuition and fees youth must have been in DFPS conservatorship. The following situations are exempt:
The day before the student's 18th birthday.
The day of the student’s 14th birthday, if the youth was eligible for adoption (parental rights being terminated) on or after that day.
The day the student graduated from high school or received the equivalent of a high school diploma.
A youth was adopted and the adoption occurred on or after September 1, 2009.
A non-parent was granted permanent managing conservatorship of the youth on or after September 1, 2009.
A student is enrolled in a dual credit course or other course in which the student may earn joint high school and college credit.
Youth must be enrolled in an institution of higher education as an undergraduate or in a dual credit course or other course for which a high school student may earn joint high school and college credit no later than the youth's 25th birthday.
Youth may enroll in AA-level courses or vocational / certificate courses at their local community colleges.
Adopted youth subject to an adoption assistance agreement that provides monthly payments and Medicaid benefits are also eligible for the tuition and fee waiver. There is no age limit that this student must meet to enroll in college in order to take advantage of the tuition and fee waiver.
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You may be eligible to receive up to $12,000 per year until your 25th birthday as long as you are enrolled in a post-secondary education institution and meet the enrollment criteria and satisfactory academic progress policies as established by the institutions.
You must also meet the ETV eligibility qualifications and be enrolled in at least 6 semester hours at accredited or pre-accredited public, private, or non-profit schools:
Provide a bachelors degree or not less than a 2-year program that provides credit toward a degree certification
That provide not less than one-year training to prepare students for gainful employment
That have been in existence for at least two years and provide a program of training to prepare students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation
ETV Application Deadlines:
Fall - October 1
Spring - March 1
Summer - July 1
Individuals eligible for ETV include:
Youth in foster care who are at least 16 and likely to remain in DFPS foster care until 18 or are in extended foster care.
Youth who aged out of DFPS foster care but have not yet turned 25.
Youth who were adopted from DFPS foster care after turning age 16 and are not yet 25.
Youth who enter Permanency Care Assistance (PCA) from DFPS after turning age 16 and have not turned age 25.
Youth who are in the custody of the Texas Juvenile Justice Department or under the jurisdiction of local juvenile probation department if the youth were receiving Title IV-E payments the day before turning age 18 and are not yet age 25.
Tribal youth or young adults in tribal foster care who are not yet age 25.
For more information visit the links below:
Scholarships
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To assist you with funds needed to meet your educational goals, The Freshmen and sophomore Success scholarship is for young adults formerly in DFPS foster care attending a Texas state-funded institution of higher education. Freshman apply for grants of $2,000 for first time college freshmen students or first time students enrolled in a Texas State Technical College. Grants are awarded in increments of $1,000 per semester/school term, with the student applying each term and are for basic non-tuition related needs. Only students awarded the scholarship both semesters as freshman may apply as a sophomore.
Applicant Requirements:
Aged-out of DFPS foster care or was legally emancipated.
Be a high school graduate (no GED).
Must have completed the Preparation for Adult Living (PAL) Life Skills Training Program.
Be enrolled for the freshmen year only and take a minimum of 9 credit hours or more per school term.
Be enrolled for the first time in vocational/technical classes and take a minimum of 40 or more hours of course work.
Applied for both federal financial aid (PELL Grant) and to the Education and Training Voucher (ETV) program.
Attending or enrolled in a state supported Texas college or university that accepts the college tuition and fee waiver.
Must apply for the scholarship before age 21.
Note: Students in the Extended Foster Care Program are eligible to apply for this grant.
Applying for Scholarship:
To be considered for the Freshmen Success Fund for Foster Youth grant, the student must submit a:
Completed grant application (located on the reverse side of this letter) each school term.
Proof of school enrollment each school term.
Copy of the students high school diploma (1st school term enrollment only.)
Current student Financial Aid award letter (1st school term enrollment only.)
Letter of recommendation or reference (1st school term enrollment only.)
Personal (typewritten) one page essay on who the student is, academic interests, and what the funds will be used for (1st school term enrollment only.)
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This scholarship is for basic non-tuition needs for former foster youth who are majoring in government, political science, history, or other pre-law field. This scholarship was named in honor of C. Ed Davis who, in April 2004, retired as Deputy Director, Legal Services.
Scholarships of $1,000 are awarded in increments of $500 per semester and are for basic non-tuition needs (ex., clothes, utilities, cell phone, etc). Up to 2 young adults may receive a scholarship per academic year, as long as funds are available.
For students reapplying for a scholarship, new information (as specified below) must be resubmitted for each academic year.
Eligibility for Scholarship:
Have aged out of DFPS foster care or have been legally emancipated.
Be between the ages of 18 – 25 to activate the scholarship;
Have completed the Preparation for Adult Living (PAL) Life Skills Training;
Be majoring in government, political science, history or other pre-law field of study;
Be in good academic standing (minimum GPA of 2.0);
Be a full-time student in their sophomore, junior, or senior year of college or in law school; and
Submit the completed application and other requested documents by the requested dates.
Application Requirements:
Completed scholarship application;
Current college transcript;
Current student financial aid award letter
Letter of recommendation or reference (may be from a foster parent or child care provider, case worker, state PAL staff, school personnel, employer, etc);
500 word essay on "Why I want to enter the field of law and why I should be considered for a C. Ed Davis PAL Scholarship"; and
Two page resume (optional).
Decisions regarding scholarship awards will be made by August 1 (for the Fall semester) or November 1 (for the Spring semester) and notification and distribution of the scholarship awards will occur within 45 days before the start of each semester of the award period.
College Partnerships
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Texas has a state law that exempts or waives payment of tuition and fees at state supported colleges or universities for foster youth currently or formerly in the conservatorship of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) and for those adopted from DFPS.
Do you qualify? You qualify for the tuition and fee waiver, if you were in DFPS conservatorship:
The day before your 18th birthday.
The day of your 14th birthday, if you are also eligible for adoption on or after that day.
The day you graduated from high school or received the equivalent of a high school diploma.
The day you were adopted, if that date was on or after September 1, 2009.
The day Permanent Managing Conservatorship was granted to a non-parent, if that date was on or after September 1, 2009.
You were 14 years or older on or after June 1, 2016 and left DFPS's Permanent Managing Conservatorship return to the legal responsibility of a parent.
You were 16 years or older on or after June 1, 2016 and left DFPS Temporary Managing Conservatorship to the legal responsibility of a parent.
You enrolled in a dual credit course or other course which a high-school student may earn joint high school and college credit, and were in DFPS conservatorship on the day of enrollment.
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Below is a list of colleges and universities that partner with DFPS to offer reduced/free tuition to former foster young adults.
Amarillo College for questions email askac@actx.edu
Alamo Colleges for questions contact Carmen De Luna-Jones email: mdeluna-joness@alamo.edu
Austin Community College for questions click HERE to be directed to a college recruiter
Midland College for questions email Shep Grinnan at sgrinnan@midland.edu
Prairie View A&M University for questions email pfs@pvamu.edu
Sam Houston State University for questions email Dr. Kay Angrove at kangrove@shsu.edu
Texas A&M University at College Station for questions email Melanie McKoin Owens at melaniem@studentlife.tamu.edu
Texas A&M University at San Antonio for questions contact D'Andrea Davila at ddavila@tamusa.edu
West Texas A&M University for questions contact Michael Crippen at mcrippen@wtamu.edu
Texas State University (TSU)-San Marcos for questions contact Dr. Christine Norton at cn19@txstate.edu
Texas Tech University at Lubbock offers programs such as the Pegasus Program which is assistance for First Generation Students.
The University of Texas at Austin for more information contact Shannon Mann at shannon.mann@austin.utexas.edu
The University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley for more information contact Rebecca Gadson at rebecca.gadson@utrgv.edu
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The goal of Texas Reach is to facilitate the interaction between PAL/Aftercare agencies and institutions of higher education to increase access to college for former foster youth, and once enrolled, their success at attaining a college degree.
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Transition Centers serving current and former foster youth are located in every DFPS region and have established partnerships with local higher education institutions and vocational/technical colleges.
These partnerships have been an essential support for youth both before and after school enrollment and offer a main point of contact that assist youth in navigating through the financial aid process, orientation, academic counseling, and any other college related issues with minimal delays and without disrupting their education.
The Transition Centers have staff that can connect youth to local colleges and universities.