Scholarships for Foster Kids
Were you a Foster Child?
For the over half a million foster children in the United States*, paying for college might seem an insurmountable challenge. Fortunately, there are a number of scholarships available to help underwrite the education of young people who are or have been in the American foster care system.
(* Source: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children & Families, 2006)
Private Organization Foster Child Scholarships
The National Foster Parent Association (NFPA) offers a scholarship designed to help foster students pay for education beyond the high school years at any college or university. Applicants must be current high school seniors, must give the NFPA cost information on the college or university they plan to attend, and must have been accepted by said college or university before receiving NFPA funding. Additionally, all recipients of this award must submit a short essay (topic given) along with their applications. Scholarship amounts vary.
The Casey Family Scholars Scholarship attempts to reduce the financial barriers foster children may encounter when considering entering higher education. By providing scholarships of up to $10,000, the Casey Family Scholars Program offers foster youth under the age of 25 the opportunity to attend the national college or university of their choice.
The Darko Rapotez Memorial College Scholarship Fund for Aged Out Foster Youth offers between $5,000 and $10,000 in college and tuition fee assistance to children who have “aged out” of the foster care system. However, the price of books, housing, transportation, and other higher-education-related costs are not covered. Recipients can be between the ages of 18 and 24 and may come from anywhere in the United States as long as their high school GPA has been 3.0 or higher.
If you’re a high school senior in foster care, you can apply in the autumn for yearly the Horatio Alger Scholarship. This program awards between $2,500 and $10,000 per student; monies can be used to pursue a bachelor’s degree at any accredited American college or university.
The Orphan Foundation of America (OFA) Scholarship annually gives amounts between $500 and $5000 to current or former foster youths who are planning on furthering their education via academic or vocational training. Any unmarried U.S. foster children with a cumulative high school GPA of at least 2.0 and who are under the age of 25 may apply.
The National Scholarship Fund for foster children awards between $1,500 and $10,000 to foster youth, former foster youth under 25, and orphans to be used in any state for training after high school.
State-Specific Foster Child Scholarships
Kansas
- Kansas has a tuition waiver program that enables foster students in this jurisdiction to attend any state-subsidized college or university free of charge. Applications are available through the Registrar’s office of each institute of higher education.
Massachusetts
- This state also offers a Foster Child Tuition Waiver Program, entitling free tuition to any of the 29 Massachusetts state/community colleges and universities to foster children who receive approval. Applicants must be between the ages of 17-24, must have been in foster care for at least one year (in response to a Care and Protection petition), and must agree to contribute to their higher education expenses via a work-study program.
New Jersey
- If you’re a state-resident student at a New Jersey high school and you’re in foster care, you may be eligible to receive full tuition funding for any NJ state college or university. Monies are also available if you intend to study out-of-state, on a part-time basis, or at a private school.
Oregon
- The Oregon Student Assistance Commission controls funding for tuition assistance aimed at helping this state’s foster children pay for schooling beyond high school at a state college/university. Award amounts vary based on available monies, but are usually between $4,500 and $5,000.
Pennsylvania
- The Pennsylvania State Foster Parent Association (PSFPA) has established a scholarship fund to assist the state’s foster children in furthering their education beyond high school. Seniors who are currently in private or public foster care in Pennsylvania are encouraged to apply. This scholarship can also be sought by biological or adopted children of PSFPA members.
South Dakota
- A WIA Scholarship of $3,000 is available through the South Dakota Department of Labor (WIA) for foster children who intend to attend any of the state’s vocational or technical schools.
Washington
- The Governor’s Scholarship, initiated in 2001, helps children who are leaving or have left the foster program and who intend to attend an eligible college in the state of Washington. Scholarship amounts are between $1,000 and $5,000 per recipient and are dependent on financial need, tuition costs, and other factors. This award can be renewed for up to four years.
