Financial Aid for Homeless and or Foster Youth

CALIFORNIA CHAFEE GRANT FOR FOSTER YOUTH

If you are or were in foster care for at least one day, between the ages of 16 and 18 as a dependent or ward of the court and have financial need, you may qualify for up to $5,000 a year for career and technical training or college. You don’t have to pay this money back. You may also be able to use your grant to help pay for child care, transportation and rent while you’re in school. You can use your Chafee Grant at any eligible California college or university or career or technical school, as well as schools in other states.


Chafee Foster Youth Eligibility Requirements

To qualify, you must meet the following criteria:

  • Have not reached your 26th birthday as of July 1st of the award year.

AND

  • Be a current or former foster youth who was a ward of the court, living in foster care, for at least one day between the ages of 16 and 18.

OR

  • Be a youth who has placed in out-of-home care by a tribe or tribal organization between the ages of 16-18

  • Youth who are/were in Kin-GAP, a non-related legal guardianship or were adopted, are eligible only if the youth was a dependent or ward of the court, living in foster care, at some point between the ages of 16 and 18

  • In accordance with California Education Code 69519, A student’s receipt of a Chafee grant award shall not exceed five years (whether or not consecutive).

Pursuant to Assembly Bill 2506, starting with the 2017-18 award year, you can only receive your Chafee Grant if you attend a school that is either of the following:

  • A qualifying institution that is eligible for participation in the Cal Grant Program.

  • An institution that is not located in California with a three-year cohort default rate that is less than 15.5 percent and a graduation rate greater than 30 percent.

Foster Care Eligibility Form

Your foster care placement history need only be verified once. Complete and submit a Foster Care Eligibility Form ONLY when requested by the California Student Aid Commission.

Fax, email, or mail this form to the Chafee ETV contact in the county where you are living now. Click on the button below to obtain the Chafee eligibility form:


How Do I Apply?

To be considered for a California Chafee Grant, you must complete the following:

Electronic submission of all required documents is preferred, but if you are unable to do so, you may print and submit the paper versions below:

Note: Forms are year-specific. Be sure to complete the applications that corresponds with the academic year you will be attending school.

CAL GRANT B FOSTER YOUTH AWARD

FOR CURRENT AND FORMER FOSTER YOUTH

The Cal Grant B Foster Youth award allows students who are current and former foster youth to be eligible for increased Cal Grant eligibility. Foster youth have until their 26 birthday to apply.

On July 1, 2018 California expanded the Cal Grant Program to allow students who are current and former foster youth to be eligible for increased Cal Grant eligibility.

  • Foster youth students may renew their Cal Grant B awards for the equivalent of eight years of full-time attendance in an undergraduate program.

  • Foster youth students have until their 26th birthday to apply for the Cal Grant High School Entitlement Award.

  • Foster youth students attending a California Community College can apply for a High School Entitlement award through September 2nd (rather than March 2nd).

Pertinent Definitions from the U.S. Department of Education’s Application and Verification Guide 2020-2021


Homeless “A student is considered homeless if he lacks fixed, regular, and adequate housing. This is broader than just living “on the street.” It includes temporarily living with other people because he had nowhere else to go; living in substandard housing (if it doesn’t meet local building codes or the utilities are turned off, it is generally not adequate); living in emergency or transitional shelters, for example, trailers provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) after disasters; or living in motels, camping grounds, cars, parks, abandoned buildings, bus or train stations, or any public or private place not designed for humans to live in. It also includes living in the school dormitory if the student would otherwise be homeless. A student living in any of these situations and fleeing an abusive parent may be considered homeless even if the parent would provide support and a place to live.”

Unaccompanied “When a student is not living in the physical custody of a parent or guardian.”

At Risk of Being Homeless “When a student’s housing may cease to be fixed, regular, and adequate, for example, a student who is being evicted and has been unable to find fixed, regular, and adequate housing

Self-Supporting “When a student pays for his own living expenses, including a fixed, regular, and adequate housing.”

Youth “Any student who is not yet 24 may qualify for a homeless youth determination.”

Recognized third parties “Relevant information can come from recognized third-parties such as private or publicly funded homeless shelters and service providers, financial aid administrators from another college, college access programs such as TRIO and GEAR UP, college or high school counselors, other mental health professionals, social workers, mentors, doctors, and clergy.


You do not need to provide your parents’ information, and you do not need to file a financial aid appeal if you are:

  1. Under the age 24; and

  2. Experiencing homelessness on or after July 1st of the year specified on the FAFSA. Homelessness means you are staying:

    • with other people temporarily because you lost your housing or similar reason;

    • in a shelter

    • in a motel/hotel due to lack of alternatives

    • in a car or other unsheltered situation

    • living in a campus residence hall but otherwise would have nowhere else to go; and

  3. Not in the physical custody of your parents or guardians.

Unaccompanied-Homeless-Youth-Determination-Flowchart.pdf
Unaccompanied-Homeless-Youth-Determination-Flowchart-Spanish.pdf