Foster Adopted Students

Resources for Former Foster & Adopted Students

State College Tuition and Fees Waived

You may be eligible to have tuition and fees waived at Texas colleges if you were in foster care, were adopted from DFPS or a court gave someone who is not your parent custody, or you return to the legal responsibility of a parent. This tuition and fee waiver is good for life, but it must be activated (college enrollment) before your 25th birthday. 

Ask the Business Office about tuition waiver W066 & W085.

More information & eligibility about State College Tuition Waiver by the Tx Department of Family & Protective Services

Foster Care Youth Liaison @ HCC

Financial Coaches are HCC’s dedicated Foster Care Liaisons. Coaches provide guidance, connect students with resources, and advocate for student needs to ensure a successful college experience.

HCC Foster Care Academy

The Adult Education & Literacy program offers Foster Care Academies. These academies allow students to attend college without a TSI test and earn a Level 1 certificate.

Each certificate program is between 6 months and two years long, and the classes are all credit courses with a combination of workforce preparation and an added support course throughout the program.

When you sign up for a Level 1 college certificate using financial aid or self-financing, we support you until graduation. We provide academic and advising support with our Career Navigator and textbooks to borrow throughout your Academy program.

Education and Training Vouchers for Youths Aging Out of Foster Care in Texas

Education and Training Voucher (ETV) Program provides financial assistance of up to $5,000 annually to help current and former foster youth ages 16 up to 23 to begin, continue or complete postsecondary education and training programs.

Freshman and Sophomore Success Scholarship

Texas Department of Family & Protective Services Freshman and Sophomore Success Scholarship. This scholarship has been made possible to assist students who were formerly in the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services foster care system to meet their higher educational goals.

Housing & Other Resources

• State Independent Living and Education and Training Voucher (ETV) Coordinators The IL (Independent Living) program is a federally funded program designed to assist eligible youth in making successful transitions from foster care to independent living. IL Coordinators in the States are responsible for assisting youth in foster care with accessing services geared toward achieving self-sufficiency prior to exiting foster care. The ETV program was created to provide financial assistance for post-secondary training and education to youth who have aged out of foster care or who have left foster care after age 16 through kinship, guardianship, or adoption.
• Foster Love by Together We Rise. Safety net program for college students with foster care experience. Funding for Housing Assitance, Meal Assistance, Utility/Personal Expenses, Healthcare/Mental Health, Transportation/Relocation, Education/Technology Expenses.
• The Hay Center, a program of Harris County Resources for Children and Adults, is a one-stop center where current and former foster youth, ages 14-25, can acquire a variety of transition resources, services, and support.