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Post Secondary Resources

  1. Education And Voucher Program (EVT)  

ETV (Chafee) is a federally-funded program administered by DFPS. Based on the cost of attendance as established by higher education, youth and young adult’s ages 16 up to the age of 23 may be eligible to receive up to $5,000 in financial assistance per year to help them reach their postsecondary education goals providing they are eligible for ETV and meet the criteria:

  • Have a high school diploma or GED or be exempt from required school attendance; or
  • The student is enrolled in a dual-credit course or other course at an institution of higher education for which the student will earn a high school diploma and college credit.

Individuals eligible for EVT include:

  • Youth in DFPS foster care who are at least 16 and likely to remain in care until 18, or are in extended foster care; or
  • Youth who aged out of DFPS foster care but have not yet turned 23; or
  • Youth who were adopted from DFPS foster care after turning age 16 and are not yet 23; or
  • Youth who enter Permanency Care Assistance after turning age 16 and are not yet age 23; or
  • Youth who are in the custody of the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (formerly TJPC) or under the jurisdiction of a local juvenile probation department and were receiving Title IV-E foster care payments the day before turning age 18 and who are not yet age 23; or
  • Tribal youth or young adults in tribal foster care and who are not yet age 25; or
  • The above eligible students who move out of state to attend school and were originally enrolled in ETV in Texas and who are not yet age 23.
  • The above eligible students cannot receive ETV funds for more than 5 years (whether or not consecutive). Texas defines 5 years as 15 semesters.

 

Apply for the ETV Program at: http://www.texasetv.com or call toll free 877-268-4063

 

  1. College Tuition and Fee Waiver

The college tuition and fee waiver provides exemptions from payment of tuition and fees at a Texas state supported college or university to individuals formerly in Texas state foster care and adopted youth. To be exempt from the payment of tuition and fees, youth or young adults must have been in DFPS conservatorship:

  • 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 terminated) on or after that day;
  • the day the student graduated from high school or received the equivalent of a high school diploma;
  • on the day preceding the date the youth was adopted and the adoption occurred on or after September 1, 2009;
  • on the day preceding the date permanent managing conservatorship (PMC) of the youth was granted to a nonparent if that date was on or after September 1, 2009.
  • In addition the following youth are eligible for the tuition and fee waiver: if a youth in DFPS conservatorship was returned to the legal responsibility of the parent at: o age 14 and older on or after June 1, 2016 and was in DFPS's permanent managing conservatorship; or o age 16 and older on or after June 1, 2016 and was in DFPS's temporary managing conservatorship; or
  • when a student is enrolled in a dual credit course or other courses in which the student may earn joint high school and college credit and if tuition hasn't been waived.

Note: Youth enrolled in a dual credit course may enroll in the ETV program to have some education expenses covered. Youth or young adults must check with each school to ensure that the courses they are enrolling in are exempt from tuition and fees. Some vocational / certificate courses may not be exempt from tuition and fees. Young adults must be enrolled in a Texas state supported college or university no later than their 25th birthday. Adopted youth who are subject to an adoption assistance agreement that provides monthly stipends and Medicaid benefits are eligible for the college tuition and fee waiver. For these students there is no age limit to enroll in college in order to take advantage of the tuition and fee waiver.

https://www.dfps.state.tx.us/Child_Protection/Youth_and_Young_Adults/Education/state_college_tuition_waiver.asp

  1. DFPS College Scholarships

Freshmen and Sophomore Success Scholarship is for young adults formerly in DFPS foster care attending a Texas state-funded institution of higher education. This includes community colleges, colleges, universities, and Texas State Technical College. Application due dates are August 1 and November 1, prior to each semester. Only students awarded the scholarship both semesters as a freshman may apply for the scholarship as a sophomore or as a 2nd year student at a Texas state-funded institution of higher education. Scholarships are $1000 per semester or academic term or $2000 for two semesters or academic terms. https://www.dfps.state.tx.us/Child_Protection/Youth_and_Young_Adults/Education/other_resources.asp

 

  1. Driver License or State Identification Card Fee Waiver

Driver license and State Identification Card fees are waived for youth in DFPS temporary or permanent managing conservatorship and for young adults at least 18 years of age, but younger than age 21, who reside in a DFPS paid foster care placement. http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/handbooks/CPS/Resource_Guides/Driver_Licenses_for_Youth_in_Conservatorship_Resource_G uide.pdf

 

  1. Post Foster Care Transitional Living Services

Additional information can be found at this source: https://www.dfps.texas.gov/Child_Protection/Youth_and_Young_Adults/Transitional_Living/documents/Transitional_Living_Services_Handout.pdf