Educational Supports for Youth in Foster Care - New Hampshire

Support for Completing High School

This issue is not addressed in the statutes and regulations reviewed.

Planning for Postsecondary Education

Citation: Admin. Rules § He-C 6347.07; Foster Care Resource Guide

The foster parent will assist the youth in applying to college or a career training program and with other aftercare planning as needed.

From the resource guide: The Division for Children, Youth and Families is in partnership with the New Hampshire Higher Education Assistance Foundation to conduct a series of workshops for youth in foster care with college aspirations. Youth and their caregivers are connected to a college counselor who will guide them through the college application, admissions, and financial aid process. Specific college information for youth in care includes scholarship and resource information and tips for completing the Federal Application for Student Assistance (FAFSA).

Eligibility Requirements

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 187-A:20-b

A person is eligible for waiver of tuition and fees at any public postsecondary institution within the State if the person is younger than age 23 and is or was the following:

• In State foster care for the immediate 6-month period prior to his or her 18th birthday
• In State guardianship or custody at the time of his or her 18th birthday
• Adopted while in State guardianship or adopted from the care, custody, and control of the Department of Health and Human Services following a surrender of parental rights
• In an out-of-home placement under the supervision of the Division for Juvenile Justice Services at the time of his or her 18th birthday

Financial Supports for Postsecondary Programs

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 187-A:20-b; Foster Care Resource Guide

An eligible individual who enrolls full time in a program leading to a certificate, associate, or bachelor's degree at any public postsecondary institution within the State shall not be required to pay tuition or fees for attendance at such institution.

Eligible individuals interested in a tuition waiver shall annually apply on forms provided and within the deadlines established by the university system of New Hampshire and the community college system of New Hampshire for their respective institutions. No more than 15 tuition waivers per year shall be granted by the university system of New Hampshire, and no more than 15 tuition waivers per year shall be granted by the community college system of New Hampshire. The university system of New Hampshire and the community college system of New Hampshire shall have the authority to develop eligibility criteria for their respective institutions designed to give the children with the greatest financial need first priority in the tuition waiver program. Such eligibility criteria also shall include provisions for continuing eligibility based on continued full-time enrollment and satisfactory academic progress, as defined by the institution.

An eligible individual also may apply for a room-and-board scholarship under the provisions of § 187-A:20-a(II), without the necessity of being the child of a firefighter or police officer who died while in performance of his or her duties, as required by § 187-A:20-a(I).

From the resource guide: Federally funded Education and Training Vouchers (ETVs) are available to assist eligible youth with paying for the costs of college.