Help Paying for School

There are many financial assistance programs to help current and former foster youth pay for school. You may be eligible for different programs based on your age, school, DCF history, and other factors. Learn more below.

~$150-$10K  Range of financial assistance per school year

500+  Foster youth getting financial assistance this school year

Type	Education & Training Voucher	State College Tuition & Fee Waiver	Foster Child Grant
What	Up to 5K per year for tuition, room/board, fees, books, transportation & more	100% of tuition & fees for state-supported courses	Up to 3K per semester (max of 6K per year) for tuition, room/board, & fees
Where	Full or part time at any public/private college, university, or vocational school that is FAFSA eligible (in or out of state)	Full or part time at a Massachusetts public college or university	Full time at any public/private college, university, or vocational  school that is FAFSA eligible (in or out of state)
Who	Under age 26 US citizen/eligible non citizen DCF custody through age 18 or DCF sponsored adoption/guardianship with kin (after 16) Eligible for FAFSA	Under age 25 US citizen/eligible non citizen that satisfies the MA durational residency requirement DCF custody through age 18 or DCF sponsored adoption/guardianship  Eligible for FAFSA or MASFA (alternative financial aid application for undocumented students)	Under age 25 US citizen/eligible non citizen and permanent MA resident DCF custody through age 18 via a Care & Protection petition Eligible for FAFSA or MASFA (alternative financial aid application for undocumented students)
How	⇒ See the full eligibility rules and apply  After July 1st	⇒ See the full eligibility rules and apply  Upon reaching 18th birthday or by July	⇒ See the full eligibility rules and apply  By July 1st

Awards are made based on demonstrated need and available funding. To maximize your funding, please apply to every program you think you are eligible for.

Learn about the William Warren Scholarship  Learn about the William Warren Scholarship +

Learn more and apply for the William E. Warren Scholarship Program which awards scholarships to current/former foster youth based on academic merit and financial need. 

Learn More 

Learn about other scholarships  Learn about other scholarships +

Learn more about other scholarship opportunities, including scholarships for undocumented youth.

Learn More 

Sign up for our newsletter  Sign up for our newsletter +

Email to request the twice yearly newsletter with information on financial aid, scholarships, community partners, campus resources & more.

Learn More 

Get answers to FAQs  Get answers to FAQs +

See the answers to frequently asked questions.

Learn More 

Helpful financial assistance links & resources

• FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
• Federal Student Aid, an Office of the U.S. Department of Education provides information on all federal financial aid programs.
• FAFSA Day Massachusetts is a non-profit, volunteer-driven program providing FREE assistance to students and families to complete the FAFSA.
• U.S. Department of Education Financial Aid Toolkit provides financial aid information and resources for counselors and educators.
• MEFA, The Massachusetts Education Finance Authority for School Counselors provides schools with tools and trainings to advise students on early college planning, admissions, and financing.
• MassEdCO is a free program that provides help choosing a career path, choosing the right school, applying, completing financial aid applications, and includes a scholarship database, and more.  
• Department of Higher Education offers resources to undocumented students applying for immigration status, including the Massachusetts Application For State Financial Aid (MASFA) alternative application and the Tuition Equity Affidavit.  
• Massachusetts community colleges and state universities