EDUCATION

FAFSA assistance
FAFSA completion sites

• The primary U.S. Department of Education FAFSA site is at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
• To apply for, reestablish, or request a duplicate PIN, go to www.pin.ed.gov.

Financial aid checklists
These checklists help students know what they need to do to apply for financial aid and to keep on top of deadlines.

• National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.  Go to www.nasfaa.org.  Click the Parents & Students tab.  Scroll down to NASFAA Financial Aid Tools, and then click Financial Aid Application Checklist.
• FinAid’s SmartStudent Guide to Financial Aid. 
  Visit http://www.finaid.org/**

All students from foster care need to know about Chafee ETVs and each state’s application process.  Chafee ETVs can provide up to $5,000 per student per year for youth in college or qualifying training programs.**

After the student receives their Student Aid Report, they need to contact the financial aid office to review the package the school is offering.  Financial aid award letters should also be reviewed carefully.  Students do need to accept a financial aid package by marking “yes” to the financial aid types they want and “no” to those they do not want.  They need to sign and return the letter by the deadline.  Students should kept copies of all documents in their own financial aid file.

Foster youth will receive a financial aid package that includes sources available to the general population and sources specifically designated for foster youth.  General student population aid includes loans, grants, work-student funds, merit-based scholarships, Federal Pell grants, supplemental educational opportunity grants (SEOGs), Perkins and Stafford loans.   Assistance for foster youth includes Chafee Education and Training Vouchers (ETVs).  Foster youth eligible for services under a state’s Chafee Foster Care Independent Living Programs are eligible for receive a Chafee ETV.  Chafee ETV funds may be used to pay for tuition, fees, books and supplies, room and board, dependent child care, transportation and health insurance.  Foster youth who are receiving an ETV at age 21 may continue receiving it until age 23 as long as they are still enrolled and meeting academic requirements.**

The John H. Chafee Foster Care Independent Living Program (Chafee IL Program) funds can be used to provide Chafee ETV recipients with supplemental services, such as career assessment and guidance, academic assessments and computer purchase.**

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