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Information for Foster Youth
The Oregon Department of Human Services is working in partnership with ASPIRE to encourage and empower foster youth to gain the knowledge and skills to become self-sufficient, responsible and contributing members of their community. In 2001, Oregon enacted a tuition scholarship program for youth who have been in foster care or adopted from care.
The Department of Human Services (DHS) Independent Living Program (ILP) has received Chafee Education and Training Voucher (ETV) funding to help current or former foster care youth with postsecondary education and training.
Eligibility
Youth may be eligible to receive up to $5,000 per academic year. To be eligible, you must:
- Currently be in foster care, or have been in foster care for at least 180 days (six months) after your 14th birthday*,or
- A foster youth that was adopted after the age of 16.
- Apply for ETV funds prior to age 21**, by applying for the Chafee Education and Training Scholarship administered by OSAC, the Chafee Education and Training Scholarship is accepted on a year-round basis. Send applications to the Oregon Student Assistance Commission from January 1st to March 1st and to DHS after March 1st.(See instructions below)
*Foster care placement must have been with either Oregon’s DHS child welfare (formerly SCF), or one of the nine federally recognized Tribes in Oregon.
**If a youth is participating in the ETV program at age 21, he or she may continue to receive assistance up to age 23. See the DHS website for more details.
Deadlines
FAFSA
The 2008-2009 School Year (July 1st, 2008 through June 30th, 2009): FAFSA on the Web, Renewal FAFSA on the Web, and applications must be submitted by midnight Central Daylight time, June 30, 2008. Corrections on the Web forms must be submitted by midnight Central Daylight time, September 15, 2008.
OSAC Scholarship Application
If you wish to be entered into the drawing for the OSAC Early Bird scholarships, you must submit your complete, signed application packet by the early date of February 15.
If you miss the February 15 deadline, you will still be considered for all other OSAC non-priority scholarships that you qualify for, if you submit your complete, signed application packet by March 1.
If you are using the OSAC eApp to apply, please note: After you complete the eApp, you will still need to print out a copy of the application, sign it, assemble your packet, and submit it on time as described below. The eApp will be available until 11:59 p.m. PST March 1st.The March 1st Postmark is critical. A late application is the #4 reason for rejected OSAC applications.
You may hand deliver your complete application packet to the OSAC office 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and until 6:00 p.m. on February 15 and March 1. The only valid postmark date OSAC will recognize is from the U.S. Postal Service. If you use a private mail service, make sure you give it enough time to get a timely U.S. Postal Service postmark. If you want verification that OSAC received your application packet, use a delivery service that gives you a return receipt.
Terminology
- (OSAC) Oregon Student Assistance Commission
- (ILP) Independent Living Program
- (ILSP) Independent Living Subsidy Program
- (ETV) Chafee Education and Training Voucher
- (OFAX) Oregon Financial Aid Exchange
- (ASPIRE) Access to Student Assistance Programs In-Reach of Everyone
- (DHS) The Department of Human Services
Links and Resources
- DHS- http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/index.shtml,offers four programs for helping youth achieve independence. They are the Independent Living Program (ILP), the Independent Living Subsidy Program (ILSP), the Chafee Housing Program and the Education and Training Voucher Program (ETV).
- The Chafee Scholarship Application and Workbook are available at www.osac.state.or.us/ChafeeEtv.html. This site also has related scholarship documents you can download and print.
- http://www.nasfaa.org/annualpubs/FosterYouthFAFSA.pdf This website helps foster youth complete the FAFSA and provides solutions to the questions youth have regarding how to answer questions about family income.
- http://www.nfpainc.org/awards/youthScholarships.cfm?page=6 The National Foster Parent Association scholarships and information can be found at this address.
- http://www.orphan.org/syscholarship.htm Casey Family Programs Senior Year Scholarship for Students of Color (for students in their final year of school at an accredited vocational or technical training program, college or university and who is a racial minority)
- CIS is a computer program that lists information about careers, postsecondary educational training programs, and scholarships. This program is available in many high school counseling centers and is updated annually. It is available at: http://cis.uoregon.edu.
- FosterClub's mission is to provide encouragement, motivation, information, education, and benefits for foster youth. http://www.fosterclub.com/index.cfm
- The Pew Commission on Children in Foster Care has been established to develop recommendations to improve outcomes for children in the foster care system. www.pewfostercare.org/
- The website, www.fyi3.com, provides foster youth between ages 14 and 23 opportunities to become involved, informed and independent in their transitioning journey towards adulthood. fyi3.com is a partnership web project between FosterClub.com and the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative.
- Casey Family Programs provides and improves—and ultimately prevents the need for—foster care. It operates in two ways: by providing direct services and by promoting advances in child-welfare practice and policy. Casey Family: www.caseylifeskills.org/index.htm
- ASPIRE (Access to Student assistance Programs In Reach of Everyone) is administered by the Oregon Student Assistance Commission (OSAC). The program is funded through partnerships with public and private organizations. www.aspireoregon.org/
- OSAC administers a variety of State of Oregon, Federal, and privately funded student financial aid programs for the benefit of Oregonians attending institutions of postsecondary education. This agency was formerly known as the Oregon State Scholarship Commission. www.osac.state.or.us/index.html
- The Orphan Foundation of America (OFA) is both bricks and mortar and a very special place that exists in the hearts of many. Volunteers, scholarship recipients, program alumni, donors and youth care workers all recognize the uniqueness of its work and think of it as a place where they belong. Since its humble beginnings in 1981 in a community center basement, OFA has served thousands of foster teens all across the United States. From teaching youth how to balance a checkbook, write a resume, and apply for that first big job, to testifying before Congress and State Legislatures, OFA has long been a vocal champion of foster teens. www.orphan.org
Contact information
Mail Chafee Applications To:
Department of Human Services
Children, Adults, and Families
Independent Living Program
500 Summer Street NE, E76
Salem OR 97301
Oregon Student Assistance Commission
1500 Valley River Drive, Suite 100
Eugene, OR 97401
(541) 687-7400 - Eugene/Springfield area
(800) 452-8807 - Toll-free
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