Scholarships for Former Foster Children

Scholarships for Former Foster Children

Education Training Vouchers

Youth who were adopted from foster care after the age of 16 or who were in foster care on or after their 17th birthday are eligible for Education Training Vouchers, which are worth up to $5000 per year toward the cost of attendance at most colleges, community colleges, or vocational schools. Students apply directly on line at www.statevoucher.org. This website contains a wealth of information regarding other sources of aid, North Carolina colleges, community colleges, and vocational schools, and other information useful to any student.

Education Training Vouchers were established in 2003 and are funded by the same money that funds the NC LINKS program. For this academic year, as of April 9, 2008, we have 165 students currently receiving funding, and 40 more students have been approved for funding. For the life of the ETV program, 968 students have received funding for one or more years.
NC Child Welfare Postsecondary Education Support Scholarships

The 2007 North Carolina Legislature approved funding for a scholarship program for young adults through age 25 who either aged out of NC foster care or were adopted from NC foster care on or after their 12th birthday. Eligible students under the age of 18 must have completed their high school or GED requirements. This scholarship program is called NC Reach. The website is www.NCReach.org and students apply on line. The Division has selected Orphan Foundation of America to manage the program and provide case management services to all scholarship recipients.

The scholarships will pay for the remaining the costs of attendance, as defined by the Higher Education Act of 1965, at any branch of the University of North Carolina or any of the North Carolina Community Colleges. Federal grants, including the Education Training Voucher and Pell grants, will be applied to the costs of attendance first. Legitimate student loans incurred by students after July 31, 2007 may be eligible for repayment through this program, up to the determined cost of attendance after that date.

Students will be eligible for up to eight semesters of assistance, so long as they make satisfactory progress toward the completion of their academic program. Students will remain eligible for assistance until their 26th birthday.

For information about the UNC constituent universities, go to http://www.northcarolina.edu/content.php/campus/campusmap.htm

For information about North Carolina community colleges, go to http://www.ncccs.cc.nc.us/colleges_map.htm

Students who were in North Carolina DSS custody but were placed out of state and aged out of care in another state are eligible for these scholarships.

The following students are not eligible for NC Reach scholarships:
Students who were in the custody of other states and were placed in North Carolina on an interstate agreement;
Youth adopted from other states’ custody, even if their adoptive parents live in North Carolina.
Youth who were adopted through international adoptions or private adoptions;
Undocumented youth who aged out of North Carolina foster care or were adopted on or after their 12th birthday. Such students may become eligible once they have established legal residence.

Case Management Services to be provided to NC Reach students

The Division of Social Services is contracting with Orphan Foundation of America to provide intensive Case Management Services to all students who receive the NC Reach scholarships. Services will include:
An annual assessment of strengths and needs
Surveys to identify ongoing concerns
Workshops on a variety of topics promoting academic achievement
Students matched with a screened, trained and monitored “virtual” mentor who will maintain contact with them through e-mail and who have made a two year commitment
Provide opportunities for internships for rising juniors and seniors in major metropolitan areas of North Carolina
Provide emergency case management 24/7; and
Send 3 “care packages” per school year.

The web site for NC Reach went live in mid March.