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Education and Training Voucher Program
The Minnesota Education and Training Voucher (ETV) Program provides funds to help foster youth pay for post-secondary education. The money does not need to be paid back.
Program info
Current and former foster youth can get up to $5,000 per school year for post-secondary education at college, university, vocational, technical or trade schools. The Minnesota Education and Training Voucher (ETV) Program provides the funds. The money does not need to be paid back.
Eligibility
All students applying to the ETV program must be under age 26, accepted into an accredited, Federal Pell Grant-eligible college, university, vocational, technical or trade school using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine financial aid , graduated from high school or received a GED, be eligible to receive financial aid, and have experienced at least one of the following:
- In foster care for 30 consecutive days at age 17.
- Adopted from foster care at age 16 or older
- A juvenile court ordered transfer of permanent legal and physical custody from foster care at age 16 or older
- In extended foster care or left foster care at age 18 or older.
If a returning ETV student, you must be making progress in completing your education.
Benefits
You can get up to $5,000 per school year for:
- Tuition and fees
- Books
- Housing
- Child care
- Transportation
- Other school-related costs
- Living expenses.
You can use ETV funds for five years of post-secondary education.
Students eligible for ETV who attend a Fostering Independence Grant Participating College or University are also eligible for a Fostering Independence Grant.
Apply
If you apply to a Fostering Independence Grant Participating College or University and answer yes on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to the question have you been in foster care at age 13 or older, you are automatically considered for ETV. No application is needed.
If you apply to a school that is not a Fostering Independence Grant Participating College or University, you must submit an ETV application to be considered for an ETV award. Submit an ETV application between July 1 and April 1 each year you need money for school. Attach the following to the online application:
| First-time applicants for students attending school in another state | Renewal applications for students attending school in another state |
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|
Your post-secondary school may want to verify your foster care placement or guardianship status to establish eligibility for independent status. Form DHS-8241-ENG (Minnesota proof of foster care placement) is for county or tribal social services and other agency staff to verify foster care placement, or guardianship status. This form is not needed to apply for ETV funds.
If you have questions contact the Minnesota ETV coordinator.
Program info
Current and former foster youth can get up to $5,000 per school year for post-secondary education at college, university, vocational, technical or trade schools. The Minnesota Education and Training Voucher (ETV) Program provides the funds. The money does not need to be paid back.
Eligibility
All students applying to the ETV program must be under age 26, accepted into an accredited, Federal Pell Grant-eligible college, university, vocational, technical or trade school using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine financial aid , graduated from high school or received a GED, be eligible to receive financial aid, and have experienced at least one of the following:
- In foster care for 30 consecutive days at age 17.
- Adopted from foster care at age 16 or older
- A juvenile court ordered transfer of permanent legal and physical custody from foster care at age 16 or older
- In extended foster care or left foster care at age 18 or older.
If a returning ETV student, you must be making progress in completing your education.
Benefits
You can get up to $5,000 per school year for:
- Tuition and fees
- Books
- Housing
- Child care
- Transportation
- Other school-related costs
- Living expenses.
You can use ETV funds for five years of post-secondary education.
Students eligible for ETV who attend a Fostering Independence Grant Participating College or University are also eligible for a Fostering Independence Grant.
Apply
If you apply to a Fostering Independence Grant Participating College or University and answer yes on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to the question have you been in foster care at age 13 or older, you are automatically considered for ETV. No application is needed.
If you apply to a school that is not a Fostering Independence Grant Participating College or University, you must submit an ETV application to be considered for an ETV award. Submit an ETV application between July 1 and April 1 each year you need money for school. Attach the following to the online application:
| First-time applicants for students attending school in another state | Renewal applications for students attending school in another state |
|
|
Your post-secondary school may want to verify your foster care placement or guardianship status to establish eligibility for independent status. Form DHS-8241-ENG (Minnesota proof of foster care placement) is for county or tribal social services and other agency staff to verify foster care placement, or guardianship status. This form is not needed to apply for ETV funds.
If you have questions contact the Minnesota ETV coordinator.
To learn more about the Education and Training Voucher program, and to get advice from program participants, view this department video: Fostering Success: An overview of Minnesota’s Education and Training Voucher.
Minnesota Office of Higher Education website resources:
- Interest Assessment
- College prep timeline from 7th through 12th grade
- Earn college credits while still in high school (PDF)
- College preparation and admissions tests for 10th through 12th graders (PDF)
Minnesota TRiO programs offer pre-college and post-secondary programs designed to help students with low incomes and first generation students enter and graduate from college.
The first step in applying for financial aid is to complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is used to apply for federal and state student grants, work-study aid and loans.
For help completing the FAFSA:
- Review the Tips for Completing the FAFSA provided by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education
Questions asked on the FAFSA determine your status as an independent or dependent student and helps to calculate the financial aid level you may receive. Students who were in foster care or under state guardianship any time after age 13 are considered independent. Independent students' parent's income is not used to calculate their financial aid awards.
Minnesota Office of Higher Education website resources:
- Students under state guardianship or Indian children under tribal guardianship at age 18 are eligible to receive tuition waivers if they are under age 21 and accepted into a Minnesota state college or university.
- Contact the school you plan to attend to request a tuition waiver and the type of documentation required.
- A waiver covers only the cost of your tuition and no other school-related or living expenses.
- Colleges may continue to waive tuition up to and beyond age 21 for students meeting eligibility requirements.
- If you have questions about waivers, or issues with your school offering a waiver, contact Minnesota's Education and Training Voucher program coordinator.
Along with financial aid and help from the ETV program, these are some scholarships that may be available:
- Foster Care to Success for youth who have spent one or more years in foster care
- UMPS CARE Charities All Stars for students adopted from foster care at age 10 or older
- The Minnesota Office of Higher Education list of scholarships offered by Minnesota institutions for students
- Power of You for students graduating from a Minneapolis or St. Paul public high school who plan to attend Minneapolis Community and Technical College (MCTC), or Saint Paul College.
- Page Education Foundation Grants for students of color graduating from a Minnesota high school
- The Child Welfare Scholars/Title IV-E Stipend program provides financial support and educational opportunities to students committed to a career in public or tribal child welfare. Students interested in a career in child welfare should and this program contact the schools directly for more information.
- Minnesota Social Service Association awards scholarships to students seeking degrees in health and human service-related fields.