What support do I have if I was in foster care and want to go to college?
If you want to go to college, there are supports that help young people who have been in foster care or who are experiencing homelessness get support to go to a Florida college or university. DCF works together with Florida’s public universities, the Florida College system, and the Department of Education to set up supports and make it easier for students who qualify for these benefits to go to school.
What kind of help can I get?
You can get help figuring out if you qualify for tuition and fee exemptions. You can get help with paperwork and connecting you with housing and other supports so that you can stay in school. You can also get campus coaching, if available, to help you stay in school and move to living on your own. You can also get help with housing.
How do I get my tuition waiver?
You must contact your Community Based Care Agency (CBC) Independent Living Contact. Click HERE to see who to contact. They will ask you some questions to make sure you qualify to get a tuition waiver. If you qualify they will send it to you or to your school directly. If you do not know your Community Based Care Agency you can call the Hope line at 833-GET-HOPE (833 438 4673).
Can I get help with housing at college?
Yes. Colleges must make plans, with the State Office on Homelessness, to give priority for dorm rooms to students who are or were in foster care or who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. This means if you fit in this group, the schools should be giving you housing first, before other students who are not in this group.
If the school has a priority system for housing or work-studies, students who qualify for tuition-and-fee exemptions will get priority for both. They will also get priority for year-round housing if available. If you are in foster care or are receiving housing support, you will not have to get a cosigner or guarantor to qualify housing from your public college or university.
Similarly, you will have priority when it comes to work-study opportunities, allowing you to gain experience and get paid for a part-time position at your college or university.
Who at the college or university can I talk to for help?
Colleges and universities usually have staff liaisons or offices for students who were in foster care or who are experiencing homelessness. These people can help with checking eligibility, paperwork, and connecting you with other supports. Check out this list HERE from Positive Pathways to find a liaison or counselor who can help.
What should I do if I think I qualify and want to go to college?
Tell your guardian or case manager, contact the college or university’s student services or foster/homelessness liaison and ask them to help you with the paperwork and to explain the tuition and housing supports available.
The Law
Fla. Stat. § 409.1452 (2025).
