The Maryland Tuition Waiver for Foster Care Recipient’s is available to foster care youth who are enrolled as a candidate for an associate, bachelor’s degree or vocational certificate at a Maryland Public institution of higher education. The purpose of Tuition Waiver for Foster Care Recipients is to provide financial assistance to foster care youth.
Who May Apply?
Students under the age of 25 who are or were in an out-of-home placement in Maryland by the MD Department of Human Services and who are attending a Maryland public college or university are eligible to apply. All majors are eligible to apply, both credits bearing and non-credit bearing courses.
To be eligible, you must have:
- Been placed in out-of-home placement by the Maryland Department of Human Services.
- Resided in an out-of-home placement on the individual’s 18th birthday or at the time of graduation from high school or upon successful completion of the General Education Development (GED) examination.
- Resided in an out-of-home placement for at least one year on or after the individual’s 13th birthday and entered into guardianship, been adopted, or reunited with at least one of the individual’s parents.
- Been the younger sibling of an individual who met the qualifications outlined in section (a) and (b) above, and was concurrently placed into the same guardianship by the same parent, or was adopted by the same adoptive family with the older sibling.
- Be enrolled Fall, Winter, Spring or Summer.
You must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA here or the Maryland State Financial Aid Application or MSFAA here each year and contact the student financial aid office.
Award Amount
You are exempt from paying tuition and mandatory fees at a public college in Maryland. The tuition waiver only applies to tuition and fees.