Higher Education

Higher education offers students experiencing homelessness the best hope for escaping poverty and homelessness as adults. The programs of the Higher Education Act (HEA) have the potential to assist these youth to graduate from high school, apply for and access postsecondary education, and complete their degrees. In addition, recent changes to the Free Student Application for Financial Aid (FAFSA) will make it easier for unaccompanied homeless youth to obtain the support they need to pursue their education.

THE DENVER POST
Homeless to higher education by Tyler Cobb Posted: 06/24/2010 01:00:00 AM MDT

Recommendations for Transitioning Unaccompanied Homeless Youth to Higher Education
FAFSA Tips For Unaccompanied Youth Without Stable Housing
Higher Education Contact List for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth
McKinney-Vento Act Higher Education PowerPoint Orientation
Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Tip Sheet for Colorado Higher Education McKinney-Vento Single Points of Contact (SPOCs)
Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Documentation of Independent Student Status for the FAFSA (template for verifications under the College Cost Reduction Act. Verifiers include: K-12 McKinney-Vento homeless education liaisons, financial aid administrators, RHYA directors or designees, and HUD-funded shelter directors or designees)

2012-2013 FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) Website The FAFSA is the form required by the federal government for application to any federal education aid program. The FAFSA is used to determine the expected family contribution based on family financial information. A FAFSA is used to determine the specific Federal Student Aid programs that can contribute to a student's total financial aid package and in what proportions.

Search federal school codes (used to identify colleges/universities on the FAFSA)
Call 1-800-4-FED-AID or 1-800-394-7084 to request that a hard copy of the FAFSA be mailed to you.

For more information please contact:
Dana Scott at (303) 866-6930 or e-mail: scott_d@cde.state.co.us

? Give Us Your Poor/Horatio Alger Scholarship: https://www.horatioalger.org/scholarships/

? Fastweb!: http://www.fastweb.com/

? College Board: https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/scholarship-search

? U.S. Department of Labor: http://www.careerinfonet.org/scholarshipsearch/ScholarshipCategory.asp?searchtype=category&nodeid=22

� Application & Verif Guide � independent question excerpt

� Application & Verif Guide � special cases

12. FAFSA basics (NAECHY.com)
The basic provisions for homeless unaccompanied youth in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

12a. Sample Letter to Verify Youth as Unaccompanied and Homeless for the FAFSA

13. Practical Tips to Help Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Obtain Financial Aid for College
Practical information on completing the FAFSA, working with Financial Aid Administrators, and seeking additional scholarship assistance

14. Financial Aid and Income Tax
Basic information about how being an independent student for financial aid purposes affects a youth�s obligations to file income tax returns

Where can I get assistance to enroll in college in Colorado?

Can I get help to pay for college?

Are there any scholarships that I can apply for?

Can I get afford to pay for the ACT/SAT test, college admission application fee, housing waiver. Can I get help with this?

Can I get housing while I am going to college?

BEST PRACTICES IN HOMELESS EDUCATION

Increasing Access to Higher Education for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth: Information for Colleges and Universities

http://center.serve.org/nche/downloads/briefs/higher_ed.pdf

Resources on your campus:

� SPOC list with brief explanation

� Best Practices: Recommendations for Transitioning Unaccompanied Homeless Youth to Higher Education (link to doc)

� Housing services on and off-campus

� TRIO/GEAR UP Higher Education Act Reauthorization: Homeless and Foster Youth

This two-page brief summarizes the amendments designed to increase homeless and foster students access to postsecondary education contained in the Higher Education Opportunity Act, reauthorized in August 2008. Download the brief

SAT & College Admission Application Fee Waivers:

http://sat.collegeboard.org/register/sat-fee-waivers