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Top 15 Scholarships for Adopted Children and Foster Children in 2022
Adopted children and children in foster care face considerable adversity in many facets of their life, and obtaining a college degree is no exception. Recent studies show that less than 10 percent of American children in the foster care system graduate from college, as opposed to the national average of about 36 percent. These alarming numbers make it all the more important to improve the accessibility of college and scholarships for adopted children are one way to start.
In addition to offering financial assistance, many of these scholarships for adopted children and children in foster care include counseling, peer support, and other valuable resources!
Jump ahead to:
- Top scholarships for adopted children
- Frequently asked questions
- Upcoming scholarships
- Explore these other scholarship categories
Here’s hoping that the following scholarships and resources help adopted and foster children reach their goals!
Top scholarships for adopted children
$500 Hannah’s Community Foster Care Forward Scholarship
- Eligibility: Students ages 7-25 who have, or will, age out of the foster care system who plan to pursue a certification in the health careers (e.g CNA, EMT, RBT, EKG or Phlebotomy Technicians, etc)
- Amount: $500
- Deadline: September 1, 2022
Christian A. Herter Memorial Scholarship Program
- Eligibility: Massachusetts students in 10th or 11th grade with a minimum 2.5 GPA who have overcome a form of major adversity in their lives, demonstrate financial need, and enroll in a school in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Must be nominated by their school
- Amount: Varies
- Deadline: March of each year, but nomination required so start early!
Together We Rise Family Fellowship Scholarship
- Eligibility: “Aging-out” foster youth planning on attending a four-year institution. Application consists of proof of foster care status, letters of recommendation, transcripts, and a personal statement
- Amount: Up to $18,000 per year, plus fellowship support and networking
- Deadline: May 27, 2022
Albuquerque Community Foundation Youth in Foster Care Scholarship
- Eligibility: Students who have resided in New Mexico and been in the New Mexico foster care program for at least one year, who are between 17 and 21 years old. Applications must hold a minimum 2.5 GPA, whether they are currently in high school or college. This requirement does not apply to GED holders who are applying to college.
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: June 2, 2022
Oregon Chafee Education and Training Grant
- Eligibility: Oregon students are currently in child welfare foster care, had been in child welfare foster care for at least 180 days after their 14th birthday and exited substitute care at age 16 or older, or are a former foster youth who was adopted or entered into a guardianship on or after their 13th birthday whose adoption/guardianship finalized after 9/1/2015
- Amount: Up to $2,500, renewable
- Deadline: Fall-August 1, Winter – November 1, Spring – February 1, Summer – May 1 of each year
Nicholas & Helena Patti Foundation Scholarship
- Eligibility: Students of Italian parentage who intend to major in music or education-related fields. Priority given to students who have been orphaned or in foster care
- Amount: Up to $6,500
- Deadline: November 1, 2022
Foster Care to Success Casey Family Programs Continuing Education and Job Training Program
- Eligibility: Students who have received care from Casey Family Programs in Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Washington or Wyoming and are attending or planning to attend a post-secondary institution to obtain a certificate, associate’s, bachelor’s or postgraduate degree
- Amount: Varies
- Deadline: For undergraduates, application is open March 1-May 1 and August 1-October 1. For graduate students, February 1-April 1
Maryland Higher Education Commision Tuition Waiver for Foster Care Recipients
- Eligibility: Maryland foster care youth under 25 pursuing an associate, bachelor’s degree or vocational certificate at a Maryland Public institution of higher education.
- Amount: Full tuition waiver
- Deadline: School deadlines vary, but make sure to fill out the FAFSA which is due June 30 of each year
Adoption STAR Academic Scholarship Program
- Eligibility: High school seniors who are adopted or in foster care, whose transcript either shows high performance or trends of improvement
- Amount: $3,000
- Deadline: Varies
Massachusetts Department of Children and Families Adopted Child Tuition Waiver and Fee Assistance Program
- Eligibility: Massachusetts students who have been in the custody of the DCF and have been adopted by an eligible Massachusetts state employee or by an eligible Massachusetts resident through the DCF who are pursuing their bachelor’s and are 24 or under at the start of the academic year.
- Amount: Varies by school
- Deadline: Varies
Oklahoma Independent Living Act (Foster Care Tuition Waiver)
- Eligibility: Oklahoma residents under 26 who have been in DHS custody for at least nine months between the ages of 16 and 18 & graduated from an Oklahoma high school (or approved neighboring high school) in the past 3 years, who plan on attending a public college or university in Oklahoma
- Amount: Full tuition waiver
- Deadline: Varies
Vermont Chafee Education and Training Scholarship
- Eligibility: Vermont students who were in DCF custody after the age of 14 (after age 16 if exited to adoption or legal guardianship) who are under the age of 26 and demonstrate financial need.
- Amount: Up to $5,000
- Deadline: Varies
Western Michigan University Foundation Scholarship
- Eligibility: High school seniors with a minimum 3.7 weighted GPA who have been admitted to WMU who qualify for the federal free lunch program, are orphaned, are wards of the state or in foster care, are homeless, or are undocumented
- Amount: $16,000 per year
- Opens: December 1, 2022 Deadline: February 15, 2023
Foster Care to Success Casey Family Services Alumni Scholarship
- Eligibility: Must have received services from Casey Family Services in Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island or Vermont. Must be between 16 and 49 years old and starting or attending a post-secondary institution to obtain a certificate, associate’s, bachelor’s or master’s degree or a professional degree (PhD’s not eligible)
- Amount: Up to $10,000
- Deadline: Rolling
Sullivan – Deckard Scholarship Opportunity Program
- Eligibility: Ohio high school seniors in foster care between 17 and 20 years old who have applied and been admitted to Cleveland State University
- Amount: Varies based on financial need. Includes funding for tuition, books, fees, and year-round campus housing, additional support, workshops, and a Fostering Success Summer Workshop before freshman year
- Deadline: Rolling
Frequently asked questions about scholarships for adopted students
Can an adopted child go to college for free?
Several states have programs to provide tuition waivers for adopted children, including Maryland and Massachusetts. There are also programs at specific schools that can provide the opportunity for an adopted child to go to college for free, including Cleveland State University’s Sullivan – Deckard Scholarship. Check out the rest of our list for more similar opportunities!
What scholarships are available for adopted children?
This list contains many options for scholarships for adopted children. One great example is the UmpsCare All-Star Scholarship! You can consult the list for more options, some of which are offered by state, reducing the applicant pool and increasing your chance of being accepted! The NACAC also has a great list of useful state-by-state resources.
Does adoption impact FAFSA?
Adoption can have several different impacts on your FAFSA results and application process. If you are formally and legally adopted, you’ll use your adopted parents’ information when filling out the FAFSA. Students who are not under the care of their birth parents might also be in a situation where they can fill out the FAFSA as an independent. The requirements are very strict, but if you meet them, you could end up with a very strong financial aid package.
If you’re unsure what your status on the FAFSA would be, you should consult either your birth parents, your adopted parents, or the institution that is taking care of you. It’s important to sort this out definitively and promptly to ensure you receive all the financial aid you are eligible for.
Also see: Am I an independent or dependent student?
Upcoming scholarships
Also-Known-As Adoptee Excellence Scholarship
- Eligibility: Internationally adopted students across the country who have shown academic excellence
- Amount: $1,500
- Opens: February 2023
Foster Care to Success General Scholarship
- Eligibility: Students who have been in public or private foster care for the 12 consecutive months leading up to and including their 18th birthday, have been adopted or placed into legal guardianship after their 16th birthday, or have been orphaned for at least one year at the time of their 18th birthday and not subsequently adopted. See website for further details
- Amount: $2,500 to $5,000, renewable
Horatio Alger National Scholarship
- Eligibility: High school seniors with a minimum 2.0 GPA planning to pursue a bachelor’s degree in the fall with critical financial need ($55,000 or lower adjusted gross family income is required).
- Amount: $25,000
- Opens: December 1, 2022
UmpsCare All-Star College Scholarship
- Eligibility: Students adopted at or after age 13 who are under 20 and demonstrate financial need through the FAFSA
- Amount: $5,000 per semester
