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THE SESSION WILL BEGIN SHORTLY
GET TO KNOW NCHE… NCHE is the U.S. Department of Education’s homeless
education technical assistance and information center NCHE has:
A comprehensive website: www.serve.org/nche A toll-free helpline: Call 800-308-2145 or e-mail [email protected] A listserv: visit www.serve.org/nche/listserv.php for subscription
instructions Free resources : Visit
www.serve.org/nche/products.php
Christina [email protected]
Jennifer [email protected]
PAVING THE WAY TO COLLEGE FOR
STUDENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS
The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) supports the training, diversity, and professional development of financial aid administrators; advocates for public policies and programs that increase student access to and success in postsecondary education; and serves as a forum for communication and collaboration on student financial aid issues.
ABOUT NASFAA
Dealing with application expensesAdvanced Placement exam feesCollege entrance exam feesCollege application fees
Seeking financial aid and scholarshipsThe FAFSA for “accompanied” homeless studentsThe FAFSA for unaccompanied homeless studentsPrivate scholarshipsState-specific opportunities
Options for undocumented homeless students
SESSION OUTLINE
The McKinney-Vento Act; available at www.serve.org/nche/m-v.php
The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), available at www.fafsa.gov
The Application and Verification Guide (AVG), available at www.serve.org/nche/ibt/higher_ed.php
FOUNDATIONAL DOCUMENTS
What do you consider your current knowledge level to be regarding college access for homeless students?
1.Expert2.Average3.Beginner4.Ummm, what’s college access?
RAISE OF HANDS
Take Advanced Placement (AP) tests, if applicableTake college entrance exam(s) (SAT and/or ACT)Complete and submit college applicationsComplete and submit the FAFSAComplete and submit applications for private scholarshipsMore information is available from the College Board:
“Applying 101”: https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-in/applying “Financial Aid 101”: https://
bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college/financial-aid
COLLEGE ADMISSIONS CHECKLIST
FEE WAIVERS
Most four-year colleges in the United States and colleges in more than 60 other countries give students credit, advanced placement, or both on the basis of AP Exam scores; however
Each college or university is allowed to set its own policy as to which tests they will accept for credit, how much credit they will give, and what score is required to get credit.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) EXAMS:
AP exam fee waivers are available for eligible students with no limit on the number of waivers per student
To qualify for an SAT fee waiver: The student receives or is eligible to receive free or reduced price
lunch The student's family receives TANF assistance The student is eligible to receive medical assistance under the
Medicaid programWaivers are administered at the school; speak with your
school’s AP Coordinator
ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) EXAMS
A full AP exam waiver consists of: A federal contribution of $53/exam A College Board contribution of $26/exam A school’s waiving of their $8/exam fee
Some states may continue to charge a nominal feeMore information is available from the College Board:
Fee reductions for AP Exams: http://professionals.collegeboard.com/testing/waivers/guidelines/ap
2012 Details by State: AP Exam Fee Assistance: http://professionals.collegeboard.com/testing/ap/coordinate/details-state
ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) EXAMS:
To qualify for an ACT fee waiver, the student:Must be enrolled in high school in the 11th or 12th gradeMust be a U.S. citizen (if testing abroad) or be testing in the
U.S., Puerto Rico, or a U.S. territoryMust meet one or more of the following indicators of
economic need: Student is receiving free/reduced lunch Family income is below the USDA reduced-price lunch level Student is enrolled in TRIO or a similar program Family lives in subsidized housing or receives public assistance Student is experiencing homelessness Student is living in a foster home Student is a ward of the state or is an orphan
COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAM:THE ACT
Student can use the waiver to take the ACT up to two timesThe waiver is sent to high schools each summer; students must access
the waiver from the school counselor, not from ACTThe waiver must be signed by the student and school counselorThe waiver covers the basic test fees, including sending the test
score(s) to up to four colleges; does not cover late registration fees or change fees
Additional information is available at http://www.actstudent.org/faq/answers/feewaiver.html
A sample 2011/2012 fee waiver is available at http://www.act.org/aap/pdf/feewaiver.pdf
COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAM:THE ACT
To qualify for an SAT fee waiver, the student must: Be enrolled in high school in the 11th or 12th grade (SAT) or in grades
9-12 (SAT Subject Tests) Be a U.S. citizen (if testing abroad) or be testing in the U.S., Puerto
Rico, or a U.S. territory Meet one or more of the following indicators of economic need
(same as for the ACT) Student is receiving free/reduced lunch Family income is below the USDA reduced-price lunch level Student is enrolled in TRIO or a similar program Family lives in subsidized housing or receives public assistance Student is experiencing homelessness Student is living in a foster home Student is a ward of the state or is an orphan
COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAM:THE SAT
The waiver must be obtained from the student’s high school counselor or an authorized agency, not from the College Board
To be valid, the waiver must be completed by the high school guidance counselor
The student can receive up to four waiver cards: Up to 2 waivers for the SAT and 2 waivers for SAT Subject Tests
COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAM:THE SAT
The waiver covers the basic test fees, including sending the test score(s) to up to four colleges; up to four Request for Waiver of College Application Fee forms, and a $40 discount for the Official SAT Online Course; does not cover late registration fees or change fees
College application fee waivers should be included with the students’ college applications and sent to colleges included in the Directory of Colleges Cooperating with the SAT Program Fee-Waiver Service
Additional information is available at http://sat.collegeboard.org/register/sat-fee-waivers
COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAM:THE SAT
College Board program (mentioned on previous slide)National Association of College Admission Counseling (NACAC)
form To be completed with the help of the high school counselor For graduating high school seniors entering college in the fall Based on income and/or the counselor’s knowledge of the family’s
circumstances Same eligibility criteria as the ACT and SAT waiver programs
Additional information from the College Board: http://professionals.collegeboard.com/guidance/applications/fee-waivers
Additional information from NACAC: http://www.nacacnet.org/studentinfo/feewaiver/Pages/default.aspx
COLLEGE APPLICATION FEES
Most colleges follow the College Board’s and NACAC’s guidelines for determining application fee waiver eligibility; however, individual institutions may have their own fee waiver policies that vary
Some colleges do not charge application fees for students that apply online
NCHE does not recommend using McKinney-Vento subgrant funds or Title IA set-aside funds to pay for AP exam, college entrance exam, or college application fees, as waivers are available
COLLEGE APPLICATION FEES
QUESTIONS?
THE FAFSA
RAISE OF HANDS
Describe your experience working with unaccompanied homeless youth (UHY) to access
federal financial aid?1.I have worked with UHY; our efforts were successful2.I have worked with UHY; our efforts were met with resistance3.I have not yet worked with UHY on financial aid issues4.Ummm, what’s an UHY?
FAFSA = Free Application for Federal Student AidThe official FAFSA web address is http://www.fafsa.gov Students applying for federal aid must complete a FAFSA
for each school year for which they are seeking federal aidA new FAFSA is released each January for the upcoming
school yearExample: 2012-2013 FAFSA
Released in January 2012 Valid for students attending school for Fall 2012 and Spring 2013 Treatment of the Summer term depends on the school
FAFSA BASICS
EFC = Expected Family Contribution; based on the information submitted on the FAFSA, the U.S. Department of Education will calculate the EFC
Dependent StudentMust report parent information on FAFSAEFC is based on parents’ and student’s income and assets
Independent StudentDoes NOT report parent information on FAFSAEFC is based on student’s income and assets
CALCULATION OF FEDERAL AID
“Accompanied students” experiencing homelessness fill out the FAFSA as dependent students Living arrangement meets the M-V definition of homeless In the physical custody of a parent or guardian
MCKINNEY-VENTO STUDENTS:DEPENDENT OR INDEPENDENT?
Unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness fill out the FAFSA as independent students Living arrangement meets the M-V definition of homelessNot in the physical custody of a parent or guardian21 or younger or still enrolled in high school on the date
he/she signs the FAFSA “At risk of homelessness”: when a student’s housing may
cease to be fixed, regular, and adequate, for example, a student who is being evicted and has been unable to find fixed, regular, and adequate housing.
MCKINNEY-VENTO STUDENTS:DEPENDENT OR INDEPENDENT?
Provide information on parent income and assets and their own income and assets
Need parent signatureThe EFC is based on family income and assets; as such, even
though they fill out the FAFSA as dependent students, homeless students from low-income families will likely qualify for a beneficial aid package
Example: The EFC Formula, 2012-2013 explains that, under certain circumstances, students qualify for an automatic $0 EFC, including students who received free school meals in 2010 or 2011, and whose parents’ 2011 income is less than $23,000http://ifap.ed.gov/efcformulaguide/attachments/010512EFCFormulaGuide1213.pdf
ACCOMPANIED HOMELESS STUDENTS AND THE FAFSA
Do not need to provide information on parental income and assets
Do not need a parental signatureDo provide information on their own income and
assetsIndependent status is not equivalent to free tuition;
however, the EFC is calculated proportional to what the student can provide based on his/her resources
UNACCOMPANIED HOMELESS STUDENTS AND THE FAFSA
Independent if ANY of these are true: Married 24 years old Veteran or on active duty Graduate student Has a legal dependent (child/other) Orphan/Ward of the court/In a legal guardianship Legally emancipated minor In foster care at age 13 or older Unaccompanied homeless youth Independent by “professional judgment” or “dependency override”
as determined by the Financial AidAdministrator (FAA)
CLASSIFICATION AS “INDEPENDENT”
Local homeless education liaison; for students graduating from high school who were identified as an UHY while in high school (contact your State Coordinator for Homeless Education for liaison contact information)
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) shelter director or designee; for students who have received services
Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) shelter director or designee; for students who have received services
Financial Aid Administrator (FAA); for any student, but particularly those who cannot get a determination from one of the other three authorized parties
DETERMINERS OF INDEPENDENT STATUS FOR
UHY
2012-2013 APPLICATION AND VERIFICATION GUIDE
Updated Application and Verification Guide (AVG) released in March 2012Student can use the college’s administrative address as
his/her mailing addressYouth = 21 or younger or still enrolled in high school on the
date he/she signs the FAFSAAges 22-23 = need a dependency override for independent
statusAge 24 or older is automatic independent status
THE ROLE OF THE FAAACCORDING TO THE AVG
If a student does not have, and cannot get, a determination from a local liaison, RHYA provider, or HUD provider, a financial aid administrator must make a determination of unaccompanied homeless youth status
If a student meets the definition of UHY, this is not an “exercise of professional judgment” or a “dependency override”; this is determining the independent student status of an unaccompanied homeless youth
In instances where a student doesn’t meet the definition of UHY but there are other extenuating circumstances, a dependency override or exercise of professional judgment may be appropriate
FAA DETERMINATION OFSTUDENT STATUS
Verification of “yes” answers on the FAFSA is not required unless there is conflicting information
Permits a FAA to determine a student’s status with a documented interview
Encourages discretion and sensitivity when gathering informationSome information may be confidential (e.g., protected by
doctor-patient privilege)Child welfare and/or law enforcement reports are not
necessaryRecommends consulting with local liaisons, State
Coordinators, NCHE, school counselors, clergy, etc.Eligibility determinations may be appealed to the school or
the U.S. Department of Education
2012-2013 ONLINE FAFSA
2012-2013 ONLINE FAFSA
2012-2013 PDF/PAPER FAFSA
NOTES FROM THE2012-2013 PDF/PAPER FAFSA
NAEHCY Template (Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Documentation of Independent Student Status for the FAFSA) available at http://www.naehcy.org/higher_ed.html
NCHE/NAEHCY FAA Tool (Making Student Status Determinations for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth: Eligibility Tool for Financial Aid Administrators) available at http://center.serve.org/nche/downloads/faa_det_tool.pdf
RESOURCES
QUESTIONS?
SCHOLARSHIPS,STATE RESOURCES,UNDOCUMENTED
STUDENTS
Check with the high school’s guidance counselor for a list of private scholarships available to area students
The LeTendre Education Fund Scholarship: www.naehcy.org/letendre_ab.html (application period closed until 2013)
Give Us Your Poor/Horatio Alger Scholarship: https://www.horatioalger.org/scholarships/ (currently accepting applications)
PRIVATE SCHOLARSHIPS
Free scholarship search engines:Fastweb!: http://www.fastweb.com/ College Board: https://
bigfuture.collegeboard.org/scholarship-search U.S. Department of Education: https://
studentaid2.ed.gov/getmoney/pay_for_college/scholarship_find.html (includes scholarship search tips and guidelines)
PRIVATE SCHOLARSHIPS
Some states have special provisions available for low-income and/or homeless students: Indiana – Students receiving free lunch receive a tuition waiver
when participating in Indiana’s Double Up Program (dual enrollment in college courses for students in 11th and 12th grade)http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title21/ar14/ch8.html
Indiana – Twenty-First Century Scholars Program - Income-eligible 7th and 8th graders who enroll in the program and fulfill a pledge of good citizenship are guaranteed to receive up to four years of undergraduate tuition at any participating public college or university in Indianahttp://www.scholars.in.gov
STATE RESOURCES
Florida – Homeless students are exempt from the payment of tuition and fees, including lab fees, at a school district that provides postsecondary career programs, community college, or state university (2011 F.S. 1009.25); Florida statute establishes the definition of “homeless” usedhttp://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=1000-1099/1009/Sections/1009.25.html
Look for resources in your state!
STATE RESOURCES
Encourage the student to consider a variety of institutions with different “price points”A student may not be able to afford a particular institution,
but other good college options may be availableA student may start at a community college and transfer to a
four-year college at a later timeConsider housing options if looking into a school without
dorms
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
RAISE OF HANDS
In your experience, how accessible is higher education for undocumented students in your state?
1.Very accessible2.Somewhat accessible3.Not accessible at all4.Ummm, what’s an undocumented student?
Undocumented students may face obstacles in three areas:AdmissionTuitionFinancial aid
UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS
There is no federal law prohibiting the admission of undocumented immigrants into U.S. colleges and universities; state laws governing state institutions may vary
Institution-specific policies, however, vary: Some institutions of higher education do not require students to prove citizenship in order to gain admission, while others do
Some institutions admit undocumented students but treat them as out-of-state or foreign students, making them ineligible for state aid and in-state tuition
COLLEGE ADMISSION FORUNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS
Many states charge undocumented students out-of-state tuition fees
States that permit undocumented students to pay in-state tuition under certain circumstances include California, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, and Washington
For example, California's law requires the undocumented student to have attended a state high school for three or more years, to have graduated from a state high school, and to sign an affidavit promising to file an application to legalize his/her immigration status
COLLEGE TUITION FORUNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS
From Reconciling Federal, State, and Institutional Policies Determining Educational Access for Undocumented Students: Implications for Professional Practice, available at http://www.nasfaa.org/research/member-surveys/Reconciling_Federal,_State,_and_Institutional_Policies_Determining_Educational_Access_for_Undocumented_Students__Implications_for_Professional_Practice.aspx
A GLANCE AT THE STATES
Undocumented students cannot receive any federally funded student financial aid, including loans, grants, scholarships, and work-study programs
Undocumented students are not eligible for state aid to attend a state institution in most states, although a handful of states grant eligibility for state aid to undocumented students who qualify for in-state tuition
Private colleges and universities set their own financial aid policies; some are willing to give scholarships and other aid to undocumented students
Many, but not all, private scholarships require applicants to be U.S. citizens or legal residents
FINANCIAL AID FORUNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS
Visit http://professionals.collegeboard.com/guidance/financial-aid/undocumented-students and http://media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/pdf/diversity/Repository-Resources-Undocumented-Students_2012.pdf for more information, including: Information on state laws regarding college access for
undocumented studentsA list of scholarships available to all students, regardless of
immigration status
MORE INFORMATION
FINAL QUESTIONS?
RAISE OF HANDS
What is your most valuable “take-home” point from today’s session?
1.Information on fee waivers2.Information on the FAFSA3.Information on private scholarships and state opportunities4.Information on undocumented students5.All of the above6.Ummm, what? Sorry, I was napping.
Additional resources are available on the NCHE handouts webpage at http://www.serve.org/nche/web/college.php
State Coordinator for Homeless Education contact information may be accessed at http://www.serve.org/nche/states/state_resources.php
Learn more about TRIO at http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/trio/index.html
Learn more about GEAR UP at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/gearup/index.html
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
