This page provides comprehensive FAFSA-related resources to help youth, K-12 educators, homeless service providers, and higher education professionals understand, prepare, and fill out the FAFSA.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the form that youth need to fill out to get any financial aid from the federal government to help pay for college.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is filled out each year a student is applying for college. For youth who are experiencing homelessness, or who are at risk of homelessness, and who are on their own, applying for the FAFSA can be complex.
New federal data show a 28% increase in FAFSA completions among homeless youth and a 9% increase among foster youth in 2023–24—highlighting early impacts of the FAFSA Simplification Act. Learn more about the key findings, including the role of school district liaisons, reduced undetermined cases, and what’s needed to sustain momentum in future FAFSA cycles.
Federal law (the McKinney-Vento Act) requires school district homeless liaisons to inform unaccompanied homeless youth of their status as independent students for financial aid (the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA) and help them obtain verification of that status. To help implement this policy, we’ve prepared a sample form letter (Microsoft Word). This form letter may be edited as appropriate for your school district, institution of higher education, shelter, transitional living program, or street outreach program.
A practical guide for counselors and financial aid professionals supporting immigrant and mixed-status students at risk of homelessness, covering FAFSA eligibility, dependency status, and UHY determinations.
This quick guide covers the 10 questions we hear most from high school counselors and McKinney-Vento liaisons about supporting students experiencing homelessness with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
The new 2026-2027 FAFSA is available now. Use this email template to inform students that the FAFSA is out and what materials they need to fill it out. It is important to let students know how to fill out the FAFSA as soon as they can, so they can pursue postsecondary education with as much financial as possible.
The FAFSA Referral Form is specifically for counselors, liaison designees, and school staff who, while assisting with FAFSA applications, discover that a student is unaccompanied and homeless or unaccompanied, self-supporting, and at risk of homelessness.
This page features a FAFSA screening tool and checklist to help counselors and school staff determine if students are experiencing homelessness or in foster care, along with next steps to keep them on track with completing the FAFSA.
This page is designed to help students determine if they meet the definition of an independent student as an unaccompanied homeless youth for the FAFSA.
This living document contains strategies that schools, community agencies, and colleges can use to help students access and maintain their financial aid.
Federal law (the McKinney-Vento Act) requires school district homeless liaisons to inform unaccompanied homeless youth of their status as independent students for financial aid (the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA) and help them obtain verification of that status. To help implement this policy, we’ve prepared a sample form letter (Microsoft Word). This form letter may be edited as appropriate for your school district, institution of higher education, shelter, transitional living program, or street outreach program.
Find questions submitted during our FAFSA webinars, along with the answers we provided.
On Friday, July 19, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) issued an electronic announcement reminding financial aid administrators of their roles and responsibilities with respect to unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness (UHY). This announcement is an update to guidance that was issued in April 2023.
The new 2026-2027 FAFSA is available now. Use this email template to inform students that the FAFSA is out and what materials they need to fill it out. It is important to let students know how to fill out the FAFSA as soon as they can, so they can pursue postsecondary education with as much financial as possible.
Financial aid administrators have the responsibility to make determinations of unaccompanied homeless youth if youth are unable to get determinations from other entities. The determination must be made based on the legal definitions of homeless and unaccompanied, and independently from the reasons that the student is an unaccompanied homeless youth, or is a youth who is unaccompanied, at risk of homelessness, and self-supporting. This template can be used by financial aid administrators to make unaccompanied homeless youth determinations.
This template is for financial aid administrators requesting written statements for students requesting an unaccompanied homeless youth determination.
In this video, Caleb McKay, FAAC, SchoolHouse Connection FAFSA Completion Senior Manager, and Jillian Sitjar, Director of Higher Education, discuss the critical role Financial Aid Administrators play in supporting students experiencing homelessness under the FAFSA Simplification Act. Learn about important changes in renewal processes, new Unaccompanied Homeless Youth (UHY) determination acceptance, and adherence to federal definitions. This video also offers guidance on updating institutional forms and managing UHY determinations to ensure timely aid for students. For further assistance, reach out to caleb@schoolhouseconnection.org.
These are strategies schools, community agencies, and colleges can use to help students access and maintain their financial aid.
Emergency aid programs offer financial resources for students who face an unexpected crisis that could prevent them from completing their academic term. These programs can be helpful for all college students, but they are especially critical for those experiencing homelessness or those who are at risk of becoming homeless. This SchoolHouse Connection brief provides examples of emergency aid programs and offers strategies for streamlining services.
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On Friday, July 19, 2024, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) issued an electronic announcement reminding financial aid administrators of their roles and responsibilities with respect to unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness (UHY). This announcement is an update to guidance that was issued in April 2023.
On April 14, 2023, the U.S. Department of Education issued a Dear Colleague Letter that announces changes from the FAFSA Simplification Act that will go into effect for the 2023-2024 FAFSA award year. View the list of changes here.
The FAFSA Simplification Act (enacted as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 and updated by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022) aims to remove many of the barriers faced by youth experiencing homelessness or with experience in foster care. The new provisions for homeless and foster youth are in effect for the 2023-2024 award year, here’s a summary of the changes.
On November 4, 2022, the U.S. Department of Education issued a Dear Colleague Letter that announces changes from the FAFSA Simplification Act that will go into effect for the 2023-2024 FAFSA award year. View the list of changes here.
In May 2016 the GAO found that burdensome program rules can hinder the ability of homeless and foster youth to access federal supports; extensive documentation requests can impede access to aid for homeless youth; annual re-verification of homelessness poses barriers for unaccompanied homeless youth; and that limited academic preparation, family support, and awareness of resources make it harder for homeless and foster youth to pursue college.
This report explores the impact of SAP standards and policies on financial aid with specific attention to students of color, experience in foster care, and homelessness.