California Watch

A look at the number of financial-aid programs available to former foster youth in California might suggest that as long as these students can survive academically, the cost of college is covered.

But a surprisingly low number of these students receive all the grants they’re eligible for because they don’t get adequate information about financial aid, and the aid programs themselves present hurdles, according to a new but little-noticed study (PDF) from the Institute for College Access & Success.

Former foster youth can get federal Pell grants and state Cal Grants available to other California students. They can also get up to $5,000 for higher education expenses from the federal Chafee Grant for former foster youth.

Together, in 2009-2010, these three grants can add up to almost $12,000 at a community college, $16,000 at a CSU school, and more than $20,000 at a UC campus. Yet researchers found fewer than 4 percent of the former foster youth who filled out a federal financial aid application in 2008-09 received all three grants.

While 84 percent of students who applied were eligible for a Pell Grant – the federal program for low-income students – just 17 percent were offered a Cal Grant, and only 9 percent received a Chafee.