FosterEd
Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE)
Covers the full remaining cost of attendance at Colorado public colleges for students who were in Colorado foster care (or non-certified kinship care) at age 13 or older.
- How much
- Full remaining cost of attendance after other aid
- Who qualifies
- Was in Colorado foster care, or in non-certified kinship care and adjudicated neglected or dependent, on or after age 13
- Current Colorado resident; enrolled at a Colorado public institution, local district college or area technical college toward a certificate, associate, bachelor's or postgraduate degree; satisfactory academic standing; college files complete by the posted deadline.
- For students starting college, undergrads, grad students, trade school students, adults going back to school, transfer students
- When to apply
- Open now · due January 15, 2027 Application opens March 1; roster deadlines Sept 1 (fall), Jan 15 (spring), June 1 (summer / last day for the academic year).
- How to apply
- Get a Confirmation of Foster Care Experience form (or court affidavit) from your county, complete the FAFSA or CASFA, apply for the ETV if eligible, then submit the 2026-27 FosterEd application (online form on the FosterEd page)
- Reapply each year
- Work with your college's FosterEd liaison
- What you'll need
- state application + FAFSA
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (cdhe.colorado.gov) and page 2
The details
Last-dollar program: after scholarships, grants and other aid, FosterEd pays the rest of the total cost of attendance (tuition, fees, housing, food, books, transportation, personal expenses, childcare where relevant, a computer allowance and medical insurance) at Colorado public four-year colleges, community colleges, local district colleges and area technical colleges. Covers up to 132 attempted semester credits (198 quarter credits) from the time you join; no age limit; certificate through postgraduate degrees. Cost split 50/50 between the college and the state (SB22-008). Starting 2026-27 students must submit a FosterEd application every academic year.
More money from Colorado
- CTE Grant (Tuition Assistance for Short CTE Certificates)Up to $7,395 (2025-26; equal to the maximum Pell Grant)
- COSI Matching Student Scholarships (Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative)Varies by local program
- College Opportunity Fund (COF) Stipend$116 per credit hour at public colleges; $58 per credit hour at participating private colleges (2026-27)
- Colorado Graduate GrantVaries; set by your college
- Colorado Promise: Two Free Years of College ExpandedReimbursement of out-of-pocket tuition and fees for up to 65 credits
Keep looking
- Answer a few questions to see every program you qualify for
- Nearby states: Arizona, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah, Wyoming
- Federal aid and national scholarships (open to students in any state)
- The FAFSA in plain English (2027-28)
- Should I file the FAFSA if I don't think I'll qualify?
- FAFSA deadlines by state (2027-28)
- The FAFSA for parents: what you need to do
- How to save on textbooks: free, rented and cheaper options
We list programs; we don't decide who gets them. Always check the official page before you apply. Spot something wrong? Tell us.