NSHE Foster Youth Fee Waiver
Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) Board of Regents
Students under 26 who were in Nevada foster care (child welfare custody) after age 13 pay no undergraduate registration fees and most lab fees at NSHE colleges.
- How much
- Undergraduate registration fees (and lab fees for courses below 300 level) waived for fall and spring
- Who qualifies
- foster youth (in Nevada child welfare custody after age 13)
- Under age 26; high school diploma or equivalency; FAFSA; NSHE institutions; undergraduate courses only; fall and spring; satisfactory academic progress.
- For students starting college, undergrads, adults going back to school, transfer students, trade school students
- When to apply
- Apply any time Each fall and spring semester, through the college.
- How to apply
- File the FAFSA and submit your college's NSHE Foster Youth Fee Waiver form to the campus point of contact (financial aid or the Fostering Success office)
- The college verifies your foster care history
- What you'll need
- FAFSA + state application
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (nshe.nevada.edu) and page 2
The details
For students who were in the custody of a Nevada child welfare agency after reaching age 13 (including those placed out of state for treatment or through the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children), who have a high school diploma or equivalency, complete the FAFSA, and are under 26. Waives registration fees for state-supported undergraduate credit courses toward a degree or certificate. Laboratory fees for courses numbered below 300 are also waived, except per-semester fees (such as the Health Service fee), special course fees not for class supplies, class costs over $100, and technology fees. Fall and spring terms only; graduate courses and the law, medical and dental schools are excluded. Recipients are treated as Nevada residents for tuition. Renewal requires federal satisfactory academic progress. Each NSHE college has a designated point of contact for the waiver.
More money from Nevada
- Silver State Opportunity Grant (SSOG)Up to $5,500 per year (up to $4,400 per year at 12 credits per semester; prorated below 15 credits)
- Governor Guinn Millennium Scholarship (GGMS)Up to $10,000 total; $40 (lower division)/$60 (upper division) per credit at NSHE community colleges, $60 per credit at Nevada State University, $80 per credit at all other eligible institutions; up to 15 credits each semester
- Nevada Promise Scholarship (NPS)Up to three years of community college registration fees and mandatory fees not covered by other gift aid (last-dollar)
- Regents' Higher Education Opportunity Award (Nevada Student Access Aid)Varies by college; each NSHE institution sets its own award amounts (no statewide amount published)
Keep looking
- Answer a few questions to see every program you qualify for
- Nearby states: Arizona, California, Idaho, Oregon, Utah
- 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.