# What This Bill Does for Homeless and Foster Youth in College

This bill makes it easier for young people who are homeless or in foster care to go to college and get financial aid. Right now, these students often face major obstacles when applying for college—they might not have a permanent address, their parents' financial information, or documentation of their living situation. This bill removes many of those barriers and requires colleges to actively help these students succeed.

The most important change is that colleges must now have a staff person dedicated to helping homeless and foster youth navigate college life. This liaison will connect students with financial aid, housing, food assistance, mental health services, and other support they need. Colleges also have to post information on their websites about how to get help and what assistance is available. When students apply, colleges can ask voluntary questions to identify if they're homeless or in foster care, so the liaison can reach out and offer support before classes even start. Additionally, colleges must give priority for on-campus housing to these students, and if a student can't afford housing deposits because they're waiting for foster care payments or other assistance, the college has to find a way to help them access housing anyway.

The bill also improves how students prove they're independent for financial aid purposes. A new complaint process lets students challenge decisions about their independence status, and the federal student loan ombudsman will now help resolve these disputes quickly by working with child welfare agencies and homeless youth coordinators. For students attending public universities, states must charge homeless and foster youth the same in-state tuition rates as residents, removing the extra cost burden these students often face.

Finally, the bill requires colleges to actively recruit and serve homeless and foster youth through federal support programs like TRIO and work-study, and it directs the federal government to provide guidance and training to help colleges do this effectively.