Foster Care Alumni Frequently Asked Questions

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions is the best place to start. There, you will find information for prospective Freshman and Transfer students including how to apply, a list of frequently asked questions, Admission Forms, Application Status Check, Orientation information, and contact information.

Please do not hesitate to contact a member of our team if we can help you get started. Our phone number is (512) 245-2124 and our email address is dos_care@txstate.edu

Submit your application through ApplyTexas. You will need to create an account to fill out the application. Click on the "Create your account now" link under the "Get Started" section. After creating an account, you can fill out the application. Be sure to keep track of your login information so that you can access your application later.

You DO NOT have to pay the application fee. However, you MUST fax a letter from your CPS agent stating that you were in foster care in order to have the application fee waived. Once you have obtained a letter from CPS, fax it to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions Office at (512) 245-9020.

You must apply for an Education Training Voucher (ETV) from the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. The ETV provides grants for postsecondary education and training to eligible youth who are in or age out of foster care, or who are adopted from foster care after turning 16 years old. The ETV helps pay for residential housing, room and board costs/food, tuition and fees, personal items, books and school supplies, child care, some transportation needs, computer or other required equipment, and medical insurance through school. Review eligibility requirements, frequently asked questions and apply for ETV online.

Every year, you must fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, also known as FAFSA. Through the FAFSA you can apply for grants and work-study.

Another option is to apply for scholarships. There are many scholarships offered through Texas State, and there are scholarships that are available to foster youth.

Students who are eligible get certain fees waived, such as tuition and some required fees, and you are eligible to apply for competitive scholarships to help with other costs.

FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. It is what you fill out to receive money to go to school. You submit one every year. The priority deadline is April 1st. That means that you need to submit the FAFSA on or before April 1st so that you can get the most money possible.

First, check the Financial Aid Answer Bank. This website contains 140 answers to common questions. If you do not see a question that matches yours, you can submit a question and receive an answer. You can also call the Financial Aid office at (512) 245-2315 or visit their website.

The best place to start is Career Services. You will want to make a profile in their Handshake portal. Once you have made a profile, you can search for on-campus and off-campus jobs. Also, employers can see your profile and possibly contact you for an interview.

Career Services can also help you create and edit a resume, help you improve your interviewing skills through mock interviews, help you find an internship, help you choose a major, and provide you with job shadowing opportunities.

An excellent place to find information is Cash Course. This website will give you information about financial basics, paying for college, college life, the world of work, and calculators and worksheets.

Joining a student organization is a great place to start. Once on the Student Involvement website, click on the "Search Organizations" link to browse over 200 student organizations. If you don't find one that suits you, contact their department to explore how to start a student organization.