Chafee Education and Training Voucher (ETV)

The Chafee Education and Training Voucher is federal money for current and former foster youth, worth up to $5,000 a year and renewable for up to five years. Because it is a formula benefit rather than a contest, a student who qualifies and applies in time generally receives it, subject to the state's allocation. There is no national application: each state's child welfare agency runs its own form and its own deadline, and the paperwork is typically short with no essay. Eligibility runs to age 26. This is one of the largest pots of money that foster youth routinely never hear about.

How hard is the Chafee Education and Training Voucher (ETV) to win?

A large applicant pool chases this award. Apply if the student is a genuinely strong fit, but build the plan around better-odds awards first. The provider does not publish applicant or winner counts, so Solyo shows no odds figure for this award.

Odds: not published by the provider
Paperwork: ~2 hrs to file

What drives the odds here

Odds on a scholarship are mostly a question of how many students can enter. Each rule below changes the size of that field.

More rivalsOpen nationwide, so the field is large
Fewer rivalsRequires a specific life circumstance

How Solyo estimates this: We model the applicant field from how narrow the eligibility rules are, then divide the awards available by that field. Requirements such as essays and recommendation letters improve a serious applicant’s odds, because most browsers never complete them. These are estimates derived from each award's published structure, not reported acceptance rates, which almost no scholarship provider discloses. Treat them as a way to rank where the hours go, not as a guarantee.

Who can apply for the Chafee Education and Training Voucher (ETV)?

These are the eligibility rules Solyo verified against the official award page, translated into plain English. Your student must meet each one.

Open to high school seniors, current college students, and transfer students
For current or former foster youth
Age 26 or younger

Confirm these before applying

Apply through your own state's child welfare agency. Deadlines and forms vary by state and there is no national application.
Must be enrolled in an accredited postsecondary or vocational program.

What the application takes

No essay, recommendation letters, or transcript are required. This is one of the lighter applications in the directory.

Deadline and application cycle

The current deadline is May 1, 2027. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around May 1 each year. There is no national deadline. Contact your state child welfare agency or independent living coordinator as early as possible in senior year.

Applications close: May 1, 2027

Apply on the official site →Free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge a fee.

Does your student actually qualify?

See if your student qualifies in 30 seconds. Solyo checks 20+ criteria against their real profile: GPA, state, grade level, intended major, and more, across every award in this directory at once.

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Common questions about the Chafee Education and Training Voucher (ETV)

How much is the Chafee Education and Training Voucher (ETV) worth?

The Chafee Education and Training Voucher (ETV) awards up to $5,000/yr (renewable up to 5 years) and is renewable in later years.

When is the Chafee Education and Training Voucher (ETV) deadline?

The current deadline is May 1, 2027. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around May 1 each year. There is no national deadline. Contact your state child welfare agency or independent living coordinator as early as possible in senior year.

Who is eligible for the Chafee Education and Training Voucher (ETV)?

Key requirements: Open to high school seniors, current college students, and transfer students; For current or former foster youth; Age 26 or younger.

Does the Chafee Education and Training Voucher (ETV) require an essay?

No essay is required. The application is light on requirements. Expect to spend about 2 hours on it.

How hard is it to win the Chafee Education and Training Voucher (ETV)?

A large applicant pool chases this award. Apply if the student is a genuinely strong fit, but build the plan around better-odds awards first. The provider does not publish applicant or winner counts, so Solyo shows no odds figure for this award. What is known: requires a specific life circumstance. Plan on about 2 hrs of work.

Is the Chafee Education and Training Voucher (ETV) free to apply?

Yes. The Chafee Education and Training Voucher (ETV) is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.