State Grants & ProgramsQualify and receive

Delaware Fostering Independence Through Education Tuition Waiver

Offered by State of Delaware (Office of the Child Advocate) · Free to apply

Delaware's Fostering Independence Through Education Tuition Waiver lets students who spent time in Delaware foster care attend the University of Delaware, Delaware State University or Delaware Technical Community College without paying tuition and mandatory fees, and, where the college offers housing, on-campus housing and a standard meal plan, available year-round. The waiver covers total eligible costs minus any grants or scholarships; colleges may not count loans against those costs, and Chafee Education and Training Vouchers and Ivyane Davis Scholarships go toward other expenses instead. To qualify, a student must be a current Delaware resident under 26 and either be eligible for the Delaware Chafee voucher or have spent 12 or more months in the custody of the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families between ages 14 and 18. It covers full- or part-time undergraduate study, including winter and summer courses and DSU's Summer Academy, for up to five years, until a bachelor's degree, or age 26. The Office of the Child Advocate verifies eligibility, and each college has a named contact.

Other deadlines near this one

How hard is the Delaware Fostering Independence Through Education Tuition Waiver to win?

This is not a competition. Aid is allocated by a published formula, so meeting the criteria and filing on time is what determines whether the money arrives.

Estimated odds: qualifying students generally receive it
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.

Fewer rivalsOpen only to Delaware residents
Fewer rivalsRequires a specific life circumstance
Fewer rivalsOpen to a single grade level only

How Solyo estimates this: State programs that allocate by published formula are modelled on qualification and filing, not on competition, because there is no selection committee choosing between applicants. 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 Delaware Fostering Independence Through Education Tuition Waiver?

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

Must be a resident of Delaware
Must attend a college in Delaware (the award does not travel out of state)
Open to high school seniors
For current or former foster youth
Age 25 or younger

Confirm these before applying

Must be eligible for the Delaware Chafee voucher or have spent 12+ months in DSCYF custody between ages 14 and 18

Good to know

Only at the University of Delaware, Delaware State University and Delaware Technical Community College

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Does your student actually qualify?

Not sure your student clears every rule above? 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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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 next projected deadline is June 30, 2027 (estimated). The last verified deadline has passed; the next cycle is projected from this award's usual June 30 deadline. Confirm the exact date on the official site.

Applications close: June 30, 2027 (estimated)

Track the next deadline Apply on the official site

Free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge a fee. We use your student's information only to build their plan.

Common questions about the Delaware Fostering Independence Through Education Tuition Waiver

How much is the Delaware Fostering Independence Through Education Tuition Waiver worth?

The Delaware Fostering Independence Through Education Tuition Waiver awards tuition, mandatory fees, on-campus housing and meal plan at UD, DSU and Delaware Tech and is renewable in later years.

When is the Delaware Fostering Independence Through Education Tuition Waiver deadline?

Who is eligible for the Delaware Fostering Independence Through Education Tuition Waiver?

Key requirements: Must be a resident of Delaware; Must attend a college in Delaware (the award does not travel out of state); Open to high school seniors; For current or former foster youth. 1 more criteria are listed on this page.

Does the Delaware Fostering Independence Through Education Tuition Waiver 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 Delaware Fostering Independence Through Education Tuition Waiver?

This is not a competition. Aid is allocated by a published formula, so meeting the criteria and filing on time is what determines whether the money arrives. Solyo classifies this award as qualify and receive, meaning qualifying students generally receive it. Plan on about 2 hrs of paperwork.

Is the Delaware Fostering Independence Through Education Tuition Waiver free to apply?

Yes. The Delaware Fostering Independence Through Education Tuition Waiver is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.

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Award details are curated by Solyo and verified against the official scholarship page. Deadlines and requirements can change between cycles, so always confirm on the provider's site before applying.