MSU Texas assists students who are foster care alumni by providing free and confidential support and sharing information on important resources.
What's a liaison?
A liaison is a single individual who serves as a consistent, reliable source of information for students who are currently or were formerly in foster care.
The higher education foster care liaison has three responsibilities:
- Providing information about support services to foster care alumni—students formerly in the conservatorship of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS);
- Informing these students about other resources available at the institution; and
- Providing these students with any other relevant information.
We hope you'll consider your liaison as part of your success team on campus. Maybe you just have a quick question about where to go for fill-in-the-blank. That's exactly what a liaison is for!
Use this form to identify yourself or refer a student you know!
If you have any questions, please contact the Former Foster Youth Liaison, Beth Logsdon, at beth.logsdon@msutexas.edu or call 940-397-7400.
Resources for Former Foster Youth
Financial Resources
The Education & Training Voucher (ETV) Program helps current and former foster youth and young adults, youth adopted at age 16, and youth that enter Permanency Care Assistance at age 16 make a smoother transition to successful adulthood by providing funding and support to help them achieve their educational goals.
State College Tuition Waiver. This state law exempts or waives payment of tuition and fees at state-supported colleges or universities for foster youth currently or formerly in the conservatorship of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) and for those adopted from DFPS.
Freshman & Sophomore Success Scholarship is available to young adults formerly in DFPS foster care attending a Texas state-funded institution of higher education. Application due dates are August 1 and November 1, prior to each semester. Only students awarded the scholarship both semesters as a freshman may apply for the scholarship as a sophomore or as a second-year student at a Texas state-funded institution of higher education. The application can be downloaded from the DFPS website.
Pre-Law Scholarship. The C. Ed Davis PAL Scholarship, offered by the Texas Department of Family Protective Services provides assistance with basic non-tuition needs for students interested in the field of law and majoring in government, political science, history, or other pre-law fields. The application can be downloaded from the DFPS website.
Shelter
NEW! The Supervised Independent Living (SIL) Program at MSU Texas supports young adults who are moving from foster care into college life and want a safe, stable place to live while gaining independence. This program is designed to help students ages 18–21 build confidence, learn life skills, and succeed academically while living more independently than in traditional foster care placements.
SIL is a voluntary extended foster care placement in which eligible students live on their own—in a residence hall or apartment—while still receiving case management and supportive services to help them become self‑sufficient. Interested students should talk to their DFPS caseworker about eligibility and applying to the program.
Extended Foster Care is a voluntary program that offers young adults turning 18 in DFPS care opportunities to continue foster care placement and facilitates the transition to independence with DFPS supervision, if there is placement available.
The Phased IN Project a transitional living program for emancipated foster youth. Phased IN will provide housing, education, medical care, and life skills training.
Break Housing (for on-campus residents). Break housing fees are waived for students who have aged out of foster care and have an active housing agreement for the current and upcoming housing agreement periods. To ensure fees are waived, please send the Office of Residence Life & Housing an initial email at housing@msutexas.edu to notify the office of your former foster youth status. Then, submit the break housing form as required for each period. Questions can be directed to the Office of Residence Life & Housing at housing@nsutexas.edu or 940-397-4217.
Healthcare
Medicaid for Former Foster Youth and STAR Health Services provides healthcare coverage through age 25 to young adults who age out of Texas foster care and were receiving Medicaid when they aged out of care. This also includes young adults who aged out of foster care in another state on or after January 1, 2023, and were receiving Medicaid when they aged out of foster care.
Student Success
TRiO/Student Support Services (SSS). This federally funded grant program provides assistance and services such as study skills, personal counseling, academic advice and assistance, tutoring, cultural events, academic workshops, career services, activities designed to foster enrollment in graduate programs, a study lounge, and a computer lab. Learn more on the SSS webpage. Former foster youth are given priority during new participant application review in SSS. Ready to apply? Click Here