Bill > H5008

This bill, known as the South Carolina Fostering Futures Act, mandates that all state-supported colleges and universities must waive tuition and fees for certain current and former foster youth pursuing an undergraduate certificate, diploma, or first bachelor's degree. Eligibility is defined for individuals up to age twenty-five who were in the legal custody of the Department of Social Services (DSS) when they aged out of foster care, are currently in extended foster care, were adopted from DSS foster care at age thirteen or later, or spent at least three cumulative years in DSS foster care. This waiver can continue until the student completes their first bachelor's degree or turns twenty-six, whichever comes first, and applies to summer and other academic terms, as well as institutionally sponsored study abroad programs, but not room, board, or books. Institutions can request verification of eligibility only once per student and must provide priority for on-campus housing and federal work-study positions to eligible students. Additionally, each institution must assign a staff member to act as a liaison, offering guidance on college processes, financial aid, and career planning, and must report annually to DSS on the number of eligible students, their academic programs, and their progress, with an external evaluator having access to this data to assess the waiver's effectiveness. Finally, eligible students will be considered financially independent for federal and state financial aid purposes, meaning they won't need to provide parental information.

Budget and Finance

https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=5008&session=126&summary=B