Grants

Youth Educational Assistance Fund (YEAF) for former youth in care

The Youth Educational Assistance Fund is for former B.C. youth in care between 19 and 23 years of age who are taking full-time post-secondary level courses at a designated post-secondary institution or who are students with a permanent disability studying at a reduced course load.  Grants of up to $5,500 are available to eligible applicants.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the grant you must meet all of the criteria below:

• You must first meet one of the following legal criteria, by being a student
  1. who was
     1. in the continuing custody of a director designated under section 91 of the Child, Family and Community Service Act pursuant to that Act;
     2. in the permanent custody of the Superintendent of Family and Child Service designated under the former Family and Child Service Act pursuant to that Act; or,
     3. under the guardianship of a director referred to in paragraph (i) or the Superintendent referred to in paragraph (ii) pursuant to section 29(3) of the Family Relations Act

until the person turned 19 years of age or the person was adopted or custody was transferred to a person other than a parent;  or,

2. who was under the guardianship of:
   1. a director of adoption pursuant to the Adoption Act;
   2. the director of adoption under the former Adoption Act; or,
   3. the Superintendent of Family and Child Service designated under the former Family and Child Service Act pursuant to the former Adoption Act.

until the person turned 19 years of age or for at least five years immediately prior to the person's adoption.

If you don’t know if you meet the above criteria, please contact your former social worker or any Ministry of Children and Family Development office for help.

In addition to the above criteria, you must be:

• a full-time student or a student with a permanent disability studying at a reduced course load
• registered to take post-secondary-level courses from a designated post-secondary institution in a program leading to a certificate, diploma or degree that is at least 12 weeks in length
• between 19 and 23 years old

How to Apply

To apply for the grant, complete an application form [103kb] and attach a letter from any Ministry of Children and Family Development office or delegated Aboriginal agency stating you are a former youth-in-care. If you are not applying for financial assistance through StudentAid BC, a financial aid officer at your school must also complete a confirmation of enrolment form [1.12mb].

If you are denied funding and want to appeal, please complete an appeal form [95kb] and submit it along with the documentation listed on the form to:

StudentAid BC
Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development
Attn: Special Programs Unit
PO Box 9173 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria, B.C. V8W 9H7
E-mail questions to SABC.SpecialPrograms3@gov.bc.ca.

For more information, email SABC.SpecialPrograms3@gov.bc.ca or contact a Ministry of Children and Family Development office.