Increasing Access to Higher Education for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth: Information for Colleges and Universities. Best Practices in Homeless Education

Each year, more than a million young people in the United States experience homelessness; some of these young people, known as unaccompanied homeless youth, will face the challenges of homelessness while living on their own without the support of a caring adult. Unaccompanied homeless youth face the same struggles as other young people: trying to do well in school, "fitting in," and figuring out what their future will look like. Without adult guidance and support, however, they will face these struggles while also working to provide for their own livelihoods. Many of these youth hope to attend college but wonder how they will pay tuition without help from their parents, who will sign important paperwork on their behalf, how they will juggle long work hours and schoolwork, and where they will stay when the dormitories close during holiday and summer breaks. Fortunately, federal laws provide additional support for this vulnerable population. This brief aims to increase the awareness of postsecondary educators and education administrators of the issue of unaccompanied homeless youth by providing: (1) A better understanding of unaccompanied homeless youth and the educational and other challenges they face; (2) A summary of federal legislation, including the McKinney-Vento Act, the College Cost Reduction and Access Act, and the FAFSA Simplification Act, which give unaccompanied homeless youth access to critical educational supports; (3) Samples of promising practices implemented by high schools, colleges, and universities to assist unaccompanied homeless youth in succeeding in college; and (4) Additional resources for more information.