College Choice

Are you a youth in foster care interested in pursuing a two- or four-year college degree?

About College Choice

Supporting the future success of youth in foster care is extremely important to the NYC Administration for Children’s Services (ACS). College Choice was designed for students in foster care who are interested in pursuing a two-or four-year college degree. Various resources, services and supports are provided, allowing you to focus solely on your education. Participants in College Choice can attend a public or private school, regardless of the location.

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Click the link, or press the enter key, to reveal the colleges.

Colleges That Have Participated in College Choice

American Academy of Dramatic Arts
AMG School of Licensed Practical Nursing
Bard College
Berkeley College
Blinn College
Bridgewater State University
Bryant And Stratton
Syracuse
Carolina University
College of the Holy Cross
Colorado State University
Cooper Union
Coppin State University
CUNY Baruch College
CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College
CUNY Bronx Community College
CUNY Brooklyn College
CUNY College of Staten Island
CUNY Guttman Community College
CUNY Hostos Community College
CUNY Hunter College
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
CUNY Kingsborough Community College
CUNY LaGuardia Community College
CUNY Lehman College
CUNY Medgar Evers College
CUNY New York City College of Technology
CUNY Queens College
CUNY Queensborough Community College
CUNY School of Professional Studies
CUNY The City College of New York
CUNY York College
Daemen University
Delaware State University
Denison University
DePauw University
Dominican University
Fordham University
Franklin & Marshall College
Hillsborough Community College
Hudson County Community College
Iona College
Johnson & Wales University
Kean University
Keiser University
Kutztown University
Lackawanna College
Le Moyne College
Lincoln University
Livingstone College
Long Island University
Louisiana State University
Maharishi International University
Manhattan College
Mercy University
Miami Dade College
Middlebury College
Mitchell College
Monroe College - Bronx
Montclair State University
Morgan State University
New York University
Niagara University
Onondaga Community College
Ottawa University
Pace University
Penn State University
Pratt Institute
Rochester Institute of Technology
Russel Sage College
Sacred Heart University
Sarah Lawrence
School of Visual Arts
Seton Hall University
Smith College
Spelman College
St Francis College
St Paul's School of Nursing
St. John’s University
Stockton University
SUNY Alfred State College
SUNY Binghamton University
SUNY Canton
SUNY Clinton Community College
SUNY Cobleskill AG & Tech
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF)
SUNY Delhi
SUNY Dutchess Community College
SUNY Empire State University
SUNY Farmingdale State College
SUNY Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT)
SUNY Fredonia
SUNY Genesee Community College
SUNY Hudson Valley Community College
SUNY Jefferson Community College
SUNY Monroe Community College
SUNY Morrisville
SUNY Nassau Community College
SUNY Niagara Community College
SUNY Old Westbury
SUNY Onondaga Community College
SUNY Oswego
SUNY Plattsburgh
SUNY Potsdam
SUNY Purchase College
SUNY Stony Brook University
SUNY Sullivan Community College
SUNY University at Albany
SUNY Buffalo State
SUNY Westchester Community College
Syracuse University
Temple University
The New School
The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Tompkins Cortland Community College
Touro University
University Of California: Riverside
University of California Santa Barbara
University of Connecticut
University of Hartford
University of Hawaii at Mānoa
University of Las Vegas Nevada
University of Michigan
University of New Haven
University of Pittsburgh
University of Rochester
University of Tampa
Utica University
VA Commonwealth University
Vanderbilt University
Vassar College
Vaughn College
Wagner College
Xavier University of Louisiana

Benefits

Youth who participate in College Choice receive:

Cash Stipend which continues for six months when you earn your college degree.
Tuition Support for youth enrolled in an accredited two- or four-year degree-granting college/university after the application of financial aid grants.
Housing Support for college-sponsored or private off-campus housing for students.
Academic Advisement, Tutoring, and Career Counseling offered by The New York Foundling’s College Choice Support Service Program.

Eligibility

Youth in foster care with ACS, and active in foster care upon approval for the College Choice program
Youth attending an accredited two- or four-year college/university
Youth who are enrolled in college fulltime (12 course credits or more)
Youth who demonstrate earning a 2.0 cumulative grade point average (gpa) and above
Youth who complete all financial aid applications for which they are eligible (FAFSA, TAP, ETV, FYCSI)

How to Apply

To apply for College Choice, create an account on the College Choice Application portal. Remember to save your login information in a safe place. Start your application even if you don't have all the required documents so we can count your application and work with you to complete it.

Required Documents

Gather the following documents from your college university. If you need help, reach out to your Fair Future Coach, Education Specialist, or NYF Support Service Advisor.

Enrollment Verification Letter (this confirms your enrollment)
Bursar Bill (this confirms the cost of attendance, the financial aid you receive, and the balance College Choice will pay)
Education and Training Voucher Award Letter (ETV)
Course schedule (this schedule confirms whether you have fulltime status)
Unofficial transcript (if you are just starting college, you do not need to submit a transcript until your second semester)
Academic/university calendar
If you have private off-campus housing, an invoice from your landlord or a signed lease (only sign leases after you are approved for College Choice)
If you are a recent college graduate, a copy of your final transcript and a copy of your diploma

College Choice Program – Fall 2026 Timeline & Key Milestones

The College Choice Program is committed to supporting students and foster care agencies
throughout the Fall 2026 application cycle. Below is a comprehensive timeline outlining
important dates, critical deadlines, and support opportunities.

Program Launch & Application Period

July 13, 2026: Applications Open. The College Choice Program application officially opens for Fall 2026.
September 4, 2026: Deadline Application Closes. The College Choice Portal closes at midnight.
September 18, 2026: Pending application documents due. All documents must be uploaded into Submittable by midnight.

Ongoing Application Support & Workshops

Workshops offered to students and foster care providers to provide guidance on completing applications and submitting required materials.

July 13, 2026: 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
July 20, 2026: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
July 27, 2026: 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
August 3, 2026: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
August 10, 2026: 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
August 17, 2026: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
August 24, 2026: 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
August 31, 2026: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Payment Schedule

August 10, 2026: The New York Foundling team begins submitting payment for all approved students. Payments for September stipends.
September 10, 2026: Payments for October stipends.
October 10, 2026: Payments for November stipends.
November 10, 2026: Payments for December stipends.
December 10, 2026: Payments for January 2027 stipends.

Critical Deadlines

September 4, 2026: Deadline - no new applications accepted. The application portal will close at midnight.
September 18, 2026: Final deadline for students to submit all required documents via Submittable.

Contact Us

To learn more about College Choice, view the College Choice flyer or contact us at college.choice@acs.nyc.gov.