Education Beyond High School is Necessary to Maintain Stable Housing.

• Research forecasts that 85% of good paying jobs will go to workers (aged 25-64) with some form of postsecondary education and training by 2031.^[1]
• The median earnings of those with a bachelor’s degree were 59% higher than the earnings of those who completed high school ($41,800) as their highest level of attainment.^[2]
• Homelessness and education is a bidirectional relationship. According to a 2019 national study by Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, young adults who experienced homelessness were less than one-third as likely to be enrolled in a four-year college as stably housed peers. Yet higher education also appears to be a protective factor against young adult homelessness. The same study showed four-year college enrollment to be nearly four times higher for young adults without experiences of homelessness in the prior 12 months (52% compared to 15%).^[3]
• Higher education can lead to improved health and well-being as college graduates have better self-reported health compared to high school graduates.^[4]

A Significant Number of College Students Experience Homelessness.

• A 2017 national study found that 29% of young adults who experienced homelessness were enrolled in college or another educational program.^[5]
• The federal National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS) found that 8% of undergraduates and 5% of graduate students experienced homelessness in 2019.^[6]
• The Hope Center’s 2023-2024 Student Basic Needs Survey Report from 91 institutions across 16 states found that 59% of students experience at least one form of basic needs insecurity (41% experience food insecurity, 48% of students experiencing housing insecurity, and 14% of undergraduate students experience homelessness).^[7]

Youth Experiencing Homelessness Face Barriers to Higher Education – Especially Accessing Financial Aid.

• A 2016 Government Accountability Office (GAO) study found that homeless youth experience challenges that make it harder for them to pursue higher education, such as weak academic foundations, limited family support, and lack of awareness of available financial resources. It also found that found that burdensome financial aid program rules can make it more difficult for unaccompanied homeless youth to obtain federal financial assistance for college.^[8]
• A 2025 analysis of most recent FAFSA data shows the increase of FAFSA completion for unaccompanied homeless youth as a result of the changes from the FAFSA Simplification Act.^[9]

Institutions of Higher Education and Community Partners are Responding in a Variety of Ways.

• Institutions have included questions about homelessness in their applications and have used other strategies, such as partnering with the financial aid office, to identify college students experiencing homelessness. SchoolHouse Connection has created a series of tip sheets that summarize best practices from across the nation on the following topics: Transitioning from High School to College; Identifying Homeless College Students; Housing On and Off Campus; Accessing Financial Aid; Creating and Sustaining Campus-Based Programs; and Parenting Students.^[10]
• Shelters, service providers, and community partners provide targeted outreach and support to students experiencing homelessness like:
  • Funded by the state of California in 2020, the College Focused Rapid Rehousing program provided permanent housing, rental subsidies, and wraparound support to students.^[11]
  • College Housing Northwest ARCS (Affordable Rents for College Students) program provides housing with rental assistance to students experiencing homelessness.^[12]
  • Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter provides year-round housing and supportive services for college students experiencing homelessness.^[13]

Strong Federal Policy is on the Books, but Implementation Remains a Challenge

• Federal K12 education law (the McKinney-Vento Act) contains several provisions designed to increase college readiness and access for homeless students, including requirements for counselors to prepare and advise homeless students for college, and requirements for school district liaisons to inform unaccompanied homeless youth of their status as independent students for federal student aid and help them obtain documentation required to qualify for such aid. However, implementation remains a barrier as many liaisons struggle with identifying unaccompanied homeless youth or have the capacity to provide tailored assistance.^[14]
• In 2020, the FAFSA Simplification Act (Public Law No: 116-260) was signed into law. This legislation includes significant financial aid policies, including revisions to the Free Application for Student Financial Aid (FAFSA) for unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness and former foster youth.^[15]
• New FAFSA data from the 2023-2024 FAFSA cycle highlight the early impacts of improved federal policy (the FAFSA Simplification Act) with a 28% increase in FAFSA completion for unaccompanied homeless youth. Data also shows Universal FAFSA state laws appear to correlate with an increase in unaccompanied homeless youth FAFSA completion. Still, unaccompanied homeless youth face challenges with completing the FAFSA and receiving determinations as shown by the number of undetermined requests (43,000 in 23-24).^[16]
• The U.S. Department of Education released guidance in July 2024 stating that these provisions are in effect. The provisions include: ^[17]
  • Homeless or foster care status does not need to be redetermined every year. 
  • Determinations of unaccompanied homeless youth and foster youth must be made as quickly as practicable. 
  • More officials and programs are authorized to verify unaccompanied homeless youth.
    • School district homeless liaisons or their designee; 
    • Director or a designee of a director of an emergency or transitional shelter, street outreach program, homeless youth drop-in center, or other program serving individuals who are experiencing homelessness;
    • Director or a designee of a director of a program funded under a TRIO or Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for an Undergraduate program (“GEAR UP”) grant;
    • A financial aid administrator at the current institution or at another institution who previously made a determination.
  • Financial aid administrators must accept documentation from authorized entities. 
  • Financial aid administrators must make unaccompanied homeless youth determinations for youth who cannot get determinations from other authorities.

Policy Change is Underway in State Legislatures

• Some state legislatures have enacted laws to support college students experiencing homelessness, addressing issues ranging from housing to tuition and fee waivers.^[18]
• Additional states are continuing to pursue higher education and homelessness legislation.^[19]

Footnotes

1. The Future of Good Jobs
2. Annual Earnings by Educational Attainment
3. Missed Opportunities: Education Among Youth Experiencing Homelessness in America
4. Enrollment in Higher Education 
5. Missed Opportunities: Education Among Youth Experiencing Homelessness in America
6. National Postsecondary Student Aid Study – Overview
7. Hope Center 2023-2024 Student Basic Needs Survey
8. Higher Education: Actions Needed to Improve Access to Federal Financial Assistance for Homeless and Foster Youth 
9. New FAFSA Data Shows Increased Access to Financial Aid for Homeless and Foster Youth in 23-24
10. Tips for Helping Homeless Youth Succeed in College 
11. College Focused Rapid Rehousing Evaluation
12. Lost in the Shuffle
13. Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter Scholars
14. McKinney-Vento Act: Quick Reference
15. FAFSA Simplification
16. New FAFSA Data Shows Increased Access to Financial Aid for Homeless and Foster Youth in 23-24
17. Department of Education Guidance
18. State Laws Supporting College Students Experiencing Homelessness 
19. State Advocacy