foster care; scholarship; tribal members

SB 1679 creates a tuition waiver scholarship program for Arizona students who were in foster care (or adopted from foster care after age 14) and are under 23 years old. It directly affects youth in foster care, including members of federally recognized tribes, by covering tuition and mandatory fees at Arizona universities and community colleges. To qualify, applicants must meet income and asset limits ($10,000 total personal assets), complete volunteer hours, maintain enrollment, and submit federal aid forms annually. The scholarship reduces only other scholarships/grants (not federal foster care aid) and continues until degree completion or age 23 if eligibility is maintained.