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Youth Futures Education Fund is sponsored by United Way British Columbia (in partnership with Vancouver Foundation, Coast Capital, Province of British Columbia, and Office of the Representative for Children and Youth). This fund helps create equal educational opportunities for adults who have been in government care by providing low-barrier access to funds for basic living expenses like food, rent, technology, and childcare.
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Youth Futures Education Fund - United Way British Columbia United Way BC’s Youth Futures Education Fund helps create equal educational opportunities for adults who have been in government care by providing low-barrier access to funds for basic living expenses like food, rent, technology, childcare and more.
By addressing gaps students may encounter in a time of high living costs and inflation, we help ensure everyone wanting to pursue an education can do so. The fund is available to students on a Provincial Tuition Waiver.
Our innovative work in preventing youth homelessness through support of former youth in government care to achieve comfortable, safe and secure environments where they can pursue their educational dreams was recognized at the the 2025 Making the Shift Youth Homelessness Prevention Awards. Learn more here .
Pursuing post-secondary education is expensive — averaging $26,400 annually for essentials like rent, groceries, school supplies, transit, and more. But for youth leaving government care, the challenge is steeper. At age 19, they often ‘age out’ of the system and lose access to the foster parents, social workers, and financial supports they relied on.
While many of their peers have families to fall back on in case of an emergency, youth from care are too often left to navigate hard situations alone. Through a powerful collaboration between United Way BC, Vancouver Foundation, Coast Capital, the Province of British Columbia, and the Office of the Representative for Children and Youth, the Youth Futures Education Fund (YFEF) was established.
Since its launch in 2015, YFEF has been instrumental in filling the financial gaps for students on the Provincial Tuition Waiver Program who are pursuing their post-secondary dreams. When a need arises, YFEF is there to provide youth in care the stability they need to focus on their studies.
Our advocacy has helped inform and catalyze major systemic improvements: Removal of age restrictions for the Provincial Tuition Waiver Program, so former youth in care can return to school later in life Inclusion of all youth who turn 19, regardless of their length of time in care Introduction of the lump sum $3,500 Learning for Future Grant at the start of the school-year for essential education-related costs Launch of the SAJE Program, with staff offering navigation, life skills, and income supports for youth transitioning out of care These changes have reshaped the post-secondary landscape for youth from care in BC.
But the While the Provincial Tuition Waiver Program covers tuition and the Learning for Futures Grant of $3,500 is a one-time payment that many former youth in care use to pay down high interest credit card debt, it doesn’t address day-to-day living expenses or emergencies — which can make or break a student’s ability to succeed.
That’s where YFEF steps in, providing low-barrier financial support for students so that when life happens, they can stay on track.
YFEF has supported over 4,280 students since 2015 and over 71% of YFEF recipients have graduated with a credential Funding ranges from $20 to $6,500, depending on the emergent need 36% of student recipients are Indigenous Thanks to a recent expansion of the Provincial Tuition Waiver Program removing all age criteria, many individuals formerly in government care who did not have the opportunity to pursue education when they left school are now able to do so.
Along with attending a post-secondary institution, they can be caring for young families, needing to drive long distances to get to class and working, all of which makes it hard to concentrate on schooling. The Youth Futures Education Fund helps by providing barrier-free funds for childcare, transportation expenses and more. Read RavenSong’s story to learn how we can help.
Need support with basic living expenses? YFEF provides living expenses to youth who have aged out of the foster care system and are attending a post-secondary institution on a tuition waiver. Contact your post-secondary institution below to see if you’re eligible.
If you are unable to reach the appropriate person at your institution, contact Kevin at KevinY@uwbc. ca . If you are a high school student and a current or former youth in care, YFEF could help support your educational journey with support for basic living expenses or for emergencies.
Learn more here . BCIT: Tahira_syed@bcit. ca (Tahira Syed) Camosun College: financialaid@camosun.
bc. ca (Financial Aid Department) Capilano University: SFA@capilanou. ca (Student Financial Accounts Department) Coast Mountain College: financialaid@coastmountaincollege.
ca (Financial Aid Department) College of New Caledonia: finaid@cnc. bc. ca (Financial Aid Department) College of the Rockies: LAM@cotr.
bc. ca (Marifer Lam) Douglas College: ssnavigator@douglascollege. ca (Student Support Navigator) Emily Carr University of Art & Design: cbryan@ecuad.
ca (Charise Bryan) Justice Institute of BC: financialaid@jibc. ca (Financial Aid Department) Kwantlen Polytechnic University: blythe. katindoy@kpu.
ca (Blythe Katindoy) Langara College: abeck@langara. ca (Anna Beck) Nicola Valley Institute of Technology – Burnaby: swilliams@nvit. ca (Stephanie Williams); Merritt: abrown@nvit.
ca (Anna Brown) North Island College: advising@nic. bc. ca (Brooke Mcintosh) Northern Lights College: ievseeva@nlc.
bc. ca (Irina Evseeva) Okanagan College: CMacLean@okanagan. bc.
ca (Chantal MacLean) Royal Roads University: financial. aid@royalroads. ca (Financial Aid Department) Selkirk College: campusnavigator@selkirk.
ca (Meagan Zunti) Simon Fraser University: fiassist@sfu. ca (Karen McKitrick-Twaites) Thompson Rivers University: finaid@tru. ca (Financial Aid Department) University of Northern British Columbia: awards@unbc.
ca (Office of the Registrar) University of British Columbia (Vancouver): joseph. stevens@ubc. ca (Joseph Stevens) University of British Columbia (Okanagan): halyna.
petryshyn@ubc. ca (Halyna Petryshyn) University of the Fraser Valley: financial. aid@ufv.
ca (Financial Aid Department) University of Victoria: finaidofficer2@uvic. ca (Aly Landman) Vancouver Community College: mmacgregor@vcc. ca (Murray Macgregor) Vancouver Island University: bctuitionwaiverprogram@viu.
ca (Financial Aid & Awards) Native Education College: admissions@necvancouver. org (Admissions Department) Approved Union Trades Training Institutes: info@collegeofthebcbt.
ca (Layne Clark) Tuition and other supports The Provincial Tuition Waiver Program waives tuition and eligible fees for BC students who are current or former youth in care studying full- or part-time at the below graduate level at a BC public post-secondary institution, the Native Education College, or one of the approved union- based trades training providers. Learn more about eligibility requirements .
A $3,500 annual Learning for Future Grant to support educational costs, such as books, computers and supplies is also available. Learn more about the Learning for Future Grant .
Strengthening Abilities and Journeys of Empowerment (SAJE) Program is offered by the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD), which offers young adults improved income and housing supports, wellness and mental health benefits, and opportunities to pursue life-skills, training and cultural connections up to their 27th birthday.
You can apply to the SAJE program if you are between 19 and 26 years old (up to your 27th birthday) and had one of the following legal care statuses: Reached your 19th birthday under a Youth Agreement, Continuing Custody Order, or personal guardianship of a director. Achieved permanency between the ages of 12 and 19 (through adoption after being in care or under sections 54. 1 or 54.
01). Accumulated 24 months of time in care between ages 12 and 19 in any care status, excluding 54. 1, 54.
01, or adoption. Were in a comparable arrangement under Indigenous law. Not sure about your eligibility or what you qualify for in the SAJE program?
Click here to request a SAJE eligibility check. If you want to learn more about SAJE, visit AgedOut. com/SAJE .
If you are a high school student and a current or former youth in care, YFEF could help support your educational journey with support for basic living expenses or for emergencies. Learn more here . At United Way BC, we are united for kids and youth in need.
Since 2015, United Way BC, through the Youth Futures Education Fund, has supported over 4,280 students since 2015 with over $4. 4 million in vital basic living supports so they can succeed in post-secondary education and beyond. The Youth Futures Education Fund was collaboratively established in 2014 by: Coast Capital, The Province of British Columbia, and the Office of the Representative for Children and Youth.
The Youth Futures Education Fund is guided by an Advisory Committee and held at the Vancouver Foundation. What lies ahead – Josh’s story United Way BC’s Youth Futures Education Fund (YFEF) is a program that now provides Josh, a student at a Victoria college, with funds for basic living expenses like food, rent, technology, and more. The YFEF is available for people who were in government care as youth.
UNITED for brighter futures – Youth Futures Education Fund Graduating to a successful future Seventy-one percent of former youth in care pursuing post-secondary education and supported by United Way BC Youth Futures Education Fund graduate. Please contact Kevin Yang at KevinY@uwbc. ca for general inquiries.
Youth Futures Education Fund United for youth in need.
Based on current listing details, eligibility includes: Youth who are former or current youth in government care, enrolled at a BC post-secondary institution on the Provincial Tuition Waiver Program. Applicants should confirm final requirements in the official notice before submission.
Current published award information indicates $20 to $6,500 depending on emergent need Always verify allowable costs, matching requirements, and funding caps directly in the sponsor documentation.
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