Expansion of the tuition waiver program for former youth in care was announced at VIU in Nanaimo on Tuesday by minister of post-secondary education and future skills Selina Robinson (yellow jacket). (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

life changing

‘Truly it’s a home:’ expansion of tuition waiver program opening more doors for former youth in care

Mar 14, 2023 | 12:46 PM

NANAIMO — Expansion of a tuition waiver program targeting youth aging out of care is expected to break down more barriers to post-secondary education.

Provincial minister of post-secondary education and future skills Selina Robinson made the announcement at Nanaimo’s Vancouver Island University campus on Tuesday, March 14.

She said beginning Aug. 1, 2023, the province is coupling new funding with removing the previous 19 to 26-year-old age requirement, instead accepting people of any age who were in provincial care as youths.

“Removing the age restriction for waived tuition will reduce barriers to post-secondary education, support people in pursuing good-paying and meaningful jobs, and support a more inclusive, balanced and diverse workforce.”

Expansion of the Provincial Tuition Waiver Program will cost $19.2 million over three years and will see an estimated 1,200 additional students receive support.

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To qualify, students must have been in care for a minimum of 24 months or turned 19 in any formal care status, including adoption.

In addition to tuition, grants of up to $3,500 will be available for things like textbooks, computers and other required items for school.

Since the program began in 2017, around 1,900 students have saved over $13 million in tuition and fees.

One of those students is Mallory Woods, who studies women’s and gender studies at VIU.

They said university would have been “impossible” without the tuition waiver program.

“I work four jobs part-time, I do part-time studies and it would not be possible for me to be here if I didn’t have the tuition waiver program. It’s not just a degree, truly it’s a home.”

Woods called the program a “love letter” to potential students looking to better their circumstances through education.

They’ve turned their higher education into counselling services, working with youth exiting care and guiding people out of trauma-filled childhoods.

“What a better way to give love to your community than saying no matter who you are, no matter what you’ve been through, there’s an open door policy, how can that not be a love letter?”

VIU president Dr. Deborah Saucier said around 400 students have attended VIU since the program began.

New funding now opens more doors.

“Just slightly less than half of our students who have aged out of care are eligible for the current grant, now all of them will be. We usually have about 50 or so students a year who come to us who have aged out of care however only half of them are eligible under the current plan.”

Saucier added the numbers are skewed as VIU wouldn’t necessarily see those who didn’t think higher education was an obtainable goal.

“Those are only the 50 who believed they could do it, who took the big step off the ledge. Now anyone who thinks they can do it won’t have to worry so much about how they’re going to pay for it.”

More information on the program is available through the StudentAidBC website.

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