What happens when you age out of foster care? The checklist nobody hands you.

The short answer: in most states foster care ends at 18, but you don't have to walk out with nothing. You can usually stay in extended foster care to 21, you qualify for Medicaid until you're 26, there's up to $5,000 a year for school or training through the Chafee ETV program, and your agency is required to help you get your documents before your case closes. Here's each piece, plainly.

1. Decide about extended foster care before your 18th birthday

Most states let you stay in (or re-enter) foster care until 21 — with housing help and a caseworker — if you're in school, working, in a training program, or unable to do those because of a medical condition. It is almost always opt-in: if you say nothing, your case closes at 18.

Staying in doesn't mean staying in a foster home. In many states, extended care can pay toward your own apartment (often called supervised independent living). Ask your caseworker these exact words: "What does extended foster care look like for me in this state, and what's the deadline to opt in?" If you already aged out and regret leaving, ask about re-entry — many states allow it before 21.

2. Get your documents before the case closes

Federal law says youth aging out must receive key documents free. Do not leave without:

• Birth certificate (official copy)
• Social Security card
• State ID or driver's license
• Medical, dental, and immunization records
• School records and transcripts
• Proof of time in foster care (you'll need this for benefits later)
• A copy of your credit report — your agency must run one and help fix errors before you exit

3. Health insurance: you're covered until 26

If you were in foster care at age 18 (and on Medicaid, which nearly all foster youth are), federal law gives you Medicaid until your 26th birthday — in any state, no matter your income. This mirrors what other young adults get on their parents' insurance. You usually must enroll or confirm enrollment; it doesn't always happen automatically, especially if you move states. Search "former foster youth Medicaid" plus your state's name, or ask any caseworker or 211 helpline to point you to the form.

4. Money for school or training: Chafee ETV

The federal Education and Training Voucher (ETV) gives up to $5,000 per year toward college, community college, or career training if you were in foster care on or after your 16th birthday. You can use it up to age 26 (up to five years total) as long as you're passing your classes. It stacks on top of Pell Grants and FAFSA aid — and many states also waive tuition entirely at public colleges for former foster youth.

Apply through your state's ETV program (search "ETV" + your state, or start at your state's independent-living / PAL office). If a caseworker or college counselor doesn't know what ETV is, ask for the campus foster-youth liaison — most public colleges have one.

5. Housing: know your options before you need them

The honest truth: about 1 in 5 youth who age out becomes homeless almost immediately (National Foster Youth Institute). The options that exist, roughly in order to try:

1. Extended foster care / supervised independent living — the strongest option if you're under 21.
2. Transitional living programs (TLPs) — housing plus support for 16–22 year olds, funded federally, run by local nonprofits.
3. Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) vouchers — HUD rental vouchers specifically for youth leaving care; ask your caseworker or local public housing authority.
4. Job Corps — free residential job training (housing + meals + training) for ages 16–24.
5. 211 — dial it in any state to reach real local options fast.

6. Earning a living: jobs, training — or something you own

You have more paths than anyone told you: WIOA youth programs (free job training and paid work experience, ages 16–24, in every state), apprenticeships that pay while you learn, community college on ETV money, and Job Corps if you need housing too.

And there's a path most programs skip: owning something. Azgari Foundation — the 501(c)(3) that publishes this guide — runs a tuition-free, six-month program where young adults ages 16–25 who are leaving foster care or the juvenile justice system build an AI-powered marketing business of their own, with nine volunteer educators and one-to-one mentorship. Fully online. Free means free.