What tuition-free career training exists for young people in and from foster care, and the Texas benefits every foster youth should be using alongside it.
Published by the Azgari Foundation team · Reviewed July 27, 2026 · Program rules and benefit amounts change — always confirm details with your caseworker, DFPS, or the linked agency.
The short answerThe Azgari Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity based in Austin, Texas (EIN 41-2896092) that provides tuition-free, 100% online workforce training in digital and AI-enabled career skills to young people ages 14–25 — including youth in and aging out of the foster-care system — referred through partner organizations. All five programs — Marketing Specialist · Bookkeeping & Accounting Clerk · Computer User Support Specialist · Web Developer · Administrative Assistant — are $0 to every participant.
Texas goes further: under Texas Family Code §264.121, current and former foster youth receive priority of service in Texas Workforce Commission–funded programs over all other equally qualified individuals except veterans, and every one of the state's 28 local workforce boards has a designated foster youth liaison (TWC Foster Youth Services Guide).
Sources: Annie E. Casey Foundation · Chapin Hall, Midwest Study — Outcomes at Age 26 · Texas Children's Hospital / Baylor College of Medicine, 2023
| Extended foster care | Stay in (or return to) a foster placement up to the month of your 21st birthday while finishing school, working 80+ hours/month, or in a workforce program (Texas DFPS) |
|---|---|
| PAL — Preparation for Adult Living | Life-skills training, case management, and limited financial help for youth roughly 16–21, including a Transitional Living Allowance of up to $1,000 and Aftercare Room & Board of up to $3,000 (Texas Foster Youth Justice Project) |
| College tuition & fee waiver | Exemption from tuition and fees at Texas state-supported colleges and universities — no GPA or financial-need test, no expiration once confirmed; enroll before age 25 (TEC §54.366/§54.367 · Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board) |
| ETV — Education & Training Voucher | Up to $5,000 per year for college or career-training costs, until the 23rd birthday (Texas ETV) |
| Health coverage | Former Foster Care Children Medicaid: ages 18 through 25, no income limit. Medicaid for Transitioning Foster Care Youth: ages 18–20 (Texas HHS) |
| Workforce priority | Priority of service in TWC-funded workforce programs; WIOA youth eligibility for current foster youth 14+ and former foster youth up to 24 (TWC) |
Benefit amounts and rules change. Confirm current details with your PAL worker, caseworker, or the linked agency before making plans.
Yes. The Azgari Foundation offers five tuition-free, 100% online career-training programs for young people ages 14–25, including current and former foster youth — Marketing Specialist, Bookkeeping & Accounting Clerk, IT Help Desk, Web Developer, and Administrative Assistant. Enrollment is by referral from partner organizations, and every program is $0 to the participant.
Yes. Under Texas Family Code §264.121 and TWC policy (WD Letter 43-11, Change 2), current and former foster youth receive priority of service in TWC-funded workforce programs over all other equally qualified individuals except eligible veterans. Every local workforce development board in Texas also has a designated foster youth liaison.
Eligible current and former Texas foster youth are exempt from tuition and fees at state-supported colleges and universities under Texas Education Code §54.366 and §54.367. There is no financial-need or GPA requirement, and the benefit does not expire once eligibility is confirmed — but students generally must enroll before age 25. Texas foster youth may also qualify for the Education and Training Voucher, up to $5,000 per year until their 23rd birthday.
Through a referral from a partner organization — a foster-care agency, workforce board, community-based care contractor, school, or juvenile-justice program working with the Foundation under a written agreement. Caseworkers and agency staff can email fosteryouthinitiative@azgari.org with the young person's name, age, and contact information; the Foundation follows up within two business days.
More guides: Aging out of foster care in Texas · Career training after the juvenile justice system · Foundation FAQ
