H.R. 9960 — Higher Education Access and Success for Homeless and Foster Youth Act of 2026

This section defines foster care youth as children and youth whose care and placement are the responsibility of a State or Tribal agency administering a plan under part B or E of title IV of the Social Security Act, including individuals who were age 13 or older when in such care regardless of subsequent adoption or guardianship. It defines homeless youth and unaccompanied youth by reference to section 725 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. It also removes subsections (m) and (n) of section 480 of the Higher Education Act of 1965.

This section requires the Performance-Based Organization to receive, review, and resolve expeditiously complaints regarding a student’s independence under section 480(d)(2) or (8) of the Higher Education Act, in consultation with child welfare agencies, local educational agency liaisons for homeless youth, and State Coordinators for Education of Homeless Children and Youth.

This section requires institutions participating in federal student aid programs to designate a trained liaison to connect homeless youth, unaccompanied youth at risk of homelessness, and foster care youth with financial aid, housing, food, health care, and other support services. It mandates priority access to institutionally owned housing for these students, a plan for housing access during academic breaks, and voluntary questions on admission applications to identify such students. It also requires institutions to allow access to housing facilities when students face temporary inability to pay due to delayed vouchers under section 477 of the Social Security Act or institutional delays.

This section requires applicants for Federal TRIO program grants to identify and conduct outreach to homeless youth and foster care youth and to make mentoring, tutoring, and other program services available to them. It also adds homeless youth and foster care youth to the populations eligible to receive TRIO services.

This section requires Talent Search program grantees to review and revise policies and practices to remove barriers to participation and retention of homeless youth and foster care youth. It also requires grantees to describe outreach activities to such youth in project applications and to report on services provided to them.

This section requires Upward Bound project applicants to assure that they have reviewed and revised policies and practices to remove barriers to participation and retention of homeless youth and foster care youth, to describe outreach activities to such youth in their applications, and to submit reports on services provided to them under section 402H(e).

This section requires entities carrying out student support services projects to review and revise policies and practices to remove barriers to participation and retention of homeless youth and foster care youth. It also requires project applications to describe outreach activities to such youth and mandates submission of a report under section 402H(e) on their participation at project conclusion.

This section requires entities operating educational opportunity centers to review and revise policies and practices to remove barriers to participation and retention by homeless youth and foster care youth. It also requires grant applications to describe outreach activities for such youth and mandates submission of reports on project outcomes for them.

This section requires each entity carrying out a project under sections 402B, 402C, 402D, or 402F of the Higher Education Act to submit a report to the Secretary at the project's conclusion. The report must include data on the number of homeless youth and foster care youth served and a description of any effective strategies or program enhancements used to meet their needs.

This section requires GEAR UP grant applicants to assure they have reviewed and revised policies to remove barriers for homeless and foster youth, describe outreach activities to those youth, and submit a report on the number served and effective strategies. It authorizes permissible activities including partnerships with child welfare agencies, shelters, and McKinney-Vento liaisons; continued participation despite residence changes; and transitional services when students leave a served school.

This section requires institutions participating in Federal Work-Study programs to prioritize employment for students who are homeless youth or foster care youth.

This section requires the Secretary of Education to report the number of undetermined requests for homelessness consideration, including cases where an institution has not yet decided on an applicant’s request to be treated as homeless for Federal student aid purposes.

This section expands in-state tuition requirements to homeless youth and foster care youth. It directs states receiving Higher Education Act assistance to charge such individuals tuition and required fees at public institutions of higher education no higher than the resident rate, effective for the first enrollment period beginning in the first full award year after the effective date of the Higher Education Access and Success for Homeless and Foster Youth Act of 2026.

This section directs the Secretary of Education to issue revised guidance within 120 days on serving homeless youth (including unaccompanied homeless youth), unaccompanied students at risk of homelessness, self-supporting students, and foster care youth, including financial aid determinations under section 479D. It also requires annual professional development for liaisons and staff beginning within one year, and a report to Congress within one year and every five years thereafter on effective institutional strategies for recruitment, retention, completion, and financial aid streamlining.

This section applies the amendments made by this Act as if included in the FAFSA Simplification Act (title VII of division FF of Public Law 116–260), in accordance with the effective date and authorization provisions of section 701(b) of that Act as amended by the FAFSA Simplification Act Technical Corrections Act.