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AB-2768 • 2026

Student financial aid: deferment of fees and costs: foster youth.

Student financial aid: deferment of fees and costs: foster youth.

Education
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Ahrens
Last action
2026-04-22
Official status
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (April 21). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific definitions for 'foster youth' or the exact details on how much financial assistance private institutions receive from the state.

Helping Foster Youth with College Fees

This law requires certain California colleges and universities to wait until foster youth or former foster youth receive financial aid before charging them fees.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the California State University, community college districts, private postsecondary educational institutions, and independent higher education institutions that receive state money to defer unpaid enrollment fees for foster youth or former foster youth until their initial financial aid disbursement is received.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Foster youth and former foster youth applying to California State University, community colleges, private postsecondary educational institutions, and independent higher education institutions that receive state money.
  • Community college districts that receive state financial assistance.

Terms To Know

Foster youth
A person who was in foster care after turning 16 or before starting college, or aged out of foster care while still attending high school.
Financial aid award
Money given to students to help pay for college costs.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not require the University of California to defer fees, it only requests them to do so.
  • It is unclear how much financial assistance private postsecondary educational institutions and independent higher education institutions receive from the state.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-22 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (April 21). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  2. 2026-03-16 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on HIGHER ED.

  3. 2026-02-21 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.

  4. 2026-02-20 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 2768, as introduced, Ahrens.
Student financial aid: deferment of fees and costs: foster youth.
Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, the California State University, the University of California, independent institutions of higher education, and private postsecondary educational institutions as the segments of postsecondary education in the state. Existing law establishes various programs that provide financial aid to students attending institutions in each of the segments.
This bill would require the California State University, community college districts, and private postsecondary educational institutions and independent institutions of higher education that receive state financial assistance to, and would request the University of California to, defer the unpaid portion of enrollment fees and costs for a student that is a foster youth or former foster youth, as defined, upon the student’s initial enrollment at the postsecondary educational
institutional until the student has received an initial disbursement of the student’s financial aid award, as provided. By imposing new duties on community college districts, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Download Bill PDF