Child Care Subsidy Information

Student Parent Subsidy Fund (SPSF)

The Student Parent Subsidy Fund (SPSF) was established to ease the financial burden on student-parents by subsidizing the cost of child care. Managed by the SUU Center for Hope, the fund is made possible through the generous support of various donors.

Am I eligible?

To be eligible, you must meet the following requirements:

• Must be a current tuition-paying student enrolled at SUU or Southwest Tech. This means if you have a tuition-waiver, we unfortunately cannot provide assistance. 
• Must have and maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0.
• Must have filled out your FAFSA for the academic year before applying for SPSF. If you have not filled out your FAFSA, we cannot offer assistance until you do so.
• Must be enrolled with a state-licensed childcare provider. Priority is given to families enrolled in care with the SUU Center for Hope, however, other state-licensed providers may be considered depending on available funding. We can not provide subsidies for personal babysitters or unlicensed providers.
• Must be Pell Grant eligible. Please note that priority is given to applicants who are Pell Grant receiving. Student-parents who are not receiving a Pell Grant but are considered Pell Grant eligible will be considered when funding is available. If you are not Pell Grant eligible, it must be for one of the following reasons:
  • Low-income graduate student
  • Low-income foreign student
• Participants are required to apply for state childcare subsidy through their state's child care assistance program, such as the Department of Workforce Services, during the first semester that they receive SPSF.

Please note that if you are a graduate or foreign student, we will request that you provide a copy of your most recent tax forms in order to verify household income.

Eligibility is based on a sliding scale that considers several factors, such as the number of credit hours you are taking, whether you are taking classes in person or online, the number and age of your children, and financial need. Priority is given to families who receive care through the SUU Center for Hope, however, we encourage all student-parents who meet the eligibility requirements to apply!

For how much aid am I eligible?

SPSF funding is awarded on a percentage basis, and awards are dependent on available funding for the semester. Participants typically receive 40% - 60% coverage for their child care costs each semester. Single parent and Veteran/military-connected families may qualify for additional coverage as funding allows. 

The maximum amount awarded is based on income, enrolled in-person credit hours, and age and number of children. We may have to ask for income verification via tax forms.

How does the SPSF Program work?

Please read the eligibility requirements above before applying.

Once we receive your SPSF application, we then determine the percentage of the cost we can cover, according to our sliding scale. If you are eligible, our Student Parent Support Coordinator will reach out to schedule an Onboarding Meeting, where you will discuss the program, what you can expect for the following semester, and what will be expected of you. After Onboarding is completed, you will then receive your award information. Your award funding will remain unchanged for the semester, unless there is a decrease in your scheduled child care hours or tuition costs, resulting in a reduced need for funding.

We will contact you if you are ineligible or are put on a waiting list. If placed on the waitlist, you will be notified if additional funds open up later in the semester.

Then what?

Once you are accepted, there are a few requirements you must follow in order to remain funded.

1. You must attend an initial onboarding meeting with the Student Parent Support Coordinator, either in-person or via Zoom. This meeting will cover SPSF requirements and procedures, review your subsidy reward, and answer any questions you may have concerning the program.
2. You must maintain a cumulative 2.0 or higher GPA. If you do not, you will be put on probation and could be removed from the SPSF program.
3. You must maintain enrollment in classes for the semester in which funds are awarded.
4. You must remain in good financial standing with your child care facility.
5. You must participate in the Relationship Enrichment Program. Participants will be required to complete up to 8 activities and/or events focusing on family and personal growth. If you fail to complete 8 activities for the semester, you will have to return your award.
   1. You are expected to complete and submit write-ups for 2 activities each month. These submissions will also serve as a monthly check-in with the Student Parent Support Coordinator.
6. You must apply for child care subsidy through your state's child care assistance program. For Utah residents, this will be through the Department of Workforce Services (DWS). You will be asked to provide a letter of acceptance or denial to the Student Parent Support Coordinator.
   1. Participants must apply once per academic year. You will be asked to apply during the first semester that you receive SPSF. During this semester, SPSF will provide subsidy, but a letter of acceptance or denial must be provided in order to be considered for future semesters.
   2. Participants who do not qualify to receive DWS will still receive SPSF, so long as they have applied for their state's child care assistance program and provided a letter of denial.
7. You must complete the following at the end of each semester:
   1. Parent Survey: this survey is crucial for maintaining and improving the SPSF program. By participating, you will provide important information, data, and feedback regarding the program.
   2. A testimonial to share with program donors.

Non-compliance with program requirements may result in a loss of funding and could impact your eligibility to receive funding in the future. In addition, missing any deadlines set by the Student Parent Support Coordinator may result in being waitlisted or withdrawn from the program for the semester.

How do I apply?

We are currently accepting SPSF applications for the Spring 2027 Semester! Applicants must be registered for Spring 2027 classes with SUU or Southwest Tech to qualify.

Apply for Spring Subsidy!

Thank You to Our Donors

The Student Parent Subsidy Fund would not be possible without the generous support of:

• Ivory Homes
• The Emma Eccles Jones Foundation
• The Kathy W. Wyatt Tiny T-bird Scholarship

We are deeply grateful for their partnership and the important impact they have made in the lives of our student-parents!