Access to university remains one of the challenges for young people who are or have been in the child and adolescent protection system. Only 4% manage to access higher education, compared to nearly 40% of the adult population in Spain with higher education degrees. This gap later hinders these young adults from having better future opportunities for employment, dignified housing, expanding their social networks, and more. To address and transform this inequality, the University of Rovira i Virgili (URV) has launched the “Amb-Èxit-Ed” program, supported by the Department of Social Rights of the Catalan Government. It is the first program of its kind in Catalonia and the second in Spain.

The program focuses on providing current and former young adults in foster care not only with information about university access (for example, the fact that in Catalonia there is a reserved admission spot for them, which they sometimes are unaware of, and the possibility of tuition scholarships, etc.) but also with the necessary support to successfully complete their studies.

Students in foster care receive guidance as early as secondary school, so that from that moment on, they see university as a viable option. Once at the university, the program offers academic support, financial assistance to cover basic needs, and personalized monitoring.

The program aims not only to improve university access and graduation rates among young adults formerly in foster care, but also to strengthen their transition into adulthood by guaranteeing equal opportunities and reducing the risk of social and educational exclusion. Ultimately, the goal is to minimize the negative impact their foster care situation may have had and maximize the opportunities for them to achieve their dreams of attending university.

Carme García Yeste

Professor, Department of Pedagogy. Commissioner for Relations with the Department of Education.