Frequently Asked Questions

To receive the Triton Childcare Fund, you must:

  • Be a currently enrolled (at least half-time), degree seeking student
  • Be Pell eligible (Pell eligibility is determined by completing the FAFSA)
  • Be the parent or legal guardian of a child(ren) ages 6 weeks to 12 years old and residing in the same home
  • Have a 2.0 (Undergraduate Students; 3.0 for Graduate Students) Cumulative GPA or higher

As a Triton Childcare Fund recipient, you will be required to:

  • Apply for and submit proof of application to Missouri or Illinois State Childcare Subsidy
  • Complete required surveys by due dates
  • Remain enrolled and actively attending classes
  • Pay monthly co-payment to your childcare center
  • Ensure child is attending the childcare center per your award agreement
Yes. If you meet the federal eligibility requirements for the Pell Grant, you may apply for the Triton Childcare Fund
By completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and then viewing your Student Aid Report (SAR). See below for information on how to apply for FAFSA and view your FAFSA/SAR Report.

Your Student Aid Report (SAR) summarizes information you submit on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If you have any issues with your FAFSA, these would be indicated on your SAR under “WHAT YOU MUST DO NOW.”

In order to view/print your SAR, follow these directions.

  1. Visit studentaid.gov and click "Log In"
  2. Enter your (the student’s) FSA ID, or enter the student’s information
  3. Under “My FAFSA” click the tab for the appropriate academic aid year
  4. Click the hyperlink “View or Print your Student Aid Report (SAR)”
  5. Then, click either “Print this Page” or “View Student Aid Report (PDF)”
You may want to view your SAR as a PDF which you can then save/print. Be sure to correct any potential issues with your FAFSA based on your SAR under “What You Must Do Now.”
  • The Triton Childcare Fund Application (online)
  • A copy of your UMSL Class schedule (Proof of enrollment)
  • A copy of your Student Aid Report (SAR)
  • A copy of the approved/denied Childcare State Subsidy letter


• By attaching them to your application using the link

• By sending them to the CCAMPIS Coordinator at cspurlock@umsl.edu

The program coordinator will notify you using your campus email address. You will receive an award letter with the amount you have been awarded for the semester. It is your responsibility to provide a copy of this award letter to your approved childcare facility.
The awarded money is paid directly to the approved childcare center/extended care program/ summer program or school district. Students will NOT receive funds directly.
Funding is limited. We try to assist as many eligible students as we can. Award amounts are determined by your SAR, class schedule, and time spent in practicum, internships and clinicals. If you need additional funding, contact the program coordinator to discuss other possible resources that may be available to you.
  • Yes. One of the requirements of the Triton Childcare Fund is that you apply for either Missouri, Illinois State Childcare Subsidy, or military childcare assistance. This ensures that we are able to most effectively financially support you. If you are denied state assistance, this does not preclude you from the Triton Childcare Fund.
  • If you are receiving state assistance, the state assistance amount is applied to your childcare balance first and then the Triton Childcare Fund assists with the balance. Students will be fiscally responsible for the balance not covered by the state or Triton Childcare Fund.
  • Students are required to reapply each semester, but eligibility must be maintained and will be reviewed each semester
  • Students must have a current FAFSA
  • If you are not receiving state subsidy, we will require that you re-apply for state subsidy each semester

To participate in the Triton Childcare Fund program, childcare providers must be licensed and accredited.* Childcare center providers must also agree to participate in the program through a Memorandum of Understanding with the university and must complete all appropriate paperwork before funds can be awarded for use at that facility. The program coordinator will assist you in determining if your provider is eligible to participate and work 1:1 with the center on university paperwork. If you are not currently enrolled in a center, the program coordinator will help you locate centers that are approved and/or eligible.


*We will also work with a limited number of centers who are willing to begin or who are actively pursuing accreditation with completion by an agreed date.

If your current childcare center is determined ineligible to participate, we are not able to provide Triton Childcare Funding  for you to use at that center. And while we know that there are many factors that parents must consider when deciding where to place their children in childcare - cost, location, availability of space, familiarity of center/director/owner, history of multiple kids or family attendance, and religious affiliation - we are bound by legal guidelines of the federal funding.

We understand this could possibly put a student parent in a challenging situation. If you want to remain at your current center, we respect that decision. If you do want to consider finding a center that can be supported by Triton Childcare Funding, the program coordinator will help you to locate an alternative center.

Yes. The Triton Childcare Fund can be used to pay a one-time registration fee per child, each year. You will need to contact the program coordinator to discuss if other fees are eligible for Triton Childcare Funding.

Yes. Student parents enrolled in UMSL summer courses are eligible to apply for limited funding for summer care and summer camps for children attending approved programs