Campus child care centers and how to get a spot

How a campus center fills its spots

Many colleges run a child care center on campus or contract with one nearby, and student families often get first call on the openings. Faculty and staff families tend to fill the rest, and some centers also take children from the neighborhood. Each center publishes its own order of priority, so ask for it in writing.

Some centers receive a federal grant called CCAMPIS, short for Child Care Access Means Parents in School. It supports care for student parents with low incomes, and a center that holds it may set aside spots or lower fees for those families. The grant goes to individual colleges, so your campus may or may not have one.

Openings tend to appear at the start of each term, when children move up a room or families graduate. State licensing rules keep infant and toddler rooms small, which makes them the hardest to get into. Putting your name down months ahead is common, including while you are pregnant.

What the center will ask you for

Expect an application, proof that you are enrolled, your class schedule and your child's immunization record. Centers that charge on a sliding scale or hold a grant will also ask for income papers, often your FAFSA Submission Summary or a tax return. Keep copies, because the center may ask again each term.

Your class schedule matters more than parents expect. Some centers enroll children only for the hours a parent is in class, studying or working, and they may ask you to update the schedule whenever it changes. Ask whether drop-in or part-day care is offered for evening classes or exam weeks.

Putting your name down months ahead is common, including while you are pregnant.

Paying for a spot and keeping it

Fees at campus centers vary widely, and each center sets its own. Some accept payment from the state child care assistance program, which can cover part of the cost for families who meet its rules. Ask the center whether it takes the state subsidy, and ask your state agency whether time in college counts as an approved activity.

Child care you pay for can also be added to your cost of attendance at the financial aid office, which may raise the amount of aid you can be offered. Centers usually expect you to stay enrolled to keep the spot, so tell them early if you plan to drop to part time or take a term off.