Approximately 4.2 million youth and young adults experience homelessness on their own every year. These young people -- referred to as "unaccompanied homeless youth" under federal education law -- face unique barriers to accessing and completing higher education. Unaccompanied homeless youth are not living with, or supported by, a parent or guardian, and cannot obtain parental income information. Therefore, under the Higher Education Act, they are considered independent students and do not need to provide a parent's signature or information about parental income on the FAFSA. Youth face barriers to higher education, including burdensome financial aid program rules that have made it more difficult for these youth to obtain federal financial assistance for college. These barriers were exacerbated by the pandemic, which brought disruption, isolation, and more economic hardship and trauma. This report examines recently released 2020- 2021 federal data that help illustrate the impact of the pandemic on FAFSA completion for youth experiencing homelessness and youth with experience in foster care.