NORTHRIDGE, CA- The California Dream Act was enacted in July 2011. Its purpose is to serve the undocumented community. It is meant to aid those ineligible for the Free Application for Federal Aid (FAFSA). Thanks to the Dream Act, undocumented students no longer have to put higher education in limbo because of financial restraints. The application process could be a difficult journey but with the right resources and guidance, undocumented students can successfully apply to their dream school.
When applying to college there are various outlets of financial assistance one can seek. For undocumented students, however, the search for financial aid looks a little bit different. Eligibility and financial requirements when filling out the Dream Act can be verified through the Immigrants Rising website.
The application for the Dream Act can be found on the CADAA website. Changes to the application are made every year so it is important to actively keep up with the most recent modifications. Among those changes are an updated user-friendly website and mobile look. The new application takes after FAFSA’s simplistic look Student’s can refer to — for updates on the application on @CAstudentaid.
Laws supporting the undocumented community include AB540, SB68. AB540 is a California law enacted in 2001 intended to allow eligible students to pay in-state tuition at community colleges, California State Universities (CSU’s), and Universities of California (UC’s).
SB 68 is an expansion of AB540. SB68 allows students to count their years in a community college or adult school and have them count towards their eligibility requirements for AB540. Requirements can be verified through the Immigrants Rising Quick Guide to SB68.
There are various financial aid resources available to the undocumented community in addition to the Dream Act like scholarships and grants! California students can turn to Cal Grants for extra financial aid. Eligible students can apply for a Cal Grant through the CA Dream Act. For more details visit Immigrants Rising checklist for the CA Dream Act and Cal Grant.
To keep up with scholarships, grants and deadlines follow our @gotocollege Instagram page to stay connected!
