Scholarships Help Undocumented Students Pursue College Dreams
Every year, approximately 65,000 undocumented students -- many of whom were brought to the country at a young age by a parent or guardian -- graduate from U.S. high schools. For many, this is the end of their education.
Undocumented students cannot legally receive federal student financial aid of any form, including loans, grants and scholarships. At the state level, most require undocumented students to pay out-of-state tuition to attend public colleges and universities and prohibit the students from receiving state loans, grants and other financial help. Private college tuition can be just as daunting for the vast majority of students.
[Learn how the first year of Deferred Action affected undocumented students.]
The result: Plenty of high-achieving undocumented students can't further their studies. This includes those in the country under former President Barack Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, which currently allows some undocumented immigrants who entered the country as minors to enjoy protection from deportation for renewable two-year periods.
However, scholarships are available to help high-achieving undocumented students pursue their dreams of going to college.
TheDream.US calls itself the country's largest program for DREAMers -- students who qualify for DACA status. TheDream.US has committed close to $43 million to 1,700 students. The organization offers two scholarships for high-achieving undocumented students.
The National Scholarship is open to current or soon-to-be high school or community college graduates who qualify for in-state tuition at TheDream.US' partner schools, which include Arizona State University--Tempe, San Jose State University and Colorado State University. The National Scholarship pays for tuition and fees up to $12,500 for an associate degree and $25,000 for a bachelor's.
TheDream.US also offers the Opportunity Scholarship for current and soon-to-be high school graduates who live in states that do not offer in-state tuition to undocumented students. Applicants must have or be eligible for DACA status and intend to enroll full time in a partner school's bachelor's degree program.
The scholarship pays up to $80,000 for tuition, fees, on-campus housing and meals. Applications for both scholarships are scheduled to reopen in early November.
[Consider scholarships for immigrant students.]
Educators for Fair Consideration is another organization that offers scholarships to undocumented students. The New American Scholars Program is open to students who reside in or attend school in the San Francisco Bay Area. Recipients can use the $7,000 scholarship to pay for tuition and expenses.
Applicants must meet minimum 3.3 and 3.0 GPA requirements for high school students and college students, respectively. Recipients are chosen based on academic excellence, impact on their community and financial need. Applications are due March 1.
Another scholarship opportunity for high-achieving undocumented students is the Golden Door Scholars scholarship, which offers full scholarships to partner schools, such as Wake Forest University, Emory University, Lehigh University and Tufts University.
Current high school students and recent high school graduates must submit transcripts and essays with their application. Preference is given to students from states that require undocumented students to pay out-of-state tuition.
Winners must maintain a 3.0 GPA each semester. They are also assigned mentors and offered professional development and internship support, so applicants must be eligible to participate in paid internships.
Applications will open in September. Full disclosure: Arthur Murray, who wrote this post, is a Golden Doors Scholar member and mentor to two undocumented students.
[Learn tips and advice on paying for college.]
While these scholarships are specifically for undocumented students, additional scholarship opportunities exist for undocumented students as well as legal U.S. residents and U.S. citizens.
The QuestBridge National College Match program, for example, pairs high-achieving, low-income students -- including undocumented residents -- with 38 top colleges, including Duke University, Brown University and the University of Notre Dame. The schools then award full four-year scholarships, including room and board, to QuestBridge scholars.
Academically outstanding students from households making less than $65,000 annually for a family of four should consider applying. The application process will open this summer.
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund is designed to help graduating high school seniors, community college transfer students, and undergraduate and graduate students of Hispanic heritage obtain a postsecondary degree. Awards range from $500 to $5,000 and are based on merit and need.
Applicants must meet minimum GPA requirements based on their current education level and must plan to enroll full time in an accredited, nonprofit, four-year university or graduate institution. Preference is given to science, technology, engineering and math -- or STEM -- majors. The deadline to apply is March 30.
The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation offers the College Scholarship Program to reward outstanding students with financial need. This competitive program awards as many as 40 students with up to $40,000 to attend accredited, four-year undergraduate institutions.
Recipients are selected for exceptional academic ability and achievement, leadership skills, financial need and service to others. Applicants must also meet minimum GPA and standardized test requirements. Applications open in late September and close in late November.
For additional scholarship resources, undocumented students can explore Scholarships A-Z, a nonprofit based in Arizona, and MALDEF, a Latino legal civil rights organization.
Arthur Murray, a graduate of the University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill, is managing editor of the GoodCall.com newsroom. The organization provides access to information, data, technology and tools, including a scholarship engine, to help visitors make important decisions.
