Undocumented/DACA Students

There is no federal law that prevents undocumented/DACA students from attending college. Students do not need to have a social security number in order to apply to college. In addition, the state of Illinois is one of a growing number of states that permits most undocumented students who graduate from an Illinois high school to pay in-state tuition rates at Illinois public universities. In addition, the RISE Act, which was passed in 2019 and implemented in January 2020, now allows many undocumented students to qualify for Illinois state aid known as a MAP grant. In order to qualify families must complete the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid. This is a separate application from the FAFSA and the one undocumented/DACA students should complete. If you believe that your college requires FAFSA completion in addition to filling out the Alternative Application, please discuss with your Postsecondary Counselor.

Scholarships 

Undocumented students may apply for many of the local and national scholarships found in Maia Learning. Look for those that do not require U.S. citizenship or legal permanent residency. You can also apply for merit scholarships at most colleges. Below are several additional resources listing scholarships specifically for undocumented students.

• The Dream U.S.
• Sharing the Dream-Scholarships for Undocumented Students
• List of Scholarships Open to Undocumented Students
• List of Scholarships Open to Undocumented Students #2
• IACAC Resources
  

There are a number of colleges that offer Dreamer specific scholarships and below are a few to consider:

• Loyola University (Chicago)-Arrupe College

• Elmhurst College (Elmhurst)

• National Louis University (Wheeling)

• The University of St. Francis

• Dominican University

 

Helpful Websites 

• Applying to College as an Undocumented student
• IACAC College Advising Guide for Undocumented Students
• Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) - Education Initiatives
• United We Dream
• My (un)Documented Life
• Information on Consideration of Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals (DACA
• Resources for Undocumented Students from the College Board
• So Much Potential

For additional information on resources for students that will apply to college as an undocumented application, please see the College Counseling Handbook.