Resources for Applying to College as an Undocumented Student

The Common Application is a college admissions application used by over 800 colleges and universities across the United States for both first-year admission and transfer students. It is frequently used by students applying to colleges because of the high number of schools that accept the application, including privates, publics, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The Common Application also allows students to track many components of their applications including recommendation letters, school forms, and supplemental portions. A separate application, the Common Black College Application, allows individuals to apply to any number of their HBCU member institutions with only one application fee.   

Students who demonstrate the need for tuition assistance are often able to receive funds to help them pay for college. These funds can come from a variety of sources, including state and federal governments, colleges and universities, and private organizations. Undocumented students are not eligible for federal financial aid but can access state financial aid in some states. You can find out if undocumented students qualify for state financial aid by visiting the University Leaders for Educational Access and Diversity (uLEAD) Network. Students can often also get financial aid directly from their college or university, particularly if they are attending a private institution. In order to determine the amount of aid they will provide, colleges may ask students to fill out financial aid forms such as College Scholarship Service (CSS) Profile. Some schools may even ask undocumented students to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) even if they are not eligible for federal aid. (Read more on FAFSA below.) Certain states that have passed laws extending state-based financial aid to undocumented students also have their own aid forms, like Texas and California. Private scholarships or other aid that is not controlled by a college, university, or government entity can be need-based or merit-based. 

Because they are owned by private, profit-motivated businesses, for-profit colleges and universities can be controversial and are often the subject of criticism. In particular, for-profit colleges have come under fire for using deceptive and predatory marketing that is frequently aimed at first-generation and low-income students. In addition, not all for-profit schools are accredited, meaning that they may not meet the minimum quality standards expected of a higher education institution. If you are considering a for-profit college or university, it’s critical that you closely research the institutions you are considering and make an informed decision about enrolling in a for-profit school. See The Best Schools’ Guide to For-Profit Colleges: What You Need to Know to learn more.

In order for eligible students to access federal financial aid, they must fill out the FAFSA form. No undocumented students, regardless of whether they have DACA, are eligible for federal financial aid. However, despite the ineligibility to access federal aid, DACA recipients can fill out and submit the FAFSA because they possess a social security number. Sometimes, colleges and universities may ask students, regardless of their eligibility for federal funds, to fill out the FAFSA form so that the institution can determine how much aid to give you. FAFSA is only one way that some institutions determine need-based financial aid. You should check with your college’s financial aid office to determine if filling out FAFSA is the right process for DACA recipients at that institution. Undocumented students cannot submit the FAFSA form. You should never lie about your immigration status or use false information when filling out college admissions or federal government paperwork, including the FAFSA form. The U.S. Department of Education acknowledges that “most states and colleges use information collected on the FAFSA form to determine whether you’re eligible for aid. However, we first recommend that you check with your high school counselor or your college or career school’s financial aid office to see what types of financial aid you may be eligible to receive and whether completing the FAFSA form is the way to apply for that aid.” You can read more guidance from the U.S. Department of Education on FAFSA here. For those colleges that do ask you to fill out the FAFSA form, some may allow you to print the FAFSA form, fill it out, and submit it directly to the institution for them to assess your need for financial aid. This bypasses the need to submit your information via the FAFSA form to the federal government since undocumented students are not eligible for federal aid anyways and may provide a way for undocumented students without DACA to still be assessed for and receive financial aid through their college or university.  

An ITIN is a tax processing number issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to certain immigrants who cannot get a social security number and have a tax filing requirement. The ITIN allows individuals to comply with federal tax laws, open a bank account, and build credit. When you are applying to college, institutions may use your or a parent’s ITIN to verify your family’s income in order to decide what financial aid to give you. Learn more about the ITIN from the National Immigration Law Center. 

Public colleges and universities often charge lower tuition rates for applicants who are considered residents of the state in which the school is located. There are usually some requirements that students have to meet to establish in-state residency. These requirements vary greatly from state to state, but often include having a physical presence in the state for a certain duration of time (frequently one year). Undocumented students are sometimes eligible for in-state tuition but may have to meet certain requirements, including having attended some years of high school in the state. You can find out if undocumented students qualify for in-state tuition by visiting the Higher Ed Immigration Portal.

In the United States, private institutions of higher education operate independently from state or federal government agencies. Tuition at private colleges and universities is often more expensive than tuition at public universities. However, due to the fact that private colleges are primarily funded by non-government dollars, it is sometimes easier for undocumented students to obtain need-based financial aid that lowers their tuition rate.

In the United States, public institutions of higher education are owned and operated by the state in which they are located and almost always receive significant funding from the state and federal governments. Tuition at public colleges and universities is often less expensive than tuition at private colleges. However, undocumented students sometimes do not have the same access to financial aid or tuition rates that citizen students do. This inequity exists both because some schools do not consider undocumented students to be domestic applicants or in-state residents and because much of public institutions’ financial aid comes from government funding, which is prohibited from being granted to undocumented individuals. 

The Sanctuary Campus Movement emerged in November 2016 after the election of President Donald Trump. Due to Trump’s attacks on immigrants through his candidacy and proposed plans to end DACA and increase immigration enforcement in the United States, students feared for the safety of undocumented students on campus and push their schools to adopt “sanctuary policies.” Sanctuary policies can include not allowing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers on campus without a warrant, ensuring campus police will not engage in any immigration enforcement actions, not sharing students’ immigration statuses with ICE, providing tuition support for undocumented students, providing legal support for undocumented students, and more. It is important to note that the label of a “sanctuary campus” can be largely symbolic and varies in its meaning. While some colleges and universities have self-identified as sanctuary campuses, that does not necessarily mean that they have implemented any policies to support undocumented students on their campus. In addition, there are other colleges and universities that are not labeled as sanctuary campuses but have implemented substantial policies to support and protect undocumented students on campus.

A transfer student may refer to a student newly enrolling at a college or university after finishing their time at a community college or after leaving an institution that was not a good fit for them. For students coming from community college, transferring may be their next step to continue their education and earn their bachelor’s degree. Other students may have initially matriculated at a school that turns out, for a variety of reasons, not to be a good fit for them, and have decided to transfer to a new institution. The choice to transfer is a serious one and should be well-researched. Transfer students typically have to apply or reapply to new schools so their transfer will be accepted, a process which may have fees associated with it. In addition, students should be aware that there are some cases in which their credits may not transfer to their new school. As long as a student is making the right decision, there is no shame about transferring!

The cost of tuition at a community college is considerably less than tuition at a four-year university. Not only will students be able to earn their associates for a much more affordable price, but if they decide to transfer to a four-year school, they will have saved money by attending two years of community college.

Students often have the option to attend school on a full-time or part-time basis, and community colleges frequently offer evening and night time classes that accommodate busy students with jobs, families, and other responsibilities.

Community colleges frequently have smaller class sizes that allow students to build stronger relationships with professors and get one-on-one support.

Tuition at public colleges and universities is often less expensive than tuition at private colleges. However, undocumented students sometimes do not have the same access to financial aid or tuition rates that citizen students do. This inequity exists both because some schools do not consider undocumented students to be domestic applicants or in-state residents and because much of public institutions’ financial aid comes from government funding, which is prohibited from being granted to undocumented individuals.  

Tuition at private colleges and universities is often more expensive than tuition at public universities. However, due to the fact that private colleges are primarily funded by non-government aid, it is sometimes easier for undocumented students to obtain need-based financial aid that lowers their tuition rate.

Ask the Admissions Office how your immigration status will affect the application process. Some schools will treat undocumented students as domestic applicants, where they can be considered for institutional financial aid, depending on the state and the school’s policy. Admissions counselors will also be able to give you a list of what you need to provide for your application. 

The Financial Aid Office will be able to guide you through how much it will cost to attend the institution and what institutional aid or scholarships are available to you as an undocumented student. Since choosing a college that is a good fit for you can largely depend on the cost of attending, talking to the financial aid office will help you understand if an institution is affordable to you. As a reminder, if you are looking into a public university, uLEAD can help you identify if you will be able to access in-state tuition.

A school’s Undocumented Student Center or “Dream Center” will be able to share information about the community and support systems that exist for undocumented students on campus. If your prospective institution does not have an Undocumented Student Center, we suggest contacting the Multicultural Student Center to see if they offer any support for undocumented students. Multicultural Centers should also be able to tell you if there are undocumented student clubs or organizations that you can join.