Undocumented Students - A Parent Quick Guide About College Access

Undocumented families are often misled about their chances of attending a college or university. Attending a college or a university is a student's educational dream, but undocumented families sometimes think that high school is the highest level of education they can achieve in America. Today, I will share educational resources that you need to know to start planning the application process for colleges and universities.

Figuring out the college application process as an undocumented immigrant in the United States can be very overwhelming. There is a lot of undisclosed information that families and students are often not aware of about college entrance. As an immigrant, I moved to the U.S. in middle school, and it was challenging to figure out where and how to apply for college when I graduated. The experience of learning English as a second language and figuring out college application was challenging.

Fortunately, several colleges and universities have opened their doors to undocumented students. Families must consider several things before they apply to a university. The application process differs depending on who's undocumented in the family. The application process involves the completion of a Federal Student Aid form, as shared below.

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APPROXIMATELY 65,000 UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS GRADUATE FROM U.S. HIGH SCHOOLS EVERY YEAR, AND ONLY 5-10% OF THEM ENROLL IN COLLEGE

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Fear of Disclosure

The fear of schools to disclose undocumented student information is a concern often expressed by students in schools. Fear of disclosure is one of the main reasons why undocumented students do not pursue higher education. The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act is an education act that protects undocumented students by saying that it is against the law for school officials to disclose a student's immigration status without their express permission.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is a form completed by current and prospective college students in the United States to determine their eligibility for student financial aid. The FAFSA form determines whether or not a student qualifies for financial help or loans. Most colleges and universities use and require families to complete their forms. Parents without a social security number should have their students print the FAFSA form once completed to sign and send the form in regular mail to the address shown on the application.

What if both parents are undocumented, but the student was born in the U.S.?

If the student was born in the United States, then he/she may qualify for financial aid. When completing the FAFSA form under the parent information section, you will need to enter 000-00-0000 as the social security number. If the student’s FAFSA is selected for verification, the parents will be required to provide an IRS tax transcript.

Documented students (U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or eligible non-citizens) are eligible for in-state tuition, regardless of the immigration status of their parents. Income information may be entered manually if the student or the parents did not complete a tax return the previous year.

What if the parents and the student are undocumented?

Undocumented students are not eligible for federal student aid. However, some states do extend in-state tuition to undocumented students who graduated from a high school in that state, and some students may qualify for private scholarships. Students without a social security number should not complete a FAFSA form unless he/she is a DACA recipient with a social security number.

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Planning and Applying for College

Students should begin to review and plan for college at the latest when they enter 11th grade. As an undocumented student, you should consider taking Advanced Placement (AP) courses during your last two years of high school. Advanced Placement courses provide high school students the opportunity to get college credits while in high school. Taking AP courses may be one way to reduce the number of classes you will need to pay in college.

Begin your school search early to figure out which schools accept applications for undocumented students and which schools offer in-state tuition. Early planning is an essential piece of the college planning puzzle because out of state tuition tends to cost twice as much or more than in-state tuition plans. You may also want to look for colleges that have organizations or groups that support and guide undocumented students.

There are options for undocumented students to attend college. Students must begin their search early to find colleges and universities that are friendly to undocumented students. Click this link to see a list of colleges and universities that welcome undocumented students.

Share your experience or what you know about the process of applying for colleges for undocumented students.