Frequently Asked Questions for Undocumented Students
The term “DREAMer” was originally derived from The Federal Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act. The goal of the Federal DREAM ACT is to create a pathway to citizenship for undocumented youth who grew up in the United States. It was first introduced in Congress in 2001. However, to this day, the Federal Dream Act has not yet passed. Young undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children do not have pathways to citizenship. Although pathways to citizenship are not available for undocumented youth, some states (like California) passed their own versions of the DREAM Act. The California Dream Act was passed in 2011 and enabled eligible undocumented students to receive state funded financial aid and privately funded scholarships. The California Dream Act has nothing to do with immigration or pathways to citizenship. It is only for the purposes of receiving state financial aid. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is an executive order by President Obama which granted eligible undocumented youth a 2-year renewable temporary relief from deportation and a social security number for work authorization. DACA does not currently provide a long term pathway to citizenship. DACA is not related to the California Dream Act and students do not have to be DACA eligible to apply for the California Dream Act and vice versa— each program has its unique eligibility criteria. Undocumented students are not eligible to apply for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and receive any federally funded student financial aid, including: Pell Grant, SEOG Grant, work-study, and student loans. Students who are recipients of a social security number from Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) are not eligible to apply for FAFSA. What does DREAMer refer to?
The term “DREAMer” has been used to describe young undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children, who have lived and gone to school here, and who in many cases identify as American and consider the United States home. How do the Federal DREAM Act and the California DREAM Act differ?
Is DACA the same as the California Dream Act?
Are undocumented students able to apply for federal financial aid?