SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES
FAFSA & FINANCIAL AID
FOR UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS
Need Money for College?
Get Started Here
Are you an undocumented student and need money for college? There are many ways to help pay for your education.
As a first step, read our latest guide explaining how to navigate the FAFSA and financial aid process. Get information for the 2025-26 college year. Then see below for information and instructions on how to get the most financial aid possible.
First Question: Can I Get Federal Grants or Loans?
Unfortunately, the answer is no. You cannot receive federal money. This is true for all undocumented students, including those who have been granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status. But you may be able to get state or local grants — or money from your college and private scholarships. Work with people you trust to see what is available.
Look for:
State and Local Grants
Find out if your state or city offers scholarship aid to undocumented students. A growing number of scholarships are available from state governments to students. New York State, for example, offers college grants through its including the New York State Dream Act. Find the agency that handles college funding in your state on our state college funding map. Also ask counselor or teacher you trust about other opportunities available in your area.
In-State Tuition
Public colleges and universities typically charge lower tuition rates for state residents. Undocumented students are often eligible for in-state tuition but will probably have to prove that they have been in the state for a certain period or attended high school there. Visit the Higher Ed Immigration Portal to find more information on what each state provides for undocumented students.
College Aid
Many colleges have money to offer undocumented students. Figure out what schools you want to attend and get in touch with their financial aid office. (Worried? You can ask someone else to call for you.) Or look on their website. At the University of Michigan, there is a web page for undocumented students to see all of the funding options, including contact information for their financial aid assistance. See if your colleges offer the same. Many colleges have staff who are dedicated to working with undocumented students.
Grants and Scholarships
One of our favorites? TheDream.us offers scholarships and opportunities, including the National Scholarship Award, covering some tuition and fees, and the Opportunity Scholarship, for students who live in states where they can’t get in-state tuition.
For more help, get our latest list of websites and opportunities: Grants and Scholarships for Undocumented Students.
Stay Informed
Policy and legal advocacy organizations can keep you up to speed on your rights and what help might be available to you on a college campus. We like these pages on Informed Immigrant, the National Immigration Law Center, and a favorite very busy blog, My Undocumented Life.
Take a look at articles on our website to learn about scholarship opportunities:
Other places to look
Check out scholarship databases, state educational websites, and school websites. Talk to people you trust at your school, community organizations, and colleges you would like to attend.
Parents Without Social Security Numbers
If you are in high school, it’s likely that you will need your parents’ help to complete the FAFSA. This is true even if your parents are undocumented or living outside the country.
If you are a citizen or eligible noncitizen, you are entitled to federal financial aid. Your parents’ citizenship or documentation does not matter.
But obviously, you and your parents need to feel that it is safe to apply for financial aid. You want your family to be comfortable with the process. Talk to your parents and other family members. See how they feel.
The good news is that the FAFSA form has been improved and should be easier to fill out than it has been in the past. Parents can use their Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, or ITIN, on the FAFSA if they have one. Tax data may be uploaded automatically, making the form easier to fill out. Also, undocumented parents can now sign the form electronically.
There is, however, one aspect of the process that is potentially complicated for parents without Social Security numbers: creating an FSA ID. This is a secure login for StudentAid.gov. All parents filling out the FAFSA are required to get their own FSA ID credentials.
Parents are now required to get an FSA ID, a secure login that allows them to fill out the FAFSA and share their tax information.
More Help for Undocumented Students
TOOLS AND RESOURCES
Scholarships & Fellowships at Immigrants Rising Get Immigrant Rising’s carefully curated list of 2021 scholarships. Bonus: Almost 500 are open to undocumented individuals without DACA.
Video: Paying for College as an Undocumented Student A video for undocumented students in California trying to figure out how to pay for college. The end of the video offers info for students in other states.
If You Are A Dreamer, We Can Help You The founders at TheDream.US believe that nothing should stand in your way of a college education: Not the cost, your immigrant status, or the lack of financial aid. Learn about scholarships here.
More Help
A College Guide for Undocumented Students There are national programs and state laws that allow undocumented students to attend college. This guide helps students navigate the options that are available.
Video: Proud Daughter of Immigrants from Mexico Jessica Hinojos is the daughter of parents born in Mexico who both crossed the border into the United States. She describes what it takes to get into and through college.
Financial Aid and Undocumented Students: Questions & Answers Start here for help with financial aid. This is the federal government’s official Q&A for undocumented students. Learn what you need to do to get financial help from colleges.