Colleges for Undocumented Students
Sometimes we hear the question, "Can undocumented students go to college?" And the answer is YES! Some colleges not only accept undocumented students but also offer them in-state tuition and even financial aid.
This is probably good news for you if you're looking for schools that accept undocumented students. It is for us as well since we're big advocates for expanded access to higher education. So, let's discuss some of these institutions and states that make college more attainable for undocumented students.
Private colleges accepting undocumented students as domestic students
Many colleges consider undocumented students to be international students, which means that undocumented students might have to compete with other international students for a limited pool of financial aid. But, when a college considers an undocumented student to be domestic, the student will be more likely to receive a good financial aid package.
The following private colleges have public policies on their acceptance of undocumented students as domestic students:
- Pomona College (Claremont, Calif.)
- Oberlin College (Oberlin, Ohio)
- Tufts University (Medford, Mass.)
- Emory University (Atlanta)
- Swarthmore College (Swarthmore, Pa.)
States offering undocumented students in-state tuition
Undocumented students, including students with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status, are not eligible to receive federal financial aid. However, undocumented students may be eligible for state student financial aid in some states.
Undocumented students who attended high school for at least the last two years in certain states could be eligible for in-state tuition. As of 2021, the following states allow undocumented students to pay in-state tuition:
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Kansas
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Nebraska
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia
- Washington
Some of these states also allow undocumented students to receive state-level financial aid, including California, Colorado, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, and Washington. However, we recommend reaching out to college financial aid offices to learn more since this list is hopefully growing all the time. You can also visit this Higher Ed Immigration Portal for an interactive map.
Colleges meeting 100% financial need for undocumented students
College Greenlight has a list of more than 30 colleges that meet 100 percent of the demonstrated financial need for undocumented students. These colleges pledge to meet a student’s full needs through grants, student employment, scholarships, and, in some cases, student loans. Schools on this list vary in how they meet undocumented students’ demonstrated financial needs.
Admission requirements for undocumented students
One thing to consider is whether you'll need to take an English language exam to check your proficiency in the language. Many US schools will require non-native English-speaking applicants to take a test like this.
Researching colleges that are right for you
As an undocumented student, you have a bright future with countless colleges ready to accept you. To start researching colleges, you can use Appily's college match quiz.
With it, you can find perfect schools based on the criteria you deem essential. Share data points like your GPA, test scores, and potential majors, and we'll give you a personally cultivated list of matches to check out. You can even review the colleges listed above to get a better sense of whether or not you're ready to add them to your college list.
Just click the button below to get started. It's always free and easy.
