Colleges that Meet 100% of Demonstrated Need for DACA and Undocumented Students
In general, schools that meet 100% of demonstrated need strive to be affordable financial options for the students they admit by providing need-based financial aid that is directly tied to each student and family’s resources. The following colleges have a stated commitment to provide admitted students residing in the U.S. with a financial aid package that covers 100% of their calculated financial need regardless of citizenship status.
How Colleges Calculate Financial Need
Financial need is the difference between the cost of attendance (which is the total annual sum that includes tuition, fees, housing and meal costs, and personal expenses) and the amount the student’s family is expected to contribute. If you are offered admission to a college that meets 100% of demonstrated need, the college will calculate your financial need using your submitted financial aid materials and will award you a financial aid package that covers the entirety of your demonstrated need. This calculation is based on a family’s earnings, assets, household size, and other factors.
Financial Aid Packages Can Include Different Types of Financial Assistance
Some non-citizens, including undocumented and DACA students, typically won’t submit a FAFSA, since they aren’t eligible for federal aid. Instead, some colleges require the CSS Profile to learn about the student’s financial situation, while others have their own unique financial aid application. In some states and the District of Columbia, undocumented or DACA students also qualify for in-state tuition at public institutions.
Financial aid packages for undocumented and DACA students will only include available institutional or state funding from certain state or private institutions. They may be composed of grants and scholarship funding (money you do not need to repay), student loans (money you do need to repay), and student employment funding. Some institutions do not include student loans as an expectation in their financial aid package, meeting 100% of demonstrated need with only grant funding (also referred to as “gift aid”).
