Financial Aid for Illegal Immigrants

in Education by Kathy Teel — April 14, 2011 at 8:51 am | 0 comments

Know What Aid is Available to You

I teach at a community college in Southwest Missouri—a mecca for immigrants of both the legal and illegal kinds.  I have many students who “aren’t from here,” as we say in these parts; and while I know some of them are legal and some aren’t, I never know which one’s which.  That’s completely fine; I don’t really want to know.  The only time someone’s immigration status affects me is when their English isn’t up to par and they aren’t understanding or communicating as well as my class requires.  I have had Hispanic, Filipino, Hmong, Chinese, Canadian, Indian, Korean, Vietnamese, Nigerian, Egyptian and Ugandan students.

Some people are under the impression that illegal immigrants aren’t allowed to attend American colleges or universities.  That’s not actually true.  For the most part, the school doesn’t care if you’re legal or not, as long as you can handle and pay for your classes.  What is true is that citizens of other countries are not eligible for federal financial aid from the US government.  So, the regular Pell grants and student loans that got the rest of us through aren’t available to people who aren’t American citizens or legal residents.

But that doesn’t mean that there’s no financial aid available at all.  There are many programs that encourage illegal immigrants to attend college, and help them pay for it.  Why? Because with an education and a good job, it’s much more likely that these illegal immigrants will become legal immigrants, and then perhaps become citizens.  It’s a complex and expensive process to be legalized and to become a citizen, and people with good jobs and an investment in their community are more likely to undergo that process.

Financial Aid Options

So, if you are an illegal immigrant and you want to go to school in the US, what can you do?  Here are some options.

• Talk to the school’s financial aid advisor. Be honest about your situation. They won’t turn you in to INS, and they won’t judge you.  They encounter many people in your situation, and they know where to find at least some of the funds you’ll need to start school.

• Scholarships. Most scholarships don’t ask about your citizenship status, and many scholarships are available for students from certain ethnic groups or nationalities.  A free scholarship service such as FastWeb or FinAid can point you in the right direction. Don’t forget to do an internet search for “scholarships for illegal immigrants.”  You’ll be surprised at what’s out there just for you from private foundations.

• Military. Strangely, the US military has many service members who have not yet obtained their green cards.  You can become legalized in the military, go through the citizenship process, and qualify for all the educational benefits of anyone who fights for the US.

• Talk directly to admissions directors. If you have a skill or a knock-out GPA, you might be eligible for big scholarships from the school itself.  If the school has a reason to want you, it will find a way to keep you.  In this case, your immigration status might work in your favor—many schools actively seek out minorities in order to boost their diversity.  If they want you, they’ll do what they can to make it work for you.

• Consider smaller, under the radar schools. If you can’t manage tuition on your first choice of schools, look to smaller, less expensive (or even more expensive but better funded) colleges or universities. Just because it wasn’t your first choice doesn’t mean it won’t be an excellent school for you.

• Find someone to sponsor you. Oftentimes, wealthy individuals are willing to sponsor a deserving student.  You can also get corporate sponsorship from a company in your area of interest, though you may have to promise to work for them for a certain number of years.  You can find out about these places and people through your own research, the school’s financial aid office, or even local churches who can make the connections between people.

 

One caveat–do your research!  In some states, administrators will have to report it if you disclose your illegal status.  One way to find out is simply to call the school and talk to someone in the administration; ask what their obligation is before you ever give your name.  Even if you’re undocumented and ineligible for federal aid, it’s not impossible for you to pursue a higher education.  There are people and colleges willing to help you.

Tags: citizenship status federal aid financial aid illegal immigrants Pell Grant scholarships