The California Dream Act

The California Dream Act, also known as AB 130 and AB 131, allows undocumented students to apply for state aid. There are two different bills: AB 130 and AB 131. The first bill, AB 130, allows students that qualify for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) to apply for state aid. The second bill, AB 131, allows students that meet the AB 540 criteria to apply for state aid.

There are certain requirements that students must meet in order to qualify for the California Dream Act. Students must be approved by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) as having received Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Students must have attended a high school in California (public or private) for three or more years; graduated from a California high school or acquired the equivalent prior to the start of the term (GED, CHSPE); registered or are currently enrolled at a University of California, California State University, or Community College; and completed an affidavit stating that the student has filed an application to legalize their immigration status as soon as they become eligible to do so.

Students can apply for state aid by completing and submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA

The California Dream Act was passed in 2011 by Governor Jerry Brown to give undocumented students access to state funded financial aid. The act allows students to apply for financial aid like AB540 and Cal Grant. The new law opened the doors for undocumented students to apply for state funded financial aid.

The first implementation of the California Dream Act will be the Cal Grant program, which opens its application window on October 1st – March 2nd of every year. Students who qualify for AB540 are eligible to apply for Cal Grant B and C.

A new law, the California Dream Act, gives undocumented students who have attended high school in California for at least three years and graduated or obtained a GED the right to apply for state financial aid, including Cal Grants and community college fee waivers.

Effective January 1, 2012, AB 130 allows eligible undocumented students to apply for and receive institutional grants and scholarships funded through private donations to the college.

Effective January 1, 2013, AB 131 allows eligible undocumented students to apply for and receive Cal Grants and other state financial aid.

To qualify for state aid under the California Dream Act, you must:

The California Dream Act allows undocumented and nonresident documented students who meet certain provisions of AB 540 to receive state financial aid such as the Cal Grant, Chafee Grant for Foster Youth, Community College Board of Governors Fee Waiver, and institutional financial aid. The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) and the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) have established procedures to administer these programs.

To qualify for this exemption, students must have attended a California high school for three or more years; graduated from a California high school or attained the equivalent prior to the start of the term (for example, passing the GED or California High School Proficiency exam); registered or are currently enrolled at an accredited public postsecondary institution in California; and file an affidavit (statement) saying they have filed an application to legalize their immigration status, or will file an application as soon as they are eligible to do so.

Students who are exempt from paying nonresident tuition under AB 540 are not automatically eligible for state financial aid. They must apply separately and meet additional requirements.

You can apply for state financial aid by completing the Dream Act Application on Webgrants4students at www.webgrants4students.org/dream_act.htm. To complete

California Dream Act

California Dream Act

The California Dream Act allows undocumented students who meet certain criteria to apply for and receive private financial aid. The law does not provide state financial aid.

Read more about the California Dream Act of 2011 (AB 130 and AB 131).

Who is eligible to apply?

Undocumented students who meet one or more of the following requirements can apply for private financial aid (not state aid):

Attended a California high school for three or more years; and graduated from a California high school or attained the equivalent prior to the start of the term (for example, passing the GED or California High School Proficiency exam); OR

Attended a combination of elementary, middle, and/or high schools in California for a total of three or more years; AND attended a California high school for a minimum of three years, and graduated from a California high school or attained the equivalent prior to the start of the term (for example, passing the GED or California High School Proficiency exam); OR

Attained credits earned in California from a combination of elementary, middle, and/or high schools equal to three or more years of full-time coursework; AND attended a California high school for a minimum of three years and graduated from

The California Dream Act allows undocumented students who meet AB540 criteria to receive state financial aid and Cal Grants.

The California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) is responsible for determining which undocumented students are eligible to receive state financial aid. CSAC has developed guidelines and criteria to determine eligibility of undocumented students. For example, all applicants must meet the following criteria:

* Have attended a California high school for three or more years; and

* Have graduated from a California high school or have attained a GED; and

* Must have registered as an entering student at a community college, university or career college no earlier than the fall of 2006; and

* Be registered for Selective Service, if you are male between the ages of 18 and 25; and

* File an affidavit with your college stating that you will file an application to legalize your immigration status as soon as you are eligible to do so.

In 2011, Governor Brown signed the California Dream Act which allows undocumented students who meet certain requirements to receive many benefits at public colleges and universities.

The CA Dream Act, AB 130 and 131, is a set of state laws that allow undocumented students who meet certain requirements to access non-state funded scholarships or institutional grants at public colleges/universities (AB130) and state-funded financial aid (AB131).

The CA Dream Act is not part of the federal DREAM Act legislation. The federal DREAM Act legislation would have granted conditional permanent residency status to undocumented students who graduated from U.S. high schools, arrived in the U.S. as minors, and lived in the country continuously for at least five years prior to the bill’s enactment. It also would have made these immigrants eligible for permanent residency if they met one of three conditions: served in the military, were admitted to college, or had been employed for at least three years. The federal DREAM Act was never passed into law by Congress and President Obama announced on June 15, 2012 that he would use an executive order to create a program similar to the DREAM Act.

On June 15, 2012 President Obama announced that qualified undocumented young people will be able to apply for deferred action – a