<p>So I'm still a junior in high school and I'm also an illegal immigrant, which is a bit troubling for me if the DREAM act were to be taken out by congress in the next election. </p>
<p>Anyways, I fit the whole basic criteria for it perfectly, but my family and I are still a bit confused about its benefits and restrictions. Are there any recently graduated people who have applied yet? My guidance counselor didn't know anything about it, but when she began reading something she googled, she told me that apparently I could not get financial aid or scholarships, is this true? Could anyone clear that up for me?</p>
<p>Also, I've received various answers, and we still don't know if one has to actually graduate high school first and then one can apply, or can I do it now if I wanted to?</p>
<p>The Dream Act gives in-state status to students who have attended and graduated from high school in that state . . . even if the student is not a legal resident of the US. A student who qualifies under the Dream Act would thus be eligible for both lower (in-state) tuition. In a few cases, Dream Act students would also be eligible for any financial aid that is provided by the state to its lower income students.</p>
<p>The Dream Act is only a state program, though - not a federal program. Even though federal legislation has been pending for years, it is still not yet law. So the Dream Act would help you only if you are attending high school in one of the 13 states that have passed their own versions of the Dream Act. (See [this</a> article](<a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/13/opinion/dream-act-for-new-york.html]this”>Opinion | Dream Act for New York - The New York Times) about the Dream Act.) And, of those 13 states, only three (California, Texas & New Mexico) provide financial aid for their Dream Act students. So, if you live in a Dream Act state that’s not one of those three, you are still going to have to pay the full cost of in-state tuition yourself.</p>
<p>But you might have other options. If you are not a U.S. citizen (or legal resident), then you wouldn’t be eligible for federal aid . . . but that doesn’t mean that private colleges might not elect to fund you directly, with their own need-based financial aid funds. Someone else on this forum might be better able to advise you regarding the options available to an illegal immigrant.</p>
<p>The one thing you need to know, though, is that the private colleges and universities that provide the best need-based financial aid are also the most difficult schools to gain admission to . . . so you really need to do well in school this year. And you also need to prep as much as you can for any standardized tests you’ll be doing this year - such as the PSAT (in the fall) and ACT or SAT (in the spring or early summer).</p>
<p>At the present time, you cannot file the paperwork until you have completed high school. This means that you will need to apply to college, and for financial aid, before you file apply for Consideration of Deferred Action.</p>
<p>At the present time, undocumented students are ineligible for federally determined financial aid (FAFSA). However, some states do recognize them as in-state for tuition and fees purposes at public community colleges and universities. These students normally are eligible for scholarships that are awarded from the institution’s own funds. Some of the private organizations (Questbridge, etc.) award aid to undocumented students. You also should be eligible for scholarships that are normally awarded to international applicants. Your counselor may be able to help you track down this information for the state where you live and for the colleges/universities that you are interested in.</p>
<p>If you scroll down through this forum, you will find a number of threads that address the topic of aid for undocumented applicants. Please do not let the political discussions in those threads derail you from your quest for accurate information that is pertinent to your immediate needs.</p>
<p>It’s not called the Dream Act; its Deferred Action. You can still apply while in high school, as long as you meet the criteria. I HIGHLY suggest you get a lawyer to help you through this and make sure you do it right.</p>