Colleges on DACA?

Hello. Unfortunately, I am in kind of a pickle. My father is a green card holder (divorced with my mother who is non-custodial and their whereabouts unknown) while my brother is a US Citizen in the United States Army (awesome!), but I am a DACA recipient, a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. In fact, I’m the only person in the family who is “undocumented” in the United States and I feel somewhat embarrassed to say that this is making me worried - a lot.

I know some colleges see DACA students as resident students, some are given in-state tuition, and some college (Like UChicago) consider me an international student who and thus view my application with “need-aware” status.

I’m not sure how many DACA students there are applying to UChicago with my background and academics, but I was wondering how colleges view or might view my status as a DACA in a family of green-card holders (father) and my US Citizen brother. Will it be beneficial to my application? Does it just not matter (especially to UChicago) whether or not I’m DACA?

While I was growing up in the States since I was three years old, I’ve never really worried about colleges, my opportunities, and the barriers that I would face until now. I can’t apply to UIC’s GPPA medicine (perhaps I wasn’t going to get in anyways), my admissions chances decreased as some consider me international, and cannot apply to FAFSA (except obtain a Student Aid Report); essentially without a 100% full meet private school, the chances of me being able to attend college on a $0K income and $24k from family donations (my brother sends money for us to live) are extremely slim.

Does anyone with more insights regarding this background have anything to share or is willing to help me out and provide guidance on what I could do? Thank you so much for reading.

Is your brother younger than you and was born in The United States? Wondering why you are DACA rather than US citizen.

Whoa that was quick; thanks! My brother is actually older me and is in the US Army. He obtained his citizenship through the MAVNI program after he obtained his DACA, and petitioned my father for a green card. I was then petitioned for DACA (received it) and now applied with the I-130 to get the alien relative approved, then apply for a greencard with the I-485 form.

We were all from South Korea (came when I was 3 years old) and with our lawyer failing to properly renew our VISA, we had illegal status.

Hope you fired that lawyer! Sounds like you are doing things the right way.
I don’t know about Chicago but a lot of colleges are rather friendly to DACA folks.

I’m honestly relieved of that. We didn’t really “fire” the lawyer…since he took the money we paid him and basically left. We have been paying taxes for everything since our income and I hope I don’t come across wrong, but I think many people think DACA recipients are hispanic (and while many are) which has a sort of duality; on one hand I’m an Asian and considered international (among a pool of highly competitive and extremely qualified individuals who may have much more money to even apply and come to the States and study), while on the other, I’m an undocumented student from a very low-income bracket.

Not really positive how that plays in. I’m sure college admissions are “friendly” towards DACA, but some consider them international regardless which is what really gets me.

@HKimPOSSIBLE
I don’t really care where someone comes from, just that the follow the laws of The United States.
Sorry I can’t really answer your question. You should try the Financial Aid offices at the schools, they are generally more accessible than Admissions.

Thanks so much. I have been on a calling spree recently, trying to find this information out, but not to explicitly (asking how this will affect my admissions application)

Hello, I replied to your post the other day. You indicated you had already filled out the International Financial aid documents through UChicago, and although you consider yourself as being seen as an international student, you should probably call UChicago’s FA office and ask. They are pretty open minded with DACA applicants. I actually called the FA office today, and got through to a very helpful woman who answered my question easily. I gave my daughter’s information, but I’m sure you could remain anonymous. I don’t think you mentioned your mother’s immigration status, but assuming she is undocumented and not a green card holder like your father? What are the chances you could get accepted, defer for a year, obtain your green card, and then qualify for full FA under UChicago’s no barriers policy? Not sure this would actually work, but there’s no harm in asking.

Well, my parents divorced under a lot of tension between my parents’ families and my mother is most likely in Korea. We aren’t even sure if she’s alive if she remarried, where she is, how much she’s making, and etc. We do not have her contact.

I will definitely give the FA office a call, but I did e-mail my regional Admissions Officer (Mrs. Meredith Daw) who said I would be considered need aware although I’m technically not really an international. Because of this, filling out the IFSAA was difficult as some options didn’t apply, it didn’t work for divorced parents like mine, and it failed to really accommodate my situation efficiently. That said, their support and admissions counselors are incredibly nice and generous with the assistance!

But what is/was her immigration status even if you have no contact with her?

We honestly have no idea…she may even live in the United States married to a citizen. That’s how uncertain we are; it’s like she is a stranger to our family (although legally she is a stranger).

Well I have no immigration law experience, but maybe someone out there does. If a parent becomes a citizen, doesn’t a minor unmarried child also enjoy that status? I imagine this is very difficult for you, and I’m just offering up some thoughts.

I’m fairly sure this is the case, except my father is a green-card holder and not a citizen.

https://mydocumentedlife.org/ may have some useful insight for you.

Thank you.