How to afford University of Florida if undocumented?

[katiesnv]

I plan to attend the University of Florida but I am undocumented. I have a 3.86 UW GPA/ 5.02 W GPA. I have almost 200 community service hours, I am rank 4 in my class, I have a 24 on my ACT and 1060 on SAT (I am going to retake those in September), I have taken a total of 8 AP classes and passed 4 of my exams, I am the Vice President of National Honor Society, I am the Public Relations officer of my senior class, I am part of Student Council, Spanish Club,I am a Catechist at my local church, and I was selected to be a leader in my county. I spent my last summer researching with the University of Central Florida. I currently live in Florida since I am in elementary school however I am undocumented but I plan on attending UF to major in Chemistry and become a doctor. Please inform me of any scholarships or ways I can pay for college. Does UF offer any scholarships? Thank you.

[Gator88NE]

Well, first, you qualify for in-state tuition. That’s huge in Florida, since it has one of the lowest in-state tuition rates in the country.

As of July 1st, 2014, all Florida graduates, including undocumented students, will be eligible to pay in-state tuition at local colleges and universities. The Florida Legislature passed a bill that establishes additional residency requirements by which a student may be eligible for in-state tuition. Under this bill, a state university, colleges, career centers operated by a school district, and a charter technical career center may waive out-of-state fees to undocumented students. How can an undocumented student proof he is a Florida resident to apply for in-state tuition? They must…
Have attended a secondary school in this state for 3 consecutive years immediately before graduating from a high school in this state;
Apply for enrollment in an institution of higher education within 24 months after high school graduation; and
Submit an official Florida high school transcript as evidence of attendance and graduation.

https://floridaimmigrant.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/in-state_edits2-page-001-1.jpg

However, you are not eligible for government financial support. You should seek financial aid from private, non-government scholarships.

Here’s a link to additional info, include info on scholarships.

https://floridaimmigrant.org/our-work/education-immigrant-youth/access-to-college/

Here’s an example scholarship (UCF is a participating TheDream.US school).

TheDream.US 1300 N 7thStreet, Suite 1700 Arlington, VA 22209 http://www.thedream.us/scholars/

Scholarship for First-Time College Students Award: Covers tuition and fees that are not otherwise paid for by other available financial aid or scholarships. Eligibility is for high school seniors or high school graduates [full-time college students are not eligible] with demonstrated financial need who will be first time college students and seek to earn a career-ready associate’s or bachelor’s degree at one of TheDream.US partner colleges. Some students may also receive a stipend for books, supplies, and transportation. In California, the scholarship award may be used for books, supplies, transportation, and room and board.
Deadline: Applications open September 14, 2015 and close February 15, 2016
Requirements:

Must be DACA or TPS eligible and have applied for or received DACA or TPS approval.
Must have graduated from high school or have earned a GED diploma by the end of the 2015-16 academic year or earlier.
Must have earned a high school un-weighted GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale (or an equivalent GED score).
Must not be enrolled in a full-time associate’s or bachelor’s degree program at one of TheDream.US partner colleges within one year of receiving the scholarship.
Must intend to enroll full-time in an associate’s or bachelor’s degree program at one of TheDream.US partnership colleges within one year of receiving the scholarship.
Must be eligible for in-state tuition if seeking to attend a partner college that is a public institution.
Must have come to the United States before reaching

Even state residents, have problems affording UF (or any 4 year college). The most popular option, is attending a local community college (or a local 4 year University) for two years, and then transferring to UF. The #1 cost isn’t tuition, it’s room and board. Staying at home and going to a CC for two years will greatly reduce your cost. Somewhere from 25% to 30% of undergraduates at UF are transfer students. This can allow you to go to school, while working and saving money for UF.

Another “new” option is PaCE(Pathway to Campus Enrollment). It offers about 60 majors, currently. You have to complete your first 60 credits via UF online (AP/DE/IB/AICE credits count toward the 60 credits). Once you’ve met this requirement, you then transition onto campus. Key advantages:

1. It's cheap. They only charge 75% of the normal tuition rate, and no fees.
2. You can live at home, further reducing your cost.
3. If you met the basic GPA requirements for your major, you automatically transition into it your junior year. This is unlike a standard transfer student, who has to go through competitive transfer admissions to their major.
4. On-line is more flexible, making it easier to work a part time job, so you can save for your transition to campus.

PaCE isn’t for everyone, but it may be an option for you, based on your major. Note, that based on your pre-med plans, you do need to be careful which classes you take online, as med schools can be picky. An advisor at UF can help answer any questions.

Welcome to the Gator Nation and to our new PaCE program! While we have limited physical space on campus to accommodate the many students who desire a UF education, PaCE provides you with the chance to start your degree online and then transition to campus in order to complete it. The PaCE program offers an excellent academic experience, combining online and campus-based learning.

http://www.admissions.ufl.edu/pace/

[DedicatedParent4]

529 mplan

[TappyGee]

Nice answer!