<p>I understand that you guys will be frustrated because of my illegal status here. I moved to the US 5 years ago and started my 8th grade in CA. I am in high school however I came in with a valid visa but then my visa expired, so I am considered undocumented. Both of my parents live in another country and I live here with my uncle who is also my legal guardian and a US citizen.
My question is that should I put 000000000 for my social security number and proceed the FAFSA? By the way, if I do so, I think I will be considered an independent(as long as I read the CC answers, we have the proof of guardianship, so I'd be an independent)
And I pretty much know that CalGrant would be impossible for me too, but I don't know about other financial aids supported by college. Is it bad if I continue my FAFSA application? or should I just give up?</p>
<p>* I am in high school however I came in with a valid visa but then my visa expired, so I am considered undocumented. Both of my parents live in another country and I live here with my uncle who is also my legal guardian and a US citizen.
*</p>
<p>Are you sure that your uncle is your “legal guardian”? I find it odd that the courts allow someone to be named the legal guardian of an undocumented child. If that were so, you’d think more would do that. </p>
<p>I don’t think you can do FAFSA since you’re not a citizen or green card holder. Even if your FAFSA were somehow processed and some award was granted, the mistake could be caught at some point and you’d owe that money back.</p>
<p>I don’t think the student can put in all 0’s for SSN. I think that’s for foreign parents whose children are citizens.</p>
<p>Umm, I have the paperwork (the Guardianship Authorization) that says “Certificate of Acknowledgment of Notary Public” stamped and signed by Notary Public CA, San Bernadino County.</p>
<p>have they passed the dream act in california yet?</p>
<p>yes, but only the 1st half, I believe (only private and CSU/UC aids but not federal aid)</p>
<p>Talk to your financial aid office or someone that you can trust. (If you don’t want to be known. Don’t say your name in the telephone) Just ask the question directly to your school. As I’m aware, non-citizens or residents apply for FAFSA to see if they’re qualified for school based financial assistance/ scholarships (clearify this!)</p>
<p>I hope this helps!
And if you’re 18 (an adult), you may select independent (if you have a job that supports yourself…etc) or dependent and just state that your parents or guardians aren’t living in the US but in your native country.</p>
<p>It doesn’t sound like you have guardianship papers issued by a court. It sounds like perhaps what you have is an agreement between your parents and guardian witnessed by a notary public. That would not make him officially your guardian.</p>
<p>Regardless, if you do not have a green card you can not fill out FAFSA. Your I’d will need to come from colleges, and depending on your stats, that could happen. You can get in state rates at CA state colleges, UCs and CSUs. However, much aid at these is unlikely.</p>
<p>The answers to all of your questions are in the FAFSA instructions. You can fill out FAFSA if you’re required to do so for institutional aid purposes but it does not sound like you are an independent student and you aren’t eligible for any federal aid/loans. Do you have a way to pay for college?</p>
<p><a href=“http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/publications/completing_fafsa/index.html[/url]”>http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/publications/completing_fafsa/index.html</a></p>
<p>the Dream Act cannot require the fed gov’t to allow illegals the right to use FAFSA for federal aid. </p>
<p>*And if you’re 18 (an adult), you may select independent (if you have a job that supports yourself…etc) *</p>
<p>No. that’s not the criteria for selecting independent.</p>
<p>*Umm, I have the paperwork (the Guardianship Authorization) that says “Certificate of Acknowledgment of Notary Public” stamped and signed by Notary Public CA, San Bernadino County. *</p>
<p>As mentioned above, that doesn’t sound like legal guardianship. That just sounds like notorized paperwork which would allow your uncle to sign for various things like medical treatments and school enrollment. What you have is what people do when their child must live with another family for a period of time (such as when a family must move mid-year and a child stays behind to finish school and remains with a family friend.)</p>
<p>Legal guardianship is a more complicated matter. It just doesn’t sound right that a citizen can get true legal guardianship of an illegal alien thru the court system.</p>
<p>Op is undocumented so s/he is not eligible and should not file a FAFSA. S/he not eligible for federal aid (most likely will not be eligible for state aid). </p>
<p>Op stated in a previous post</p>
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<p>Unless he has legal guardianship granted by the US Courts (not simply notarized documents by his parents giving his uncle guardianship), so he would not be classified as an independent student because he has not been in legal guardianship. All of this is a moot point because OP is not a US citizen/Permanent Resident and is not eligible to file the FAFSA.</p>
<p>The best that OP can walk away with in this situation is in-state tuition, with no financial aid.</p>
<p>Don’t most of the Dream Acts at state level require that parents/legal guardians of the student provide proof of paying state taxes for x number of years prior to enrollment? That is how the act is written in MD. If so, OP may not be eligible for instate tuition either.</p>
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All an acknowledgement of notary public means is that the notary (of which I am one) is certifying that the person signing the paper has provided evidence that allows the notary to attest to the person’s identity. That’s it. Nothing to do with legal guardianship, just that the person signing is who he says he is.</p>
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<p>This is NOT accurate information. The student will need to provide his PARENT’s income/asset information regardless of their country of residence. Just having a “job” and supporting oneself is not sufficient for gaining independent status for FINANCIAL AID purposes.</p>
<p>Welcometo:</p>
<p>Unless your parents are going to pay for college or your uncle will, you should probably be applying for college in your home country.</p>
<p>If Calif lets you use FAFSA or some other forms to determine state aid, then you’d have to include your parents’ income and asset information. </p>
<p>Calif Dream Act</p>
<p>*The law will permit undocumented students in California who attend and graduate from a California high school, and have proof of their applications for legal immigration status, to pay in-state tuition rates at state-funded colleges. In July, Brown signed a law to allow illegal immigrants access to receive scholarships from private colleges; the two laws are collectively known as the “Dream Act.” </p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Do you have proof of your app for legal status? You have to show proof that you’re in the process to attain citizenship. I’m not sure that’s possible since your parents aren’t here. </p>
<p>I guess the thinking is that if you’re not going to get legal status, then you’d be unable to work here, so funds won’t be given.</p>
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This is completely untrue. On FAFSA you can not select independent at all. You have to answer a series of questions that determine whether you are independent or not. You have to be 24 to be considered independent, not 18 (unless you meet one of the other independency criteria - married, a veteran etc). Being self supporting does not make you independent for FAFSA.</p>
<p>All a moot point in this instance as the OP is not a US citizen or legal permanent resident, so is not eligible for any federal aid.</p>
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Even if your visa was still good, you would probably not be eligible to file FAFSA. Only permanent resident visas such as green cards make you eligible for FAFSA.</p>
<p>This is a ridiculous situation and not what was intended by Calif Dream Act. It was intended for families who’ve come to this country to work because their opportunities to support their families are bad in their home countries.</p>
<p>It isn’t intended for int’ls who come here on vacation or whatever, then leave a child behind to attend high school so that they can get aid for Calif schools. Surely, that’s why the student must show that he is in the process for citizenship. This kid’s family has long returned to the home country (conceivably to work) and hasn’t been contributing with taxes here in any way.</p>
<p>Not sure why everyone is telling the OP that he is “not eligible to file” but that is untrue. Anyone can file a FAFSA, although only citizens and permanent residents are eligible to receive federal aid. Many colleges use the FAFSA data to process institutional aid and they may distribute it however they choose to. This excerpt is from the FAFSA instructions:</p>
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<p>I don’t know how the CA state aid works now that they’ve passed their Dream legislation. However, if he is applying to schools that require FAFSA for their own aid calculations then he certainly should file.</p>
<p>If the OP finds he does need to file a FAFSA, he/she will also need to include the income and assets of his parents on the form even though they do not live in this country. All monies will need to be converted to U.S. dollars.</p>
<p>The big question here is if this “dream act” makes these students eligible for Cal Grant awards. The Cal Grants are really the only “institutional” need based aid awarded by the CA public universities. If this student is ineligible for the Cal Grant, I would guess that the likelihood of receiving substantial aid from any public university in CA is not going to happen. </p>
<p>I believe the CA dream act would give this student instate tuition rates, but the issue of any financial aid is very iffy, in my opinion.</p>
<p>Another thing to consider…will this student need to show evidence of being able to pay for his college costs to gain a visa to study here for college (which is the case with international students seeking to study here from another country)? If so, that is another hurdle that must be addressed.</p>
<p>If this situation means that he can get Cal Grants and such, then every int’l with a few bucks and a relative in Calif will be doing a Disney trip before their child begins high school. they will drop the child off after visiting Mickey, go home to continue their lives, the child goes to school here for free, then gets instate tuition and Calif aid??? How crazy is that? </p>
<p>I think the fact that the student has to show that he’s in progress for citizenship will prevent this from happening. I doubt a high school kid without a parent here can be in the process for citizenship.</p>
<p>They have passed both parts of the dream act, but the second part is in effect until 2013.
It depends what schools you are attending, some colleges offer money to international students and you are required to do the FAFSA. If they are all public schools then I dont think you can do the FAFSA. Research your schools and talk to your counselor.</p>