<pre><code> So basically I am an undocumented immigrant. I have narrowed down my decisions of CSU and UC to CSU Long Beach and UC Santa Barbara. I want to go to Santa Barbara but the tuition is a little over 30K a year. I am not sure if I can afford this because the cal grant I received was 5K and the only scholarship I received was 2K.
My question is it possible for me to go to Santa Barbara with only 7K at the moment? or should I go to CSU Long Beach which has a tuition of 15K if i commute? I want to go to a UC rather than a CSU because it is more prestigious and jobs seem to favor the more prestigious one.
Do you think I can pay for UC Santa Barbara with 7K and if I get more scholarships and I work study?
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<p>Thanks for your help I apperciate it!</p>
<p>Work study is a federal program - it’s not going to be available to an undocumented immigrant.</p>
<p>If your family has no money, why do you have a Cal Grant of only $5k? Or is that the grant that was awarded with the expectation you’d be attending a CSU instead of a UC. The grant would be different depending on what school they’re expecting you to attend.</p>
<p>So, I don’t fully understand your grant situation, but the bottom line is that if you have only $7,000, you can’t afford to attend either Santa Barbara or Long Beach - you just don’t have the money! And, unless there’s a significant error in the financial aid you were awarded, you’re not going to be able to get the money. You may need to start at community college - it should be affordable for you.</p>
<p>Actually i think that If you are DACA eligible then you can work study. And I will get 1.5K of financial aid if I go to a CSU and 5K if I go to a UC.</p>
<p>If i attain more scholarships and find a job you dont think I can go to UC Santa Barbara?</p>
<p>How about first working on your “documentation”. Seems like a priority item to me. </p>
<p>Agree with sparks-flying.
Or spent a year applying to private scholarships and schools that will meet 100% of your need regardless of your status…i.e if there are any, before deciding where to go to school. College life is a long and financially draining journey and you have to be prepared for it financially. Going on “ASSUMPTION” is a recipe for failure in this journey. Certainly, “FAITH & HOPE” trumps but we have to back it up with “WORK”.
When I hear stories of undocumented Immigrants with passion for education but no access and majority of citizens with access but no passion, it sort of makes life seem unfair.
Good luck to you.</p>