So I am an undocumented student with DACA and am living with my brother, who’s 26. My mother is living in a different state and my father is living in a different country. I’m not able to provide any proof of income from either parent.
In terms of applying for financial aid, will colleges/universities accept my brother’s financial information instead of my parent’s even though he’s not my legal guardian (we haven’t gone through the whole court process)?
I’m assuming institutions will have different policies regarding this but has anyone had a similar situation or have any advice?
Many public universities have policies for undocumented students. You need to contact the department that handles undocumented students for each college individually.
Look at each college’s website. It should have contact info.
No, you use your parents’ info.
What schools are you applying to? Many don’t give aid to int’ls.
You’ll likely get “instate tuition” rates from instate publics, but aid may be a problem
When applying for aid, you must use the income/assets of your parents. Even if your parents are living in a different state/country you must sill reach out to them and get their income asset information in order to get need based institutional aid .
Even though you have DACA, you will still not be eligible for any federal aid. Some schools may require you to submit a paper copy of the FAFSA and submit it directly to them (but you will not be able to file the on-line FAFSA). Depending on the state you live in you will most likely be eligible for state aid as an undocumented student.
If you are in-state for one of the partner colleges you still have time to apply for the dream US scholarship. However, they will still ask for your income. Good luck (please do this immediately)
http://www.thedream.us/scholars/
I have been contacting many colleges. A lot of them don’t even know what their policies are and some tell me that they’ll have to call me back with the information.
One school I’m applying to is Franklin & Marshall and I contacted them asking if I could use a legal guardian and they said I could. However, I don’t have actual legal papers to prove that he’s my legal guardian.
It’s a complicated situation since my mother doesn’t have any actual proof of income to give me.
I can get my dad’s but I’m not sure if you can have just one parent’s income?
I am eligible for in-state tuition since I live in New York and I am applying for the U.S. Dream scholarship but I still don’t know what to provide for the proof of income aspect of it.
Thank you for your responses!
You need to call F&M back and tell them that you don’t have a legal guardian (because you don’t). Since you’re not here legally, I doubt you could even get a “legal guardian” named here.
Some things to keep in mind
Unless you are in Legal guardianship by a US Court, then you are not in legal guardianship
Please read the directions for financial aid at Framklin & Marshall. Currently as an undocumented student , if your information is incomplete you will not get aid. Your mother must document how she has a roof over her head and how she eats everyday. Even if she is working and getting money “off the books” or under the table" she must report that income. The same with your father.
Currently F&M gives 5 DACA scholarships to Pennsylvania residents (you must live in PA to get DACA there )
The dreamer scholatship in NY is only available for CUNY. And is capped at 25k for 4 years. Are you a NYC resident? If no, then you won’t be eligible for DACA because it does not cover tuition for non-NYC residents.