Yeah my parents really cannot contribute so much that’s why I relay mostly on financial aids. Though they did say they can make contribution of about 6,000-8,000 for sometime from the savings accounts.
I would also have to get a job (unfortunately that being under the table as well)
And what happens if you get caught working “under the table” (i.e., illegally)? Not good.
Yeah that is true. That is one thing that I have no control over of. I am really not worried about that though because let’s be honest unrealistic there far more undoubtedly working than getting caught. In future though I do plan to get citizenship.
I don’t see how colleges can calculate need based aid. What would they base it on if nobody is reporting income?
So let me get this straight — you and your father want to get paid under the table illegally so as not to pay any taxes, while you’re hoping for federal financial aid that’s financed by the taxes that I pay to Uncle Sam. Got it.
This student is not a U.S. citizen so he is not eligible to receive a nickel of federally funded need based aid.
@RecursionRecursion you need to understand something. If you submit a financial aid application form and indicate you have ZERO family income because your parents are getting paid under the table…be prepared to answer some questions that the colleges, even MIT, will ask,
They will want to know how you are paying your day to day living expenses. You will need to provide documentation to the colleges about this.
Think about it…otherwise everyone would just put $0 for their income and would get full need met at schools that meet full need.
Schools very much frown on dishonesty.
Your parents are earning income in this country. They are earning more money than the threshold for filing income taxes here…even as “self employed getting paid under the table” employees.
They will need to complete a non-filers statement, and document why they haven’t filed taxes. And there is no box to check for “we are undocumented and get paid under the table”.
Your parent lack of tax filing status could very much get in the way if you receiving a dime of need based aid in this country.
@BelknapPoint have I missed anything?
While it’s unlike he could get federal aid or even state aid, it appears that he’s hoping for huge institutional aid. But the rest that you write is an issue. Father and Son was to work under the table, claim no income subject to tax, and get large amounts of institutional aid.
The OP states that he wants citizenship eventually. Since he’s not DACA, Im not seeing a possible path to citizenship. I don’t think those who are here llegally can get get citizenship.
Will your parents pay $6k per year?
That’s exactly right. OP should consider colleges in his home country or Canada…depending on the type of student visa he could get for study in Canada.
I am not saying we wont pay taxes. Here is the thing. My sister got her tax id(yes she is undocumented as well) so she does pay taxes. Its just that we werent informed on how to take those steps until just recently. I dont plan on working here forever without paying taxes I know that. I just wanted to have enough funds to start college.
For those wondering on how am I going to show the need based aid…that was my main issue as well how will I through CSS profile. When MIT’s students finances services called me they said they might just need some way to verify that. I know that have to verify that. I was told that a notarized letter or some form of legal document from the employer verifying the salary would work.
Yep…and if that notarized letter from the employer with the amount paid exceeds what is allowable in terms of tax filing…I’m not sure your aid will be processed until your 2018 taxes are filed.
It’s nice that you want to work under the table to save money for college…but you do understand, that’s not right.
MIT has an acceptance rate in the low single digits. It’s even LOWER for international students…and you are an international student. Your first hurdle will be getting accepted. Do you have tippy top stats? Even with those, there is no guarantee you will be accepted to MIT.
At other colleges that don’t meet financial need for all accepted students…you will need to complete a certificate of finances that documents that you have sufficient funds to pay for at LEAST one year of college. Actually you would need to do this for all colleges.
Also, not sure what you would be able to do regarding an appropriate visa to study here, since you appear to have no legal status in this country…at all.
@happymomof1 any ideas?
No employer that is illegally making under-the-table salary payments is going to sign a notarized letter or any other legal document stating what they are doing. No way.
About 65,000 undocumented students — students born outside of the United States who are not U.S. citizens or legal residents — graduate from U.S. high schools each year. An estimated 5-10 percent of these students go on to college. While this is a low number percentage wise, it nevertheless respresents between 3,250 and 6,500 college students year over year. So, while it is not necessarily easy, it can and is being done in the US on regular basis.
The added complication in this case solely is the non-tax filing status of the parents. @RecursionRecursion google “Colleges that Meet 100% of Financial Need for Undocumented Students in 2019-2020”, which will provide you with a comprehensive list of respective US Colleges with their applicable policies. The key to success will be to identify colleges where you have a realistic chance to actually be admitted and which will subsequently work with you on acceptable “Non-Tax Filer Statement” documentation, which can not come from the IRS in your specific case. Financial Aid Offices of those colleges mentioned above are well acquainted with your challenges and will be able to advise you accordingly. Prepare a short list of colleges and call and speak with them individually.
Unless I am missing something…this student will be considered an international student for college application purposes. He is not a citizen or permanent resident in the U.S. In fact, he has no legal status here.
So…I think he needs to look at schools that guarantee to meet full need for all international students…not just schools that guarantee to meet full need…because some places meet full need for all U.S. citizens (and green card permanent residents) but NOT for international students.
He seems to have put all of his eggs in the MIT basket…but he needs to realize that admission to MIT is highly highly competitive and even moreso for international students.
He needs to have a plan B.
@thumper1 OP graduated from an US High School, resides in the US and therefore a number of colleges will consider her/his application under the category “undocumented and/or DACA”, separate from international students. OP will also receive financial aid consideration, distinctive from international students. The “Colleges that Meet 100% of Financial Need for Undocumented Students in 2019-2020” Google Search provides a brief overview.
I do fully agree with you that OP will need to throw a wider net and focus on colleges/universities on the above list, where she/he stands a reasonably good chance to be admitted. Not sure about OP’s GPA/Test Scores etc., yet it proabably might be unlikely that MIT should be on the short list, yet in the absence of factual information who knows. Anyways, the suggested list of colleges that meet 100% of financial need for undocumented students comprises quite a few options in this respect, I believe. Ultimately, it is all institutional funds those private universities use for financial aid for “undocumented and/or DACA students”, hence they can freely decide what type of “Non-Tax Filer Statement” and income verification documentation they accept from the OP in terms of US income confirmation, reported or unreported.
The laws around FAFSA are pretty clear. You need to enter your parental tax information if you expect to get financial aid. If that can’t be provided, then you pay full price for tuition. You have to pay taxes in order to get the benefits of those taxes. Your options are to apply to college in your home country or some other country that will allow you the benefit of financial aid.
FAFSA is not the issue here, as OP is not a U.S. citizen or legal resident. As noted earlier in the thread, there are financial aid options for undocumented students, other than through FAFSA, at a select number of U.S. colleges.
agree. and in another thread he indicated that he’s not a strong applicant for MIT anyway.
but I think his student and his family need to look at the big picture…and not just focus on next year.
Even if this kid gets into some school with enough aid, what happens in four years? he’s essentially unemployable here in the US. What good would - say - an Engineering degree be for someone that US companies couldn’t hire?
I know that the addmissions in MIT is very competitive even for high stats. I considered that only because they were one of the few once to actually help me with on how to get financial aid as undocumented. I have several other state schools and some private scholarships and savings accounts equaling around 5k. I know I am in the long run here for attending university in America but I just want to give it a fine shot if possible.
There’s a lot of good information on this thread from last year from an undocumented student:
For those wondering about my international student status. It depended on colleges some collges for example Hesston College, MIT, Evanghel University and Swarthmore College (some more can’t remember all) and some colleges like U of Hartford wanted me to apply as an international application.