Paying for College: Understanding the Options for Undocumented Students and Families Adam Essex and Rene Tiongquico U.S. Department of Education

Today’s Presenters 2 Adam Essex Office of Customer Experience Federal Student Aid U.S. Department of Rene Tiongquico Policy Liaison and Implementation Federal Student Aid U.S. Department of

Undocumented Students (including DACA students): The Search for Financial Aid Like most prospective college students, undocumented individuals embark on a search for financial aid Unlike most prospective college students, undocumented individuals face substantial barriers in accessing financial aid  Next: What are the sources of financial aid?

Sources of Financial Aid  Federal government  State government  Colleges and universities  Private foundations  Employers and Private Companies  Professional and Service Organizations  Next: What is the FAFSA? 4

FAFSA: One Form to Access Multiple Sources of Financial Aid To qualify for federal student assistance, students must complete the FAFSA Most states also use the FAFSA to calculate state financial aid awards Many colleges use the FAFSA to calculate institutional aid awards  Next: FAFSA and Undocumented Students 5

FAFSA and Undocumented Students (including DACA students) Key Questions: Can undocumented students complete the FAFSA? If so, are undocumented students eligible for federal student assistance? How does the FAFSA process differ for students with undocumented parents?  Next: To answer these questions, let’s consider the following

U.S. citizens U.S. Nationals Permanent Residents of the U.S. Specific categories of Noncitizens The following types of applicants are eligible for federal student aid:  Next: Examples of ineligible citizenship status types More: StudentAid.gov/eligibility/non-us-citizensStudentAid.gov/eligibility/non-us-citizens 7 Federal Student Aid Eligibility: Citizenship Status

 Next: Discussion of immigration policy changes The following types of applicants are ineligible for federal student aid: Visitors (B1 and B2 visitor visas) Foreign students (F1 and F2 student visas) Temporary workers Undocumented residents Federal Student Aid Eligibility: Citizenship Status Full visa listing: 8

FAFSA and Undocumented Students (including DACA students) Are undocumented students eligible for federal student assistance? Can an undocumented student complete the FAFSA? Answer: Yes, if the student has a valid Social Security Number. More importantly, students should also talk with a college financial aid official. Answer: No, undocumented students are ineligible for federal student assistance.

How does the process differ for students with undocumented parents? Can undocumented students pursue other sources of financial aid? FAFSA and Undocumented Students (including DACA students) Answer: Undocumented parents will enter all zeros in the parents social security number field on the student’s FAFSA. Answer: Absolutely. There may be other types of non-federal financial aid for which they may qualify.

Undocumented Students (including DACA students): Potential Non-Federal Financial Aid and Other Funding Sources State financial aid College financial aid In-state tuition benefits Scholarships  Next: Resources

Resources Information for students and families:  Information for school counselors, mentors, college access professionals, etc.:  Educational Resources for New Arrivals & DACA Students:  www2.ed.gov/about/overview/focus/immigration- resources.html

Resources – Sample Fact Sheet for undocumented students Available on Financial Aid Toolkit website (under Resources)

Resources – How To Obtain Variety of resources for counseling students Available in English and Spanish Delivery is free Order online at Print online at:

Questions? 15