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Scholarships Help Undocumented Students Pursue College Dreams

By U.S. News & World Report

Every year, approximately 65,000 undocumented students — many of whom were brought to the country at a young age by a parent or guardian — graduate from U.S. high schools. For many, this is the end of their education.

Undocumented students cannot legally receive federal student financial aid of any form, including loans, grants and scholarships. At the state level, most require undocumented students to pay out-of-state tuition to attend public colleges and universities and prohibit the students from receiving state loans, grants and other financial help. Private college tuition can be just as daunting for the vast majority of students.

[Learn how the first year of Deferred Action affected undocumented students.]

The result: Plenty of high-achieving undocumented students can’t further their studies. This includes those in the country under former President Barack Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, which currently allows some undocumented immigrants who entered the country as minors to enjoy protection from deportation for renewable two-year periods.

However, scholarships are available to help high-achieving undocumented students pursue their dreams of going to college.

TheDream.US calls itself the country’s largest program for DREAMers — students who qualify for DACA status. TheDream.US has committed close to $43 million to 1,700 students. The organization offers two scholarships for high-achieving undocumented students.

The National Scholarship is open to current or soon-to-be high school or community college graduates who qualify for in-state tuition at TheDream.US’ partner schools, which include Arizona State University–Tempe, San Jose State University and Colorado State University. The National Scholarship pays for tuition and fees up to $12,500 for an associate degree and $25,000 for a bachelor’s.

TheDream.US also offers the Opportunity Scholarship for current and soon-to-be high school graduates who live in states that do not offer in-state tuition to undocumented students. Applicants must have or be eligible for DACA status and intend to enroll full-time in a partner school’s bachelor degree program.

The scholarship pays up to $80,000 for tuition, fees, on-campus housing and meals. Applications for both scholarships are scheduled to reopen in early November.

[Consider scholarships for immigrant students.]

Educators for Fair Consideration is another organization that offers scholarships to undocumented students. The New American Scholars Program is open to students who reside in or attend school in the San Francisco Bay Area. Recipients can use the $7,000 scholarship to pay for tuition and expenses.

Applicants must meet minimum 3.3 and 3.0 GPA requirements for high school students and college students, respectively. Recipients are chosen based on academic excellence, impact on their community and financial need. Applications are due March 1.

Another scholarship opportunity for high-achieving undocumented students is the Golden Door Scholars scholarship, which offers full scholarships to partner schools, such as Wake Forest University, Emory University, Lehigh University and Tufts University.

Current high school students and recent high school graduates must submit transcripts and essays with their application. Preference is given to students from states that require undocumented students to pay out-of-state tuition.

Winners must maintain a 3.0 GPA each semester. They are also assigned mentors and offered professional development and internship support, so applicants must be eligible to participate in paid internships.

Applications will open in September. Full disclosure: Arthur Murray, who wrote this post, is a Golden Doors Scholar member and mentor to two undocumented students.

[Learn tips and advice on paying for college.]

While these scholarships are specifically for undocumented students, additional scholarship opportunities exist for undocumented students as well as legal U.S. residents and U.S. citizens.

The QuestBridge National College Match program, for example, pairs high-achieving, low-income students — including undocumented residents — with 38 top colleges, including Duke University, Brown University and the University of Notre Dame. The schools then award full four-year scholarships, including room and board, to QuestBridge scholars.

Academically outstanding students from households making less than $65,000 annually for a family of four should consider applying. The application process will open this summer.

The Hispanic Scholarship Fund is designed to help graduating high school seniors, community college transfer students, and undergraduate and graduate students of Hispanic heritage obtain a postsecondary degree. Awards range from $500 to $5,000 and are based on merit and need.

Applicants must meet minimum GPA requirements based on their current education level and must plan to enroll full time in an accredited, nonprofit, four-year university or graduate institution. Preference is given to science, technology, engineering and math — or STEM — majors. The deadline to apply is March 30.

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation offers the College Scholarship Program to reward outstanding students with financial need. This competitive program awards as many as 40 students with up to $40,000 to attend accredited, four-year undergraduate institutions.

Recipients are selected for exceptional academic ability and achievement, leadership skills, financial need and service to others. Applicants must also meet minimum GPA and standardized test requirements. Applications open in late September and close in late November.

For additional scholarship resources, undocumented students can explore Scholarships A-Z, a nonprofit based in Arizona, and MALDEF, a Latino legal civil rights organization.

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Scholarships Help Undocumented Students Pursue College Dreams originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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