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Terminology
Terminology
Naturalized Citizen- born outside the US, applied and received US citizenship
Legal Resident- US permanent resident, conditional resident, or having other via permitting residence in the US
Undocumented- citizen of a country other than the United States and entered the US "without inspection" or their visa expired and they remained in the US
Mixed Status Family- refers to students that are either undocumented but have family members that are US citizens or residents, and/ or US citizens or residents, but have family members that are undocumented
DACA-mented- undocumented individuals who have been granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).
*NOTE: It is important to know a student's status to determine which financial aid application they should complete
Post secondary plans
Post secondary plans
Cost should not initially prohibit you from pursuing your post-secondary dreams.
More than 427,000 undocumented college students
81% are enrolled in public institutions
19% enrolled in private institutions
Illinois is ranked #5 with the number of undocumented students in higher education
17,757 undocumented students in Illinois
8,784 DACA eligible students
4,000 undocumented students graduating high school every year
Start planning for your future by researching your options.
Financial AID
Financial AID
It is important to know a student's status to determine which financial aid application they should complete. The cost of college can be scary - for all students regardless of immigration status. Although undocumented students cannot complete the FAFSA, which would give you access to Direct student loans and the PELL Grant, the State of Illinois has created an alternative way for students who have financial need, to get aid for college: The Alternative Application.
Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid: All undocumented student must complete this financial aid application as a D94 graduation requirement or complete the opt out form. If your family is eligible, this application will qualify you for some, or all of the MAP Grant.
Immigration status of parents does not matter for purposes of either the FAFSA or Alternative Application.
For the FAFSA, parent(s) are asked to provide:
Either an ITIN or SSN- if neither then enter all zeros
Prior-prior tax return information or income earned from work
An FSA ID electronic signature- new process for individuals who do not have a SSN
For the Alternate Application, parent(s) are asked to provide:
SSN- if they do not have one, they enter all zeros
Prior-prior tax return information or income earned from work
A Personal Identification Number (PIN) as a signature
Scholarships
Scholarships
Institutional, merit-based scholarships
Most of your scholarship money will come direct from the institution, based on merit. Merit can be grades, test scores, or other talents in the arts or athletics. Some colleges even give additional scholarships for community service or other, unique identifiers and qualities. All undocumented students qualify for institutional merit-based scholarships.
Private Scholarships: There are many private scholarships available to undocumented students. Check websites for additional information such as GPA requirements and college partners.
Other scholarship lists and databases include: College Green Light and MALDEF
University help
University help
Undocumented Student Resource Liaison
Liaisons available at 2 year/4 year institutions in IL who will assist undocumented students and mixed status households with navigating access to resources on college campuses
You will be asked to enter your Social Security number on the COD application. Reach out to the COD Admissions Office for an alternate id number to enter.
Iris Castellanos- castellanosi92@cod.edu or (630) 942-2397
Certificate Programs: Don't want to continue school and just want to work? Think about a COD Certificate Program first. Benefits include no general education courses, classes only in your certificate area, and shorter completion time (think some in as little as 6 months). Having a certificate gets you a leg ahead of your competition.
Traditional 2+2 “transfer” programs: This is a traditional Associates Degree program in which, upon completion, you can then transfer to a 4-year college/university or start work.
Special 3+1 programs: These programs partner COD with a 4-year university so that in 4 years you earn a Bachelor’s Degree, but you pay COD rates for 3 of those years.
Being undocumented does not prohibit you from applying to and getting accepted to 4-year colleges and universities. If your desire is to earn a Bachelor’s Degree after high school, you can! Start in Schoolinks to start your college search. Some institutions may have also created a specialized resource center for undocumented students.
Southern Illinois University
Scholarships for Undocumented Students
Workforce
Workforce
If you choose to work after high school, we are here to support you as well.
Please note that across the country, states have different laws for undocumented individuals on employment and obtaining an occupational licensure.
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