Though California has taken steps to reduce college costs for students who lack legal immigration status, only a small percentage of students are benefiting, according to a new study.
A report published Wednesday found that only 14% of the state’s estimated undocumented college student population received state financial aid in the 2021-2022 school year, posing serious financial challenges for them to pursue educational goals and earn a degree.
“The call to expand and secure college access and affordability for undocumented scholars in California is at a critical juncture,” Marlene Garcia, executive director of the California Student Aid Commission, which issued the report titled “Renewing the Dream,” said in a statement. CSAC is a state agency that administers financial aid programs and serves as a resource on the topic.
“As the state with the largest undocumented student population in the nation, California has led the country in immigrant-inclusive education policy through groundbreaking policies and programs,” Garcia said. “Despite these important strides, California’s undocumented student population still faces steep challenges.”
Measures such as California Assembly Bill 540, or AB 540, and the California Dream Act give undocumented students access to in-state tuition and aid, since federal financial aid is not applicable for those without legal immigration status, most of whom come from low-income backgrounds.
The California Dream Act Application, or CADAA, is used to determine financial aid eligibility for undocumented students and is the counterpart to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA.
CSAC found that 55% of CADAA applicants had a $0 expected family contribution based on family income — compared to 40% of those filing FAFSA applications in California to access financial aid.
Yet over half — 53% — of 94,030 undocumented students in postsecondary education didn’t fill out the CADAA in 2021-2022.
Undocumented students…
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