California Dream Act

California Dream Act: State Aid for Undocumented Students

The passage of California Assembly Bill 540 established an exemption from non-resident tuition for certain out-of-state students and undocumented students. Students meeting AB 540 requirements may qualify for state and institutional aid.

Students must complete and submit the AB 540 Affidavit [pdf] (California Non-Resident Tuition Exemption Request form) in order to begin the review of eligibility. The form is submitted to the Office of the Registrar. Students should also routinely view their MySJSU for any additional paperwork needed to complete their application.

• What are the AB 540 requirements?

  • Student must have attended a high school (public or private) in California for three or more years (does not need to be consecutive years)

    AND

    Student must have graduated form a California high school or attained the equivalent prior to the start of the term (for example: passed the GED or California High School Proficiency exam)

    AND

    A student who is without lawful immigration status must file an AB 540 Affidavit [pdf] (California Non-Resident Tuition Exemption Request form) with the Registrar’s Office stating that he or she has filed an application to legalize his or her immigration status, or will file an application as soon as he or she is eligible to do so. Complete and submit the affidavit to the Registrar’s Office.

    Males between the ages of 18-25 are required to be registered with Selective Service. Forms are available online or at any U.S. Post Office.

• What assistance is available to AB 540 students?

  • AB 130  (Scholarships): AB 130 allows students who qualify under AB 540 to apply for non-state funded scholarships. Visit the Scholarships web page for more information on scholarships available to students.

    AB 131 (Grants): AB 131 allows students who qualify under the AB 540 to apply for and receive state-funded financial aid such as institutional grants, community college fee waivers, Cal Grant and Chafee Grant. At San Jose State University, the grants that a student could be eligible for are the State University Grant [BROKEN LINK](SUG), and the Graduate Professional Business Grant. Eligible AB 540 students at SJSU who complete the Dream Act Application will be considered for funding.

• How do I apply?

  • The California Dream Act Application collects basic personal and income information to determine student eligibility for state and institutional aid. The application must be filed every year.

    Visit the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) website for application instructions, FAQ's and additional information. 

• Now that I have applied, what happens next?

  • Students will receive:

    A Student Aid Report (SAR) from CSAC (California Student Aid Commission), and 

    An Acknowledgement Letter (DRL) from the Financial Aid and Scholarship Office acknowledging that SJSU has received the student's CA Dream Act Application. The approximate timeframe to receive an Acknowledgement letter is one to two weeks after application is completed. 

    This letter provides instructions and deadline dates to submit items found on their MySJSU To-Do List. Only students selected for verification will have items placed in their MySJSU To-Do List. 

    For students selected for verification, there is a priority deadline to submit documents to be considered for maximum funding. The deadline date is indicated in the acknowledgement letter.  

    Students who submit all required documents by the fee deferral deadline will have a registration fee deferral assigned. Students not meeting the deadline MUST pay their registration fees from their own resources by the payment deadline. 

• How do I apply for a California Dream loan?
  • See the California Dream Loan page for details about this program.
• Am I required to register with Selective Service?
  •  

    According to the Official website of the United States Government, Selective Service System:

    "Almost all men age 18-25 who are U.S. citizens or are immigrants living in the U.S. are required to be registered with Selective Service. U.S. law calls for citizens to register within 30 days of turning 18 and immigrants to register within 30 days of arriving in the U.S."

    "Registering with Selective Services is not signing up for the Armed Services. The Selective Service System is not part of the Department of Defense."

    "The Selective Service System has not now, or in the past, collected or shared any information which would indicate a man's immigration status, either documented or undocumented. The Selective Service System has no authority to collect such information, has no use for it, and it is irrelevant to the registration requirement. Consequently, there is no immigration data to share with anyone."

• How can I learn more about the Financial Aid process?
  • View Seven Steps to Financial Aid for more information on the financial aid process.

California Dream Act and DACA

A student's DACA status has no affect on a student's financial aid eligibility.  The latest information regarding DACA has been posted on the Resources for Undocumented Students website. 

A joint press release from the California Department of Education (CDE) and the California Student Aid Commission has emphasized the difference between the California Dream Act Application (CADAA) and the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, while reassuring Dreamers they are still able to receive financial aid. 

The letter explained that the California Dream Act is a state law, separate and distinct from the federal DACA program. Regardless of what happens at federal level, state financial aid for Dreamers remains legal in California. The letter also highlighted: 

• Losing DACA status will not affect most state financial aid  
• Dream Act students do not need to be DACA-certified 
• Eligible students are able to receive state financial aid while attending colleges in California  
• CADAA is only used to determine eligibility for state financial aid and is not shared with the federal government or used for immigration enforcement purposes

Auditing / No-Credit Classes

Students who are auditing classes or taking classes for "no credit" are not eligible for any financial aid towards those registration fees.