Paying for College
Most undocumented students are eligible to pay the in-state tuition cost and receive state and university financial aid by demonstrating time living in California and graduation. Additionally, On this page you will find information on California policies and resources that help make college affordable to undocumented scholars. Programs like DACA and TPS are NOT a requirement for admissions or financial aid.
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Establishing In-State Tuition
Undocumented students who are first-time freshmen, transfer, or graduates, may be eligible to pay in-state tuition. During the admissions process, SJSU will determine residency status for tuition purposes based on the information that was provided in the CSU Application for Admissions. Most undocumented students may qualify for in-state tuition by meeting the requirements for AB 540, AB 2000, or SB 68 (CA Non Resident Tuition Exemption). By qualifying, students are exempt from paying the out-of-state fees, which can be 3 times higher than that of in-state tuition.
To determine if you qualify for in-state tuition based on your immigration status, click on the link below.
AB 540 and Residency Eligibility Guide
Related Links
- Example [pdf] of in-state vs. out-of-state tuition
- CA Non-Resident Tuition Exempt Form FAQ
- California Residency for Tuition Purposes | CSU.
- SJSU Office of the Registrar Residency Policy
- Navigating the Admissions Application if you are undocumented.
- Cost of Tuition and Fees
- Tuition Fee Deferral | Financial Aid and Scholarship Office
- Installment Payment Plan | Bursar's Office
Financial Aid Options for UndocuSpartans
There are various forms of aid and scholarship available to undergraduate and graduate undocumented students, on and off campus. Undocumented students may be eligible to receive certain types of aid based on residency eligibility for tuition purposes.
| Non- Instate |
AB 540 |
CA Resident | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
State and University Aid |
No | Yes | No |
|
School Scholarships |
Some | Yes | Yes |
|
External Scholarships |
Yes | Yes | Yes |
State and University Financial Aid
Undocumented students who qualify for AB 540, AB 2000, or SB 68, may be eligible to receive state and university aid through the CA Dream Act Application. Aid under the CA Dream Act may include:
- Cal Grant, Chafee Grant, Middle Class Scholarship
- State University Grants
- EOP Grant
- Some University scholarships
- Some private scholarships administered by campuses
- CA Dream Loan
- Ca Dream Service Incentive Grant
Undergraduate and Graduate students who qualify, are encouraged to apply by the priority deadline.
Scholarships
For many undocumented students, scholarships can be a key way to cover the cost of college tuition, fees, and other expenses — especially if they do not qualify for state or university aid. Scholarships are funds that do not require payback and that award students based on things such as area of study, class level, grades/GPA, community involvement, county of residence, etc. Many of these scholarships do not require a SSN# or AB540/SB68 eligibility. We encourage students to seek scholarship opportunities year round since scholarships have different deadlines and requirements to apply. Check out our scholarship page for more information.
