College admissions are stressful, and they can be even more so if you’re undocumented. Many schools make it difficult for undocumented students to attend. But there are still a few top-tier universities that have good reputations with undocumented students:
List Of Colleges That Admit Undocumented Students
University of California
UC schools are public, meaning that you don’t have to pay for tuition. However, they are expensive in other ways: the UC system has a very high rate of tuition and fees. For example, Berkeley’s annual cost is $14,868 for nonresidents and $13,250 for California residents—and that’s before room and board! Still though, it’s worth looking into because there are plenty of ways to get financial aid through scholarships and grants if you need help paying your way through school.
California State University
California State University (CSU) is a public university system in California, consisting of 23 campuses and eight off-campus centers. It is the largest university system in the US, with over 480,000 students. CSU has campuses in every major city in California, including San Francisco and Los Angeles.
CSU has a large number of undocumented students; data from 2015 shows that about 5% of all CSU students are undocumented. The president of CSU recently expressed support for SB-54, which protects undocumented individuals against deportation by limiting cooperation between local law enforcement agencies and federal immigration authorities. If SB-54 goes into effect as expected on January 1st 2018 , you should know that it will protect your status as an undocumented student at any CSU campus.
Alliant International University
Alliant International University is a private research university located in San Diego, California. The school was founded in 1968, and it currently offers more than 100 programs of study at the bachelor’s level and above. Alliant is also one of only three universities in the United States with campuses on two different continents (the others are Michigan State University and Rutgers University).
In addition to being non-profit and accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), Alliant has been designated as a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) by the federal government since 1983. This means that at least 25% of its student body must be comprised of Hispanic students who live within 50 miles of campus for at least three consecutive years prior to admission.
Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr College is a private women’s liberal arts college in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.
The college was founded in 1885 by a group of Quakers, led by Thomas W. Bicknell, who had a long history of philanthropy in the region. The cornerstone for the first building was laid in 1886, and the school opened its doors to students (all female) in 1894. Bryn Mawr has been coeducational since 1970. It offers over 70 undergraduate majors and concentrations and an array of graduate programs including thirty minors spanning humanities; social sciences; natural sciences; mathematics; human biology & health science; visual & performing arts; teaching & learning;; global studies;; psychology;; sociology;; anthropology;; political science;; economics;; linguistics.; cyber security., computer science.; earth systems., environmental studies., chemistry.; physics.; astrophysics., earth science.; molecular biophysics & molecular medicine.).
Cornell College
Cornell College is a private liberal arts college in Mount Vernon, Iowa. Cornell College ranks as one of the top colleges for undocumented students to attend. Cornell College has an estimated 1,000-1,500 undocumented students on its campus.
The college offers financial aid packages to undocumented students and provides information on potential funding opportunities through its website; however, these funding opportunities vary by state and are subject to change based on current legislation. In addition to providing financial support for undocumented students, Cornell College also offers professional development programs such as career fairs and networking opportunities with employers who are eager to hire them once they graduate from this institution.
Grinnell College
- Grinnell College is a private liberal arts college in Grinnell, Iowa.
- It is one of the few colleges in the U.S. to offer financial aid to undocumented students and has been called “one of the most welcoming college campuses to undocumented students.”
- Grinnell College is a member of the Associated Colleges of the Midwest and has made top-20 lists for its reputation as an environmentally friendly university (Princeton Review) and as having one of America’s best libraries (Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education).
Oberlin College
Oberlin College is a private liberal arts college in Oberlin, Ohio. The college was founded in 1833 as the Oberlin Collegiate Institute by John Jay Shipherd and Philo Stewart. A few years later, they were joined by Rev. Dr. Daniel Baker Fitch, who helped them get it off the ground (and they were married!).
Oberlin College is a member of the Great Lakes Colleges Association and the Five Colleges of Ohio. It also has one of the most active collegiate glee clubs in America: The Oberlin Chordsmen.
Pomona College
Pomona College is a liberal arts college in Claremont, California. It was founded in 1887 as a result of the merger of two schools: Pomona College and the nearby seminary Claremont College.
Pomona is part of the five-college consortium known as The Claremont Colleges and comprises 19 majors in five academic divisions: arts and humanities; social sciences; natural sciences and mathematics; professional studies; and fine arts. The university’s mission statement states that it “exists to develop students who will lead lives dedicated to learning from an interdisciplinary perspective.”
The school has an endowment of $1 billion (2017), making it one of the wealthiest colleges in America on a per-student basis, reporting an average student aid need-based scholarship gift aid package at $41,500 (2017), which is among the highest for liberal arts colleges according to U.S News & World Report’s 2018 Best Colleges rankings methodology published annually since 1990 by its flagship publication “U.S News & World Report”.
Reed College
Reed College is a private liberal arts college in southeast Portland, Oregon. The college, founded in 1908, is known for its academic rigor and commitment to alternative education. Reed is one of the few colleges in the United States to require a foreign language for graduation. It also requires at least two years of study abroad as an integral part of its curriculum.
Reed’s admission process offers prospective students several ways to apply: you can apply by submitting your Common Application or Coalition Application form directly through our website; submit your application through a national service like QuestBridge; or send in an application using paper mail if you prefer that option.
St. Mary’s College of Maryland
St. Mary’s College of Maryland is a public research university located in St. Mary’s City, Maryland, United States. Founded as a boys’ school in 1840 by the Most Rev. William Rollinson Whittingham, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Baltimore and first president of Mount St. Mary’s University (then Mount Saint Mary’s College). It became coeducational in 2012 when it merged with St. Joseph College for Women.[1]
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college in Middletown, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1831, Wesleyan is a member of the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC), which is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III.
Colleges look at undocumented students in a different way than they look at American kids, but there are still plenty to choose from.
Undocumented students are accepted at many colleges and universities across the country. In fact, there are over 100 schools that specifically offer financial aid and scholarships to undocumented students.
The process is not as simple as applying for a scholarship that’s open to everyone who applies. Most of these institutions require additional information in their applications, such as proof of your citizenship status or tax forms for you and your parents.
So what does it mean if you’re an undocumented student who wants to go to college? It doesn’t mean that there aren’t any options (there are plenty), but it does mean that there are some extra steps involved in getting into school—and staying enrolled once you get there!
Closing
We hope that this list of colleges to apply to has helped you with your search. Remember, no matter where you go or what college accepts you, you should never give up on your goals!