DREAMers Resources: Home

WHAT IS AB 540? 

AB 540 exempts certain students from paying nonresident tuition (higher than resident tuition) and allows them to apply for different types of California Dream Act financial aid.

Students must have

1. Satisfaction of either of the following:

• A. High School attendance in California for three or more years.
• B. Attainment of credits earned in California from a California high school equivalent to three or more years of full-time high school coursework and a total of three or more years of attendance in California elementary schools, California secondary schools, or a combination of those schools.

2. Graduated or will graduate from a California high school or obtained a Certificate or General Education Development (GED), High School Equivalency Test (HiSET), or Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC).

3. Will register or enroll in an accredited and qualifying California college or university.

4. If applicable, complete(d) an affidavit to legalize immigration status as soon as you are eligble.

5. Do not hold a valid non-immigrant visa (F, J, H, L, A, B, C, D, E, etc.)**

**If you have Temporary Protected Status or hold a U Visa you may be eligible for the California Dream Act.

AB 1899 allows U and T visa holders to also apply for state financial aid. (T visa holders should file a FAFSA, U visa holders should file a CA Dream Act Application)

If you meet the requirements above, you should complete the CA Dream Act Application for financial aid. (A certified GPA is also necessary for Cal Grant consideration.)

Your college is responsible for verifying your AB 540 eligibility. Check with your Admissions Office early in the summer before the Fall Term starts.

(Source: California Student Aid Commission - AC Dream Act)

What is DACA?

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is a federal process that defers removal action of an individual by USCIS for a specified number of years. 

• It is not the same as financial aid
• It does not grant lawful immigration status
• It does allow individuals to apply for an SSN and work authorization
• Note that the California Dream Act is a state law, separate and distinct from the federal DACA program.

On June 15, 2012, the Secretary of Homeland Security announced that certain people who came to the United States as children and meet several guidelines may request consideration of deferred action for a period of two years, subject to renewal. They are also eligible for work authorization. Deferred action is a use of prosecutorial discretion to defer removal action against an individual for a certain period of time. Deferred action does not provide lawful status.

Guidelines

You may request DACA if you:

1. Were under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012;
2. Came to the United States before reaching your 16th birthday;
3. Have continuously resided in the United States since June 15, 2007, up to the present time;
4. Were physically present in the United States on June 15, 2012, and at the time of making your request for consideration of deferred action with USCIS;
5. Had no lawful status on June 15, 2012;
6. Are currently in school, have graduated or obtained a certificate of completion from high school, have obtained a general education development (GED) certificate, or are an honorably discharged veteran of the Coast Guard or Armed Forces of the United States; and
7. Have not been convicted of a felony, significant misdemeanor, or three or more other misdemeanors, and do not otherwise pose a threat to national security or public safety.

For more info about DACA visit 

• U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services www.uscis.gov 
• Educators for Fair Consideration (E4FC) www.e4fc.org
• United We Dream https://unitedwedream.org/

For more details about the difference between DACA and California Dream Act visit: https://www.csac.ca.gov/california-dream-act

(Sources: California Student Aid Commission - AC Dream Act & Consideration of DACA - USCIS.gov) 

For more information about consideration of DACA, visit USCIS and watch the video below. 

What is the DREAM Act?

The California Dream Act allows undocumented and nonresident documented students who meet certain provisions to apply for and receive private scholarships funded through public universities, state-administered financial aid, university grants, community college fee waivers, and Cal Grants.

How to apply for financial aid under the California Dream Act

The CA Dream Act Application (CADAA) is used by undocumented students who meet the eligibility requirements of AB 540. The application can be found at https://dream.csac.ca.gov/. The California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) processes the application and any aid received can only be used at eligible California public or private institutions.

The Cal Grant application deadline for students using the CADAA is March 2 prior to the academic year. For Cal Grants offered under the California Dream Act, you must also submit a certified GPA to CSAC.

CA Dream Act Application

Students who meet the AB 540 eligibility requirements are not required to have a Social Security number in order to submit the application. If you have a Social Security number issued by Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) for work purposes only, that number should be entered on question #8 of the application. Question #8 should be left blank for applicants without Social Security numbers.

For other financial aid and resources for Dreamers visit: e4fc.org, maldef.org

(Source: California Student Aid Commission - AC Dream Act & CSAC Cal Dream Act )

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