Resources for Undocumented Students

AB 540, or California Education Code § 68130.5, is a California state law that allows qualifying undocumented students to pay in-state tuition at public colleges in California. This includes UCLA.

To qualify for In-State Tuition under AB 540, you must meet all of the following criteria:

• You attended a California high school for 3 or more years.
• You have graduated or will graduate from a California high school or have attained a G.E.D.
• You have registered at or are currently enrolled in an accredited institution of higher education in California.
• You have filed or will file an affidavit as required by individual institutions, stating that you will apply for legal residency as soon as possible.

See the University of California’s AB 540 website here.

If you don’t have AB 540 status, you cannot receive institutional fellowships from either the University of California or from private donors administered through the University of California. Private loans and private scholarships or fellowships through a non university-based entity or external entity are the only financial aid options. Read more here.

Q: What is an Affidavit?

A: The AB 540 Affidavit serves two purposes: one is to verify that the student meets the educational requirements listed above to qualify for in-state tuition, and the second is to certify the student's intent to establish legal residency. Any information given by the student in such an affidavit is protected under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This means that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement CANNOT access a student's educational records, including an AB 540 Affidavit. See a copy of the UC Affidavit here.

Reminder:  Residency status for tuition purposes is not determined until after the student has been admitted to the University and has completed an online Statement of Legal Residence and Statement of Intent to Register.

Q: How do I apply for AB 540 status?

A: Once you have accepted an offer of admission to UCLA, fill out and submit the Statement of Legal Residence form to the campus residence deputy. This form, completed by all students, determines the level of tuition and fees you will be charged. If you are denied in-state residency after completing the Statement of Legal Residence, you can submit your AB 540 Affidavit and high school transcripts to the Registrar’s Office to establish your AB 540 status. The Residence Deputy will review the form and documentation and determine your AB 540 eligibility.

You should establish your AB 540 status before your fall fees are assessed.

Q: What if I am undocumented, but do not qualify for AB 540 status?

A: Unfortunately, there is no law that grants in-state tuition to students based on their immigration status. If you do not qualify for AB 540, you will probably have to pay out-of-state fees based on your specific situation. Fortunately, however, public universities cannot deny you the right to attend college due to your immigration status.

Q: What are the limitations of the AB 540 Law?

A: AB 540 does not give undocumented graduate students any sort of eligibility for financial assistance from state or federal funds. This includes CalGrants, Pell Grants, and loans from government sources. However, students who are given AB 540 status may apply for some forms of university aid as well as scholarships from privately-funded sources that do not consider residency or citizenship as part of their scholarship eligibility requirements. They may also apply for certain private loans that do not require citizenship. Learn more about the California DREAM Act, legislation which seeks to address this situation, below.

AB 540 also does not provide students the opportunity to apply for permanent resident status or citizenship.

FERPA is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education, including UCLA. As a result, these universities cannot release the student’s information, including the fact that they are undocumented, except under very specific circumstances, such as a court order.

Learn more on the UCLA Registrar’s FERPA page (this page is designed for UCLA staff but much of the information might be of interest to prospective or current students).

Visit the U.S. Department of Education’s FERPA page.

DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, allows certain people who came to the United States as children and who meet certain guidelines to request deferred action from removal from the United States for a period of 2 years, subject to renewal.

If you are approved for DACA, you are also eligible to receive employment authorization for the period of deferred action, provided you can demonstrate “an economic necessity for employment".

If you are approved for DACA, you may also apply for Advance Parole to travel abroad for educational purposes.

You may request consideration of deferred action for childhood arrivals for a period of two years, subject to renewal if you:

• Were under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012;
• Came to the United States before reaching your 16th birthday;
• Have continuously resided in the United States since June 15, 2007, up to the present time;
• 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;
• Entered without inspection before June 15, 2012, or your lawful immigration status expired as of June 15, 2012;
• 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
• Have not been convicted of a felony, significant misdemeanor, three or more other misdemeanors, and do not otherwise pose a threat to national security or public safety.

The cost to file the DACA paperwork is currently $465 (as of June 2014).

For more information, eligibility requirements and required forms, consult USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) and DHS (the Department of Homeland Security).

Watch a helpful video on DACA here.

Visit the UCLA Guide to DACA Community Resources publication here.

The California Dream Act, which became law through the passage of Assembly Bills 130 and 131, allows undocumented students who qualify for in-state tuition to also qualify for financial aid.

• AB 130 allows for AB540 undocumented students attending public colleges and universities to apply for and receive scholarships derived from non-state funds, which includes many private scholarships and some scholarships offered by universities.
• AB131 permits undergraduate students to receive funding from state government sources. As AB131 does not apply to graduate students, this means that unfortunately, undocumented graduate students are not eligible for CalGrants.

Click here for more information if you are a new UCLA student on AB130 and AB131 (PowerPoint presentation).

At the Fielding School, we do not consider immigration or residency status when making scholarship or award decisions (except where noted). To view scholarships and awards at the Fielding School, click here and view “Schoolwide Opportunities” under the heading "Annual Awards and Scholarships".

If you have employment authorization under DACA, you may have the opportunity to work as a Graduate Student Researcher, Research Assistant, Teaching Assistant or Graduate Student Instructor. Opportunities will vary by department. Read more here. If you are eligible for DACA, but not for AB 540, you can still be employed by UCLA.

Some of the UCLA Scholarships available to AB540 undocumented students include:

• Eugene V. Cota-Robles Fellowship (UCLA): For doctoral students. This fellowship currently provides a stipend of $21,000 plus tuition for the first year. Open to undocumented students who qualify for nonresident supplemental tuition exemptions under AB 540. The application deadline is December 15th for the 2015-16 academic year.
• Graduate Opportunity Fellowship Program (GOFP) (UCLA): This one-year fellowship program provides recipients with an $18,000 stipend plus tuition. Open to undocumented students who qualify for nonresident supplemental tuition exemptions under AB 540. The application deadline is December 15th for the 2015-16 academic year.   

For the two fellowships above, you apply to your desired department and the department, in turn, makes nominations to the fellowship committee.

You can also visit the UCLA Graduate & Postdoctoral Extramural Support (GRAPES) Database to search for financial aid opportunities.

You may be eligible for other private scholarships and loans. Some resources include:

• The Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans: Thirty fellowships were awarded in March 2015 – the application deadline is November 1, 2015.

• MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense Fund): Houses resources on private scholarships available to undocumented students.
• California Dream Act Guide for Undocumented Students: Outlines some of the requirements for receiving private loans.

For an extensive list of graduate funding opportunities within and outside the University of California that do not require proof of U.S. citizenship or legal permanent residency, click here.

To view the ASPPH (Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health) page on Financing Your Degree, click here.

The UCLA Financial Aid Office's 2015-16 Guide to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Community Resources

UCLA Undocumented Student Program at the Bruin Resource Center

• Information on legislation, financial aid, scholarships and more for undocumented students.

Main contact: Angela Chuan-Ru Chen, Ph.D.

Undocumented Student Program Coordinator

220 Westwood Plaza Suite B44

• (310) 206-2980
• achen@saonet.ucla.edu 
• www.ab540.ucla.edu/ 

IDEAS at UCLA (Improving Dreams, Equality, Access and Success)  

• A support network for undocumented students, which also houses information, news and events.
• (310) 825-6937
• ideas@ucla.edu
• www.ideasla.org

UCLA DREAM Resource Center

• The Center, part of the UCLA Labor Center, cultivates and promotes immigrant youth leadership nationwide. Since its founding, the center has emerged as a national source for innovative research, education, and policy on immigration issues.
• Visit the Center's Website.

UCLA Student Legal Services

• UCLA Student Legal Services often gives free consultations on immigration issues and may also be able to assist you with your DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) application.
• www.studentlegal.ucla.edu

• University of California AB 540 Q&A Page
• Deborah Bolton (dbolton@registrar.ucla.edu), (310) 825-3447
• Ana Ibarra-Abu Malhi (aibarra@registrar.ucla.edu),  (310) 825-3447

• The California Student Aid Commission
• The California Dream Act: A Guide for Undocumented Students
• MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense Fund) Guide for Undocumented Students
• Educators for Fair Consideration (E4FC)
• Pre-Health Dreamers

• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Page
• U.S. Department of Education's Family Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) for Students Page

Please note: If you are an undocumented student and would like to be eligible to earn income while pursuing a graduate degree at FSPH, consider applying for employment authorization under DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) as your very first step (if you are eligible), as the process can take several months. You cannot work without valid employment authorization.

Step 1 (by December 1st): Apply To the Fielding School

By December 1st of the year preceding the Fall term in which you'd like to enroll, you must apply to the program of your choice at the Fielding School (instructions on How to Apply here). To apply, you need to fill out two applications. Both are generally available by early September.

• UCLA Graduate Division Application: Deadline: December 1st. If you have a social security number from DACA, UCLA’s Undocumented Student Program recommends that you provide it, because the university will use your social security number for tax purposes if you work or receive fellowships.
• SOPHAS (Schools of Public Health Application Service): Deadline: December 1st. Read more and view application checklist here.

You can apply to have your application fee to UCLA waived if you:

• Are currently enrolled in a college or university and
• Receive need-based financial aid (if not a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident, this financial aid must come from the state of California) and
• Submit a statement from your Financial Aid officer confirming all of the above and stating that payment of UCLA's $80.00 application fee would be a financial hardship.

Visit the UCLA Grad Division’s website for more information, or contact Sukhwinder Sagoo at the Fielding School’s Student Affairs Office.

**Start looking and applying for financial aid opportunities, both within and outside UCLA right away! Don’t wait until the Fielding School’s deadline, as you may miss some of the application deadlines for financial aid opportunities.

Step 2 (by March 1st): Receive Admissions and Fielding School Financial Aid Decision

You’ll receive an admissions decision by March 1st, along with a notice of any Fielding School funding you’ve been awarded, if applicable.

Step 3 (by April 15th): Accept Your Offer of Admission

If you receive an offer of admission and would like to attend UCLA, be sure to accept the offer by April 15th.

• Confirm acceptance by filling out a Statement of Intent to Register form (you’ll receive instructions with your acceptance).
• Fill out your Statement of Legal Residence form, also online. This form must be completed by all students as it assesses the level of tuition and fees you will be charged. It’s a very important form to fill out, since it is how you will receive a nonresident tuition exemption (if eligible) so that you can pay resident tuition and fees. If you are denied in-state residency after completing the Statement of Legal Residence, you can submit your AB 540 Affidavit and high school transcripts to the Registrar’s Office to establish your AB 540 status. The Residence Deputy will review the form and documentation and determine your AB 540 eligibility.

NOTE: You should establish your AB 540 status before your fall fees are assessed.

• Fill out a UC Nonresident Tuition Exemption Application and Affidavit, available from the campus registrar's office, as soon as you are accepted for admission.

 Step 4 (summer): Register For Your Courses

Over the summer, you can register for your courses.