Frequently Asked Questions
An undocumented student is a non-citizen individual who resides in the United States without current, lawful immigration status. Undocumented individuals either entered the United States with or without inspection. With inspection means the individual entered the United States with a valid visa or another status and overstayed the authorized duration of that given status, therefore do not currently have lawful status in the United States.
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) provides some undocumented students with a renewable, temporary relief from deportation and employment authorization document (EAD) through a highly vetted application process known as Consideration for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Read more HERE.
We can! The Dream Center works holistically with undocumented students (with or without DACA) and students from mixed-status families from college access to graduation. Please call us at 801-213-3697 or email us at dream@utah.edu to schedule an appointment.
Utah House Bill 144 (H.B. 144) is a state law that passed in 2002. H.B. 144 allows qualifying undocumented students (with and without DACA) to pay in-state tuition, the same rate as Utah residents, if they attend a Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) public college or university, including the University of Utah.
The University of Utah Office of Admissions manages the H.B. 144 process and to qualify for the H.B. 144 non-resident tuition waiver a student must meet the following criteria:
- They must be admitted as a student to the University of Utah.
- They must have attended high school in the state of Utah for three or more years.
- They must have graduated from a Utah high school or attained the equivalent of a high school diploma prior to the start of the term (for example passed the GED).
- They cannot have registered for college classes prior to the Fall of the 2002-2003 academic school year.
Yes! Generally speaking, undocumented students (with and without DACA) may be eligible for consideration of private scholarships administered inside and outside the University of Utah.
Institutional Scholarships: In 2015, the Utah State Legislature passed Senate Bill 253, which allows Utah high school graduates to be eligible for consideration of private scholarships administered through the University of Utah without proof of lawful presence in the United States. In other words, undocumented students (with and without DACA) who graduate from a Utah high school or GED program are eligible to apply for private scholarships administered through the University of Utah. Dream Center Scholarships List.
Private Scholarships: Undocumented students (with and without DACA) may also be eligible to qualify for private scholarships administered outside of the University of Utah. These scholarships may be awarded through private companies and non-profits. Edúcate Utah Scholarship List.
If you have questions regarding scholarships or would like support with your personal statement, contact us at 801-213-3697 or email us at dream@utah.edu to schedule an appointment.
Sometimes institutional and private scholarships may require applicants to submit a FAFSA to verify their financial need.
Institutional Scholarships: At the University of Utah, undocumented students (with and without DACA) may fill out and submit a paper FAFSA to the Financial Aid Office:
Timothy Despain
Financial Aid Office
The University of Utah
201 South 1460 East RM 105
Salt Lake City, UT 84112
Private Scholarships: Private scholarships may be able to waive the paper FAFSA requirement. We encourage you to email the particular scholarship to inquire about their regulations.
If you need support filling out the paper FAFSA, please contact us at 801-213-3697 or email us at dream@utah.edu.
- Social Security Card (if applicable)
- Driver’s License (if applicable)
- Your 2017 federal income tax return & W-2s
- Parent’s 2017 federal income tax return & W-2s
If you need support filling out the paper FAFSA, please contact us at 801-213-3697 or email us at dream@utah.edu.
- Older than 24 years old
- Legally married
- Have dependents, other than a spouse (children)
- An orphan, or facing homelessness
- Veteran or active duty member of the United States Armed Forces
If the applicant meets one or more of the aforementioned criteria they are considered an independent student. If the applicant does not fit any of the aforementioned requirements they are considered a dependent student and have to provide their parents' taxes on the FAFSA.
- Parents' 2017 federal income tax return & W-2s
If you need support filling out the paper FAFSA, please contact us at 801-213-3697 or email us at dream@utah.edu.
Yes, if you are a U.S. Citizen (USC) or a Legal Permanent Resident (LPR), you are eligible to receive federal financial aid. If one or both of your parents are undocumented, you can enter 000-00-0000 for their SSN on the FAFSA application process. You might be asked to verify this information at least three times before successfully submitting the online FAFSA.
If you need support filling out the paper FAFSA, please contact us at 801-213-3697 or email us at dream@utah.edu.