SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING
the 2014-15
CA DREAM APPLICATION
Nancy Jodaitis & Rose Carmona-Arbulú
Financial Aid Counselors
AB 540 Advisors
Dream Application Coordinators
San Francisco State University
CA DREAM APPLICATION OVERVIEW
WHO Can APPLY
 WHEN & HOW to Apply
 OVERVIEW of the Application
 WHO Should Fill Out Application
 Dependent VS Independent Students
 Highlighting SPECIFIC Concerns
 Successfully SUBMITTING Dream App
 RESOURCES Available
 WHO will you train?

3
CA Dream Act of 2011 Overview
AB 540 –
2001
• Allows certain categories of nonresident students to pay in-state fees
AB 130 –
Jan 2012
• Scholarships administered
by public institutions available
AB 131 –
Jan 2013
• State funded grants including
Cal Grants and institutional grants
3
AB 540 Students Requirements
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Must have attended a CA High School at least 3 Years
Graduated from a CA High School or Complete
GED/CA HS Proficiency Exam
Register or be currently enrolled in accredited public
institution in CA
File a non-resident tuition exemption affidavit
If without lawful immigration status, indicate that
he/she will apply for legal residency as soon as possible
Receive confirmation from school that they have been
classified/approved as an AB 540 student
Dream Act Aid is not Deferred Action (DACA)
CA Dream Act aid is completely separate from
Federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
DACA does not confer a new citizenship status for students, only
an Employment Authorization Card & stay of deportation.
DACA does NOT make student eligible for FAFSA.
For more info on DACA –
visit uscis.gov, nilc.org, maldef.org, e4fc.org/dacaguide
5
MARCH
!*!*!
REALLY!
ND
2
On-Line Application AVAILABLE
www.caldreamact.org
January 6, 2014 to
March 2, 2014
(Priority filing period)
Paper application is also available, online recommended.
Online Application is MUCH FASTER!
14-15 Application ASKS about DACA
New App Seeks to Identify Eligibility Criteria

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Checks up front
whether DREAM
or FAFSA should
be used.
Reiterates Need
to qualify for AB
540 criteria to
meet DREAM
eligibility.
ANY Information MAILED to CSAC
POSTMARKED by
deadline date
 California Student
Aid Commission
P.O. Box 419077
Rancho Cordova,
Calfornia
95471-9077

Be Sure to get a
CERTIFICATE of
MAILING from
U.S. Post Office to
prove you mailed
information by
deadline date.
 Cost: $1.15

Overview of CA Dream Application
Instructions: Dream Application or FAFSA?
A. Student Questions
B. Dependency Determination
C. Parent Questions & Income (If required)
D. Signature
E. Confirmation Page
F. CalSAR (Cal Student Aid Report)
MIRROR APPLICATIONS
FAFSA
DREAM
13
Documents Needed to Complete
2014-15 CA Dream Application
W-2 forms and other 2013 records of income
 2013 Income Tax Return (s)
(if student or parents have one)
 Records of child support paid (if applicable)
 Records of student scholarships included in student or
parents’ taxes (if applicable)
 Current investment records
 Current business and farm records
(if over 100 employees)
 Current bank statements (if applicable)

Who Can Fill out Dream App?
ONLY
AB 540
Students
& U-Visa
Holders
should fill
out the
Dream
Application
Citizens & Legal Perm Residents= FAFSA
Eligible Non-Citizens & T Visa = FAFSA
Citizenship Status for Dream App
To Use Dream App,You MUST CHOOSE:
Not a citizen or eligible noncitizen
Parental Information & Signature
Required UNLESS Student Is:
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Born Before 1/1/91
Married
Has dependent children OR dependents
(other than spouse) for whom they provide
more than 50% of their support
Attending Graduate School
Active in Armed Forces or Veteran
Court Certified Minor by State of CA
(Legal Guardianship, Foster Care, etc.)
Must be Verified by Court in US
Foster Care or Ward of Court
 Emancipated Minor
Legal Guardianship
 Unaccompanied Youth who was Homeless

◦ (emergency & shelter homeless or transitional housing)
Parents Living in Other Countries
Fill out application on-line if they have
access to the internet
 Work with student to complete on-line
application via phone or mail
 Indicate foreign taxes & convert to $$
 Submit with P.I.N. if possible. If not,
student can send signature page to parent
and have them return to CSAC PRIOR to
March 2nd

Household Income
All household Income MUST be reported on Dream
Application whether or not individuals file taxes.
Student must report income and any cash support given
by relatives except food & housing
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If
student is under 24 years old, their parents must also
report their income and any cash support given by
relatives except food & housing
(Unless student is married, has children, graduate student, etc.)
Verification of Household Income
Some students may have to verify
household income.
 If student or parent meet income
guidelines, they might be required to
present an IRS tax return transcript
and/or W2 or 1099 Forms.
 Student & Parent can file taxes using
ITIN or SSN at ww.irs.gov

Don’t Wait ~ ESTIMATE!!

If taxes aren’t filed in January or February,
MEET THE MARCH 2ND DEADLINE by
answering:
□ Will File Taxes
□ Already Filed Taxes
□ Not Required to File Taxes

After taxes are filed, go to caldreamact.org
and update from ‘Will File’ to ‘Already Filed’
Input actual numbers from the tax forms
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Applying for Cal Grant 2014-15
Submit California Dream Application
AND
Non-SSN Cal Grant GPA Verification Form
BY MARCH 2, 2014
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Non-SSN GPA Submission
Districts may use this method
Must be submitted by batch process only
Contact School Support Branch for file layout
• School Support (888) 294 -0153
• schoolsupport@csac.ca.gov
26
College Student Undergraduate
AB 131 CA State Financial Aid Programs
California State GRANTS:
Financial aid that does not have to be repaid.
University Grants Varies by school but
(UC, CSU, CCC) usually covers state fees
2014-15 ACADEMIC YEAR
Cal Grant A
Cal Grant B
Cal Grant C
EOP Grant
$5,472- $12,192
$6,945- $13,665
Vocational programs only
$100 - $1,000
Other AID Besides Grants
SCHOLARSHIPS Through AB 131
Scholarships
University Scholarships Available~
Criteria Varies by Campus
Loans & Work-Study
Financial aid that has to be earned or repaid
CSU &
NOT AVAILABLE because
CCCs
FEDERAL FUNDS
UCs
A limited number of campuses offer
University Loans & Work Study, if
approved for DACA
Selective Service Registration
Male between the ages of 18 to 25 years
MUST register with selective service to
meet eligibility requirements.
 Students should register via mailing in a
selective service registration postcard
(available on caldreamact.org or
U.S. Post Office)
 Over 26 must document inability to
register, get more info at www.sss.gov

CA Dream Application Notifies
Males of Need to REGISTER
BOGG Fee Waiver at CCCs
Standard BOGG Fee
Waiver Application for
AB 540 students
 Per Each CCC, Use as
Stand Alone or In
Conjunction with
CSAC Dream
Application
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Common Problems with Dream App
Student Name Doesn’t Match
 Missed Deadline
 Parent Signature MISSING
 Legal Guardianship not recognized in CA
 Students not classified as AB 540 at college
 Student fills out FAFSA & Dream App

Successfully Submitting Application
STUDENT chooses their User ID and
password to sign the application.
 PARENT chooses “Add Parent Signature”,
and has student sign into their account.
Must use parent name, birthdate and wages
to create PARENT PIN & sign application.
 Use confirmation page to verify
signatures or identify actions required

STUDENT IS RESPONSIBLE TO
CHECK APPLICATION STATUS
with CSAC & their Financial Aid Office
CHECK Confirmation Page of Dream
App to Make Sure It is Complete
 CHECK Financial Aid at Your School
Is Financial Aid Office waiting for
any documents from YOU??
 Check email & email you used for app
 Visit or Call the Office with Questions~
BE PROACTIVE!

Where To Get INFO/HELP
with CA Dream Application??
CA Student Aid Commission
www.csac.ca.org or 888-224-7268
 CA Dream Application
www.caldreamact.org
 University/College Financial Aid Office

◦ Website, By Phone, Email, In-Person

SF State AB 540 Website
www.sfsu.edu/~finaid/ab540
For CAL GRANTS:
www.csac.ca.gov
Create an account at
WebGrants4Students
Check your CAL Grant status
and Make SURE the Proper
School is Listed
RESOURCES AVAILABLE for Dream App
CA Dream Act
Instructions
ww.caldreamact.org

Guidelines for 14-15
Dream Application
www.sfsu.edu/
~finaid/ab540

AB 540 WEBSITE at SF STATE
www.sfsu.edu/~finaid/Ab540
UC Berkeley
undocu.berkeley.edu
Educators for Fair Consideration
www.e4fc.org
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Dream Act Info
Financial Aid Guide
Scholarship Lists
DACA Information
Legal Remedies
Life After College Guide
All free and downloadable
AB 540 Educator Conference
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Saturday January 25th
UC Berkeley
Full Day Conference
Workshops
Powerful Presentations
$45 pre-registration
$55 regular registration
$70 day of registration
WORTH every penny
http://e4fc.org
SHARE WHAT YOU LEARNED!*!
PLEASE make a commitment to train at
LEAST one other person….
***BETTER YET, set up a training or
application drive at your college, nonprofit, local high school, community
college, university or neighborhood center
WHO WILL YOU TRAIN??
High School & College Counselors
 Your Co-workers
 Teachers
 Fellow Students
 Someone from the Financial Aid Office
 Your Friends

Best Way You Can Help
Don’t Make Assumptions
 Know Relevant Policies & Legislation
 Help Breakdown Institutional Roadblocks
 Refer Students to Support Services
 Instill Agency

Make A Friend In Financial AID
You Already Have TWO!*!
Nancy Jodaitis & Rose Arbulú
San Francisco State University
415.338.6879 & 415.338.2588
nancyj@sfsu.edu & rcarmona@sfsu.edu