IDEAS at UCLA AB-540 Project
Undocumented Students
• Undocumented students are those who
reside in the U.S. without legal permission of
the Federal government. It includes students
who are not U.S. citizens or permanent
residents or who do not hold any sort of visa
allowing them to reside in the U.S.
• Many of these students have lived here a
substantial part of their lives and most were
brought here involuntarily by their families
looking for a better life.
A Problem in Need of a Solution
• Around 65,000 undocumented students
graduate from U.S. high schools every year.
25,000 are from California.
• Only around 5-10% of these students pursue
higher education.
• According to a research study by the Pew
Hispanic Center, the average undocumented
family has a yearly income of less than
$30,000. Because of this 39% of
undocumented children face poverty.
Why Go to College?
Basically, the higher your level of education,
the higher your possible salary and the less
chances you will be unemployed. It’s a winwin situation.
Can Undocumented Students Go to
College?
• Cannot be denied admission to any public institution of
higher education in California based on immigration status.
• Must meet the AB540 requirements in order to qualify for
in-state tuition at California public college/university.
• What about privacy?
– Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.
– The UC affidavit is legally a secret and private document
that cannot be seen by anyone but the University and
student.
– Complete privacy of student records at all colleges and
universities
AB 540 Requirements
•
•
Three years at a CA high school.
Valid high school diploma or
equivalent (GED)
• Signed AB 540 Requirements
affidavit presented to the school
of enrollment.
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AB540 Does Not:
• apply to private colleges and
universities.
• grant legal residency to
qualifying students.
• grant state or federal financial
aid eligibility.
•
AB540 ONLY PROVIDES AN
EXEMPTION TO THE
REQUIREMENTS TO PAY
NONRESIDENT TUITION
•
International students and those
with a valid non-immigrant visa
(F, J, H, L, A, E, etc…) DO NOT
QUALIFY.
It is always advised to consult a
lawyer who can clearly assure
you if you apply.
The Importance of AB 540
School System
School System
In-State Rate Per Year
(Estimated)
Out-of-State Per Year
(Estimated)
Community Colleges
$1000
$6000
Cal State Universities
$5000
$15000
University of California
$9000
$30000
ITIN
Individual Taxpayer Identification Number
• An ITIN is a nine-digit Individual Taxpayer
Identification Number issued by the U.S. Internal
Revenue Service (IRS) to foreign individuals who
are required to have a U.S. taxpayer identification
number but are not eligible to obtain a Social
Security Number (SSN)
• ITIN can be used on various forms but does not
replace a Social Security Number.
• ITIN is for tax purposes only
ITIN
• How to get an ITIN:
– Prove you are a foreigner
– Prove you currently live in the United States
– Need two forms of identification (i.e. school I.D.
, national I.D. – matricula)
Scholarships
•
Organizations that offer
scholarships specifically for
Undocumented Students
– SAESL
– SALEF, etc.
•
•
•
•
Research Alumni Association for
scholarships being offered
Personal Statements
Check Eligibility (Contact
Scholarship Committee)
Ask how scholarship is awarded:
personal check, bank account
deposit, school deposit, etc.
– Determines how to use the
scholarship
•
•
www.maldef.com  scholarship
list
Do it NOW!!
College Credit in High School
• Community College
Classes for FREE!!
– Dual Credit
– College Credit
• Pass AP Exam to get
credit on that class
– College Credit!
• Finishing college
early
Extracurricular Activities
• Increases range of
scholarships that can
be applied to
• Increase probability
of getting accepted
into college
• Helps prepare for the
college atmosphere
Research Universities
• Affordable
– Make sure that it is
within your financial
means
• Accessible
– As an AB540 student,
commuting might be an
option
• Attainable
– Do you satisfy all the
requirements? (GPA,
Testing Scores, etc)
Fundraising
• Side Jobs:
Babysitting,
Landscaping,
Tutoring
• Internships: privately
funded stipends
• Car Washes, Food
Sales, Book Sales,
etc.
Other Avenues!
• Private Aid
– Some private
universities,
companies and
organizations may
provide assistance
• Networking
– AB540 Student Networks
– Visit College Campuses
and talk to
• AB540 advocates and
allies
• AB540 student
organizations
• Support/Outreach
Programs
DREAM Act 2009
“Let’s not
just dream,
let’s act!”
DREAM Act 2009
What is the DREAM Act?
• The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM)
Act is a bipartisan bill that would create an opportunity for
undocumented students to get onto a path of legalization.
• Students qualify for a 6-year conditional permanent residency if:
• 1. Arrived in the U.S. under the age of 16;
• 2. Lived in the U.S. for at least 5 years before the date of
the enactment of the DREAM Act; and
• 3. Completed high school or earned a GED
• Students would then qualify for permanent resident status if during
the following 6 years, they either complete 2 years at a 2-year or 4year college or serve in the armed forces for 2 years or more.
• Students would not qualify for this relief if they have committed
certain crimes, are a security risk, or are inadmissible or removable
on certain other grounds.
Current Status of the DREAM Act
The DREAM Act was reintroduced on
March 26, 2009 in the Senate by Richard
Durbin (D-IL) and Richard Lugar (R-IN),
and in the House of Representatives by
Howard Berman(D-CA), Lincoln DiazBalart (R-FL), and Lucille Roybal-Allard
(D-CA).
DREAM Act Nat’l Endorsements
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Microsoft
College Board
Citi Group
Macy’s
City of New York
American Express
JP Morgan Chase and Co.
Harvard University
Stanford University
University of California
among others …
Legislative Team
Lobby Visits:
1.US Senate
2.US House of Representatives
City Resolutions
1.Los Angeles
2.Long Beach (pending)
3.South East Cities
Community Team
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Faith Based Organizations
K-12 School Districts
Business
Educators and Universities
Diverse Community Organizations
Media Relations Team
1. Local and National
Networks
◦ Newspapers
◦ Broadcast News
2. Broadcast
Programming
◦ TV Shows
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Telemundo
CNN
Univision
ABC
Knowledge is Power
Los Angeles Times
Washington Post
New York Times
among others…
What Can you do?
IDEAS at UCLA AB 540 Project
•The mother organization of the
AB 540 Project.
•Group for undocumented students
at UCLA.
•The AB 540 Project seeks to
distribute knowledge of AB 540
and other resources available for
undocumented students.
•We hold an annual Counselors’
Conference and also an
Empowerment Conference for high
school students.
•Workshops on this issue are also
offered at various high school by
request.
Lets Make the DREAM a Reality !