Undocumented Students

Senator Jose Peralta New York State DREAM Act

The Senator Jose Peralta New York State DREAM Act gives undocumented and other students access to New York State administered grants and scholarships (ie: Excelsior Scholarship, Tuition Assistance Program) that were not previously available to them, which help support their higher education costs. For more information and to begin your application, please visit the HESC website.

Q&A

Undocumented students are students who are not U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or “eligible non-citizens.” Undocumented students are sometimes referred to as "Dreamers." This term generally refers to undocumented youths who have lived in the United States from a very young age. The term “Dreamers” is derived from the legislation introduced in Congress and known as the “DREAM Act.” You can read more about the "DREAM Act" here. Within the larger group of undocumented students, there is a subgroup of students who have received Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.
DACA is the name used for a process announced by the Secretary of Homeland Security on June 15,2012. Under this process, if you came to the United States as a child and meet several key guidelines, you may contact U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), a component of the Department of Homeland Security, to request consideration of deferred action. “Deferred action” refers to a decision to defer (delay or put off) removal action of an individual. DACA may be granted by USCIS for a period of two years and may be renewed under certain circumstances. Deferred action does not provide an individual with lawful status; however, recipients of deferred action may obtain work authorization.
- General information about DACA
- Answers to a series of frequently asked questions related to DACA, filing requirements, evidence, decisions, and renewals
A DACA student has received deferred action under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals process. Most DACA students are also granted work authorization; and if a student has work authorization, the student may be eligible to obtain a Social Security number.
If you have a Social Security number, you may complete the FAFSA, and we encourage you to do so at studentaid.gov. Some University scholarships require students to meet need-based criteria as calculated by the FAFSA. In these instances, you may be able to complete the FAFSA, not for purposes of receiving federal aid, but for purposes of being considered for need-based University Scholarship.
All incoming first time/full-time freshmen students are considered for our University merit based scholarships and grants.

There are a variety of organizations that have scholarships available for undocumented students, including:
Long Island has multiple community organizations that provide support for or information to undocumented and DACA students. Please visit each organization's website for additional information.