5 reliable types of financial aid for DACA students | Earnest | Earnest

5 reliable types of financial aid for DACA students

By Authors at Earnest | Published on March 9, 2026

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Navigating the college application process is hard enough as it is. If you’re an undocumented student, it can be even more challenging. Every state has different enrollment and financial aid policies, and the process can also vary depending on whether you qualify for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals—more commonly known as DACA.

Currently, there are about 408,000 undocumented students enrolled in college in the United States, according to a study from the President’s Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration. Of these, about 119,000 are DACA-eligible.

If you’re among these DREAMers and you have your sights set on higher education, these five types of financial aid can make college more affordable.

1. In-state tuition

Tuition is part of the cost of attending a college or university. Typically, tuition refers only to the academic cost of college, meaning the price for academic credits. The cost of living expenses, or cost of attendance, like a dorm room and meal plan are usually separate.

How much does in-state tuition cost?

The average annual in-state tuition cost for four-year, public universities was $11,011 for the 2024-2025 year, according to a report from U.S. News. By comparison, out-of-state rates averaged $24,513 for the same year. Public institutions in the United States generally have two different prices: a subsidized in-state tuition rate for state residents, and an out-of-state tuition rate for everyone else.

Out-of-state tuition sometimes costs two to three times as much.

In what states are DACA students eligible for in-state tuition?

Each state has its own policy for determining whether undocumented immigrants qualify for in-state tuition and financial aid. In some states, DACA students are treated as state residents and qualify for in-state tuition.

There are 19 states and the District of Columbia that allow comprehensive access to higher education for state residents regardless of their DACA status, according to the Higher Ed Immigration Portal, which tracks these policies. These include:

  1. California
  2. Colorado
  3. Connecticut
  4. District of Columbia
  5. Hawaii
  6. Illinois
  7. Maryland
  8. Massachusetts
  9. Minnesota
  10. Nevada
  11. New Jersey
  12. New Mexico
  13. New York
  14. Oregon
  15. Rhode Island
  16. Texas
  17. Utah
  18. Vermont
  19. Virginia
  20. Washington

Six more states allow DACA recipients to access in-state tuition rates but do not provide state financial aid:

  1. Arizona
  2. Florida
  3. Kansas
  4. Kentucky
  5. Nebraska
  6. Oklahoma

Additionally, the following states offer some limited access to in-state tuition in certain circumstances to undocumented students:

2. State aid

DACA students, as well as some undocumented students who are not DACA recipients, aren’t eligible for federal financial aid. However, some states, such as California and New York, offer grants for college students, such as the Cal Grant and the New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), which don’t need to be paid back.

If you’re an undocumented student, you may still be eligible for these and other state financial aid programs. Generally, you can qualify for state aid by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). However, you need a social security number to fill out the FAFSA, and DACA students are eligible for SSNs. Some states—including California and Rhode Island—have separate applications that students can use so that their immigration status doesn’t prevent them from applying for these college grants.

How much money can you get from state aid?

State financial aid varies significantly by state and by program, however, undergraduate students may be able to get thousands of dollars per year.

For example, California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) has set the maximum Cal Grant A award for students attending the University of California (UC) at $13,752, which is applied toward systemwide tuition and fees. The amount you can get depends on the type of school you’re attending. New York State's Tuition Assistance Program offers grants ranging from $1,000 to $5,665 annually. Notably, the minimum award amount increased to $1,000, effective this academic year.

Can DACA students fill out a FAFSA?

While DACA students are not eligible for federal financial aid or loans, they can still fill out the FAFSA form to qualify for state aid and other types of financial assistance. You need a social security number to fill out the FAFSA, and DACA students are eligible for SSNs. You won’t be able to fill out the FAFSA without one.

Applying for state aid without the FAFSA

If you can’t use the FAFSA form, you may still be able to apply for aid by going directly to the state. The California Dream Act Application (also known as the CA Dream Act) is a state-run, need-based financial aid application open to everyone, including dreamers and others who can’t use the FAFSA.

If you have questions about your eligibility for state financial aid, you can always speak with your high school guidance counselor, or contact the financial aid office at the universities you’re applying to.

3. School-specific aid

Because public schools get state and/or federal funding, they’re often more limited than private institutions when it comes to the assistance they can offer to DACA students. So, while private, four-year colleges usually have much higher costs than public schools, you may actually be able to get more financial aid from them, making the overall cost of attendance cheaper.

Private universities may offer more financial aid than public schools

All eight Ivy League universities—Brown, Yale, Harvard, Princeton, University of Pennsylvania, Cornell, and Columbia—plus dozens of other private schools around the United States have committed to meeting 100% of need-based aid for DACA students. So, it’s worth applying to these schools even if your family can’t afford to pay for tuition—you may end up being able to go for free.

Unlike loans, need-based aid directly from universities does not need to be paid back. You may also be able to qualify for other ways to reduce your costs on campus. For example, you could become a resident assistant in the dorm buildings or apply for an on-campus job. You do not need to qualify for federal work-study in order to be eligible for a campus job, such as a desk job at the library or a short-term research assistant position.

Universities typically use information from the FAFSA to award need-based aid, so start by filling out that application or by calling the financial aid department directly to inquire about your options. Many schools may have on-campus job boards listing employment opportunities, or you can go directly to the offices or campus facilities where you’re interested in working to find out how to apply.

4. Private DACA scholarships & grants

Private scholarships and grants are separate from state and federal financial aid, often with unique eligibility criteria. Many scholarships are designed specifically to support undocumented or DACA students, offering vital funding options that don’t need to be repaid. Merit-based scholarships, for example, generally focus more on your GPA and who you are as a person without taking financial need into account.

While many scholarships are only available to permanent residents and citizens, others are exclusively to help nonresidents, undocumented non-citizens, and DREAMers pay for school. The Dreamer Scholarship and the Center for Immigrant Progress Scholarship are examples of scholarships available specifically for undocumented students. Additionally, TheDream.us runs a scholarship program specifically to help undocumented students in states banning them from financial aid or in-state rates.

You can find scholarships through a variety of methods, including online search engines for college money.

5. Private student loans

Private student loans are a way of funding college costs after you’ve exhausted all your avenues for free financial aid. They come from private companies like banks, online lenders, and credit unions, and have to be paid back in monthly installments over a set period of time. Unlike federal loans, you can borrow up to the full amount set by the school with private loans.

The difference between private loans and federal loans

While federal student loans are available to virtually all U.S. citizens and permanent residents regardless of their financial status, private loans usually require a minimum credit score.

While you may not be required to make payments while you’re still in school, interest on private loans generally starts accruing from the day you borrow the money. This means that the amount you’ll pay at the end of your loan term may be significantly higher than the amount you borrowed, depending on how high your interest rate is and what the terms of your loan are.

Do I need a cosigner?

A cosigner is someone who signs the loan with the primary borrower to guarantee that the loan will be paid back. If for any reason the primary borrower can’t repay the loan, it will legally fall on the cosigner to do so.

Most lenders require undergraduate students to have a U.S.-based cosigner who’s either a citizen or a permanent resident. In most cases, this person is a parent or guardian of the student borrower. Since parents of DACA students are usually not eligible to serve as cosigners, it can be challenging for these students to secure private student loans. However, some lenders specialize in providing loans for DACA students without requiring a cosigner, offering alternative paths to fund their education.

For example, Earnest allows DACA students to apply for loans without a cosigner. However, policies vary, so it's important to check directly with the lender for the most current requirements.

That said, if you’re able to find an eligible cosigner—such as a close family friend, another relative, or a mentor in your community who is close with you and your family—having them back your loan may help you qualify for a lower interest rate, saving you significant money over time.

How to apply for a private loan

If you have DACA status, you have options. Private loans can help you fund your education either with or without a cosigner, depending on the lender you choose. At Earnest, you can start your application by filling out an eligibility form.

In order to complete the application, you’ll need to have a physical address in the United States. You’ll also need to know how much money you want to apply for, so do some budgeting before you start your application.

Make sure you’ve exhausted all free financial aid options available to you before you apply for private loans, which will accrue interest from the day the funds are transferred to your college. You may want to set up a payment plan with your university so you can spread your tuition payments throughout the course of the academic year.

This way, you can request loans in smaller disbursements, so you’re not paying more interest than you absolutely have to.

Once you’ve been approved for a loan, you’ll have to sign paperwork that indicates you understand the payment terms and you promise to pay the loan in full by the end of your loan term.

What happens after you sign your loan

After you’ve taken out your loan, you may be offered a grace period so that you don’t have to make payments while you’re still enrolled in school. The length of the grace period is up to the lender—some don’t offer one at all, while Earnest offers a 9-month grace period, 3 months longer than most other companies.

However, you can save money on interest over time by making small payments while you’re in school—even $20 here and there can add up over time to save you a bit of money, so it’s always worth making payments early if you have the cash to spare.

Later, you may be able to apply to refinance your loan with Earnest for a lower interest rate. This is a process that pays off your old loan with a new loan at a lower interest rate, so interest will accrue more slowly and you’ll save money over time.