California Dream Act

 

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Apply to California Dream Act
 
 

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América Ramírez
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The California Dream Act allows students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents but who meet AB 540 criteria (see eligibility requirements below) to apply for and receive non-state funded scholarships and state-funded financial aid to help pay for college. The California Dream Act became law through the passage of two Assembly Bills, AB 130 and AB 131.
 

AB 130 allows students who meet AB 540 criteria to apply for and receive non-state, privately-funded scholarships for public colleges and universities. 

AB 131 allows students who meet AB 540 criteria to apply for and receive state-funded financial aid such as institutional grants, or Cal Grants.

Now AB 540 has been expanded with the new SB 68 Bill! SB 68 expands AB 540 to enable students to count years spent at a California Community College and Adult School towards
AB 540 eligibility. You can learn more about SB 68 in this info PDF!

You are eligible for the California Dream Act if you meet the following AB 540 criteria:
 
1. You are not a citizen or permanent resident of the United States.
 
2. You attended a California high school for a minimum of three years, or you have credits earned at a California high school that are equivalent to three or more years of full-time high school coursework and a total of three or more years of attendance in California elementary schools, California secondary schools, or a combination of those schools. 
 
3. You graduated from a California high school, passed the California High School Proficiency Exam (CHSPE) or got a General Equivalency Diploma (GED, also called the General Educational Development test) in California, or other state-authorized high school equivalency exam such as HiSET or TASC.
 
4. You are entering as a current student at or are currently enrolled at a California community college.
 
5. If required, you will complete an affidavit stating you have filed (or will file when you are eligible to do so) for proper immigration status.
If you are eligible based on the above criteria, complete the Dream Act Application. This link will allow you to complete a new application or make corrections to an existing application. *This application can also be used to apply for Cal Grants awarded by the California Student Aid Commission. When applying, make sure to enter the school code for Lake Tahoe Community College (012907).
 
Apply Now!

 

If you are eligible based on the above criteria, you may qualify for:

Promise Grant (formerly known as the Board of Governors fee waiver): The Promise Grant is a tuition fee waiver for California residents and AB 540 eligible students. In order to qualify, you must meet residency and income requirements. You can learn more about the Promise Grant HERE!

EOPS: Provides above-and-beyond academic, career, and personal counseling; priority registration; additional tutoring; book vouchers to purchase required textbooks; transfer planning; UC and CSU application fee waivers; school supplies (backpacks, notebooks, pens and pencils) and more. You can learn more about the EOPS program HERE!

Cal Grant: Awarded by the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC), may be renewed each year if recipients continue to meet eligibility requirements. All students who are California residents and high school graduates (including AB 540 students) are encouraged to apply. March 2 is the deadline to apply for the next school year. A DREAM ACT application as well as verification of grade point average must be submitted by the deadline. For continuing LTCC students, verification of grade point averages are automatically sent to CSAC in an electronic format for all potentially eligible students.
 
Scholarships: LTCC offers a number of scholarship opportunities each spring quarter to current students. The criteria and requirements are different for each scholarship, though most students will qualify for at least one. Please check our Scholarship Bulletin Board and the Financial Aid page in Passport for scholarship details.

Equity: Free mentoring services; priority registration; access to the free quarterly textbook lending program; additional counseling services including career guidance and academic planning; free trips to nearby colleges to encourage progression; visits to cultural events and more. You can learn more about Equity HERE!
 
Unsure what you may qualify for? Fill out the 2021-2022 LTCC Program Application and our team will work to support you and help you to find the programs you are eligible for.

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions for Undocumented Students: (ENG) (SPA)

 

Legal Support Resources

IMPORTANT UPDATE – PLEASE READ (as of July 19, 2021) – here’s what you need to know about deferred action for childhood arrivals:

The Texas federal court issued a ruling ordering USCIS to cease approving first-time applications to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. 


Statement from USCIS Acting Director Tracy Renaud on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Court Decision


“Pursuant to the July 16, 2021 Order issued by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas in Texas v. United States, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is enjoined from granting initial DACA requests. 


All individuals whose DACA requests were granted prior to this decision will continue to have and be eligible to renew DACA, and to request and receive advance parole, consistent with the court’s order. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will provide additional specific operational guidance in the coming days.


USCIS is proud to play an important role in implementing DACA. DACA recipients are students, military service members, essential workers, and part of our communities in every way, shape, and form. USCIS will comply with the court order, continue to implement the components of DACA that remain in place, and work on publishing a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking designed to strengthen and fortify DACA.”


There will be changes to the DACA program in the upcoming months. Check back for updates. You can also check the NILC website or the NILC Twitter for the latest updates. Click here for the latest DACA Frequently Asked Questions (December 2020) from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). 

  • Current DACA cases remain valid, and people with DACA will continue to receive protection.
  • DACA renewals will continue. People with DACA or who had it in the past are still eligible for the program and should renew at least five months before the expiration date.
  • First-time DACA applications are on hold. No new DACA applications will be approved, including pending cases. It is unclear how filing fees and other logistics will be handled, but legal experts expect additional guidance from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in the coming weeks.

 

Additional Information and Resources

  • Follow DACA updates from the National Immigration Law Center here.
  • Click here for the latest DACA Frequently Asked Questions (August 2020). 
  • Read the full SCOTUS DACA decision here.
  • Read ILRC’s summary of the SCOTUS DACA decision here.

 

Legal Support Resources

 

Other Resources

Guide to Accessing Higher Education (English, Spanish) - Provides tools and information to help students identify what type of college is a good fit for them, gain knowledge about how to apply, and learn options for paying for school.

Guide for Current College Students (English, Spanish) - Shares resources for how students can engage in on-campus advocacy and talks through some key points about campus safety for undocumented students.