Dreamer Scholarship Expands Across the US

TheDream.US, the nation’s largest college and career success program for undocumented youth, has launched an Opportunity Scholarship of up to $80,000 that could provide great support and help upward mobility for undocumented immigrants across much of the United States.

It’s a piece of good news during often-gloomy times. Thousands of students may get the chance to become nurses, teachers, authors, and many other occupations that help us across our communities live more positive lives.

TheDream.US is already one of the nation’s larger college and career success programs, “having provided more than 10,000 college scholarships to Dreamers attending 80+ partner colleges in 20+ states and Washington, D.C,” declares TheDream.US website.

“We believe everyone, regardless of where they were born, should have equitable access to a college education, a meaningful career, and opportunities to contribute to the communities they call home,” the message continues. There are roughly 2 million “Dreamers” in the country, and an estimated 98,000 undocumented students, ages 15 to 19, graduate from a U.S. high school every year. However, only 5-to-10% enroll in college, states TheDream.US website.

These students are at a great disadvantage when pursuing higher education: They typically receive no federal aid for college and often have limited access to state aid, with the added detriment of having to pay out-of-state tuition to attend in a state where help might be available.

Being unable to officially call America “home” clearly makes it difficult to educate one-self beyond a standard high school diploma.

That was previously recognized with the “National Scholarship” that pays up to $33,000 for students who can enroll at more than 80 participating “partner” colleges/universities in nearly two dozen states. [In Oregon, Portland State University and Western Oregon University are partner institutions.]

The Opportunity Scholarship was created to serve undocumented students who live in “lock-out states” – where by state law these students effectively have no access because their state will not admit them into universities.

The Opportunity Scholarship Award will cover eligible tuition, fees, on-campus housing, and meals for eligible students at one of the partner colleges, up to a maximum of $80,000 for pursuit of a bachelor’s degree. The award follows students through the completion of a bachelor’s degree and can be renewed each year. Recipients must meet continuing eligibility criteria, including continuous, full-time enrollment, and renew the award each summer.

U.S. States that are included for the Opportunity Scholarship

To be eligible for the Opportunity Scholarship, an individual must meet the following criteria:

· You are undocumented and came to the U.S. before Nov. 1, 2018, and have continuously lived in the United States since then or have DACA or TPS (status);

· Came to the U.S. before the age of 16 (those born in the U.S. are not eligible);

· Have significant unmet financial need;

· Live in and have graduated or will graduate from a high school in a targeted locked-out state by the end of the 2023-2024 academic year;

· Graduated or will graduate with a high school GPA of 2.5 or better on a 4.0 scale or have a cumulative college GPA of 2.5 or better;

· Intend to relocate to and enroll full-time in a bachelor’s degree program at an Opportunity Partner College in the Fall term of the 2024-2025 academic year.

This story has undergone revisions to ensure factual accuracy. It is important to note that the Opportunity Scholarship is funded by TheDream.US, not the federal government.