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Top DACA Scholarships in September 2022
Undocumented students, or “DREAMers” as they are sometimes referred to, are not eligible to receive educational grants or loans from the federal government. Perhaps that is why you landed on this page. If so, we are happy to assist in the form of this list of credible and current DACA scholarships that are open to you!
Jump ahead to:
- Top DACA Scholarships
- DACA Resources
- Summary of Top DACA Scholarships
- Frequently asked questions about DACA scholarships
- Upcoming scholarships
- Explore these other scholarship categories
Keep on reading to learn more about the scholarships and financial aid opportunities available to undocumented DACA students!
Top DACA scholarships in 2022
“College Here I Come” Essay Scholarship for High School Seniors
- Eligibility: Open to all high school seniors (including DACA students)
- Amount: $1,00
- Deadline: January 31, 2022
“Gutsy Graduate Student” Essay Scholarship
- Eligibility: Incoming or current graduate students, including those seeking master’s, doctorates, and graduate certificates
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: January 31, 2022
“A Helping Hand” Scholarship
- Eligibility: Low-income, graduating high school seniors as well as current college and graduate students with financial need
- Amount: $500
- Deadline: January 31, 2022
“Making Waves” Scholarship for Women
- Eligibility: Women currently attending high school, college, technical/vocational, or graduate school are eligible to apply
- Amount: $500
- Deadline: January 31, 2022
$40,000 BigFuture Scholarships
- Eligibility: Open to US-based high school students in the class of 2023– no essay, minimum GPA, test score, or citizenship requirements.
- Award: Up to $40,000 per month
- Deadline: September 30, 2022
Ruthie Brown Scholarship
- Eligibility: Open to students who identify as Black, Indigenous, or a person of color
- Award: $5,000
- Deadline: November 1, 2022
Jack Kent Cooke College Scholarship
- Eligibility: Open to high-achieving high school seniors, including DACA status, with financial need who seek to attend four-year colleges and universities
- Amount: Unmet college tuition financial need as well as college planning support and personal advising
- Deadline: November 17, 2022
Bezos Scholars Program
- Eligibility: High achieving high school juniors with demonstrated financial need
- Amount: All expenses for the Program are covered, including transportation, lodging, meals, and all passes for the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado. Also includes opportunities to apply for $1,000 seed grants to design and implement ideas
- Deadline: January 12, 2023
Global Citizen Scholarship
- Eligibility: Open to international and DACA students enrolled at Universities MPOWER supports
- Amount: $5,000 and two $1,000 awards
- Deadline: July 15, 2023
HACU Scholarship Program
- Eligibility: Open to college students of Hispanic descent with financial need who are attending one of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities
- Amount: $1,000 to $5,000
- Deadline: Varies
Upcoming scholarships
Dream.US National Scholarship
- Eligibility: High school seniors schools and community college students. Students are eligible to apply if they were under age 16 when they came to the USA before November 1, 2015. Recipients must qualify for in-state and attend on of the partner colleges found on this list
- Amount: Up to $16,500 for an associate’s degree and $33,000 for a bachelor’s degree
- Opens: November 1, 2022
Esperanza Education Fund
- Eligibility: Graduating senior at a high school in the District of Columbia, Maryland, or Virginia or a recent GED grad residing in DC, Maryland or Virginia
- Amount: Scholarships range from $5000 to $20,000, depending on financial need
- Opens: January 2023
Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship
- Eligibility: Outstanding graduate students (high GPA, class rank, honors, etc.), who are committed to a career in teaching and research at the college or university level in the U.S.
- Amount: Varies to $50,000+
Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholarship
- Eligibility: Must be of Hispanic heritage and have a minimum 3.0 GPA for high school seniors and 2.5 GPA for undergraduate and graduate students
- Amount: $500 to $5,000
Jack Kent Cooke Transfer Scholarship
- Eligibility: Open U.S. community college students, including DACA, with a 3.5 GPA with financial need. Applicants must be enrolling as a full-time student at a four year college in the fall
- Amount: Up to $40,000 per year
- Opens: October 6, 2022 ; Deadline: January 12, 2023
Resources for DACA students
The following list offers a variety of resources for DACA students. Remember to check with your current school, as sometimes there are local resources and groups to take advantage of and get involved in.
Immigrants Rising Mental Health Connector
This free and confidential organization provides undocumented young people in California with 100% free psychological support and resources.
National Conference of State Legislators
This website offers students and their families information on what their state offers DACA students in regard to higher education funding.
Questbridge Prep Scholars Program
The QuestBridge College Prep Scholarship helps high-achieving high school juniors successfully apply to the nation’s top colleges. The Program provides resources such as a full scholarship to a college summer program at Stanford, Yale, Notre Dame. These scholarships are valued at up to $20,000, and cover travel, tuition, and room & board. The program opens in March, so bookmark and check back!
TheDream.Us
This website offers legal resources and links to other sites where DREAMers can find scholarships, programs, and local support.
US Department of Education DACA Q&A
This document is written in an easy to understand Q&A style. The questions are organized into two categories: “Eligibility for Financial Aid” and “Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) Form.”
Frequently asked questions about DACA scholarships
Can I apply for scholarships if I have DACA?
DACA recipients are eligible for some local/state scholarships. As shown by the list above, there are select private scholarships offered for DACA!
Can DACA recipients to go college for free?
Being a DACA recipient does not automatically qualify you to go to college for free. As a non-citizen, in fact, you will miss out on certain financial resources that citizens have. However, you always have a chance of landing a full ride scholarship.
There are also other scholarship opportunities out there specifically meant for immigrant students and DACA recipients. So, you still stand a chance of going to college for free, or for a very reduced cost. Of course, you’ll have the best chance if you maintain strong extracurriculars, score high on standardized tests, keep a high GPA, and write strong college and scholarship applications.
Does FAFSA cover DACA students?
Although DACA should fill out the FAFSA to become eligible for other forms of financial aid, they will not be eligible for federal funds that American citizens can access through the form. They will not be able to receive the Pell Grant, Stafford Loans, Parent PLUS loans, or any form of federal aid.
That being said, filling out the FAFSA is still incredibly important for DACA students. It can determine your eligibility for institutional aid, and other scholarships may use your EFC as a benchmark of demonstrated financial need. The process of filling out the FAFSA might look a little different for DACA holders, but we’ve got all the information you need below.
Also see: How to pay for college: A guide for DACA students
Related: Filling out the FAFSA for international students
