Immigrants Rising

Updated September 18, 2025: Starting Fall 2025, Immigrants Rising will offer programming for pre-law students through the Career Activity Groups. We will no longer be offering the Pre-Law Program (which includes Pre-Law 101 Webinar, Pre-Law Bootcamp, and Pre-Law Fund). If you are an undocumented pre-law student or are interested in a career in law, please check out the Career Activity Groups’ law cohort.

“I realized that I am not alone on this journey. So many other undocumented folks also want to become lawyers.” — Stephanie Medina, Pre-Law Fund Grantee

Get info relevant to undocumented students

Become part of our growing network

Be in community while you apply to law school(s)

Become eligible for the Pre-Law Fund

Immigrants Rising’s Pre-Law Program is for current undergraduate students and those with a bachelor’s degree, who are interested in applying to law school. Whether you’ve just started exploring the possibility of law school or are ready to apply in the upcoming academic year, we’re confident that we’ll have something for you!

	Pre-Law 101 Webinar Are you curious about law school but not yet sure if it’s for you? Attend this webinar to get a glimpse of the law school admissions process and what pursuing a legal career entails—through the lens of an undocumented person!
	Pre-Law Bootcamp If you know you want to pursue a legal career, but are unsure about the steps you need to take and/or when you want to apply to law schools—this program is for you! Our four-day Pre-Law Bootcamp is designed to provide undocumented young people interested in applying to law school with extra support navigating the process and a community of other pre-law students and legal professionals. Learn more.
	Pre-Law Fund Pre-Law Bootcamp participants can receive financial support to apply to law schools in the upcoming academic year! Through our Pre-Law Fund, we offer $2,500 grants to low-income immigrants to cover the cost of LSAT preparations and law school applications. Learn more.
	Pre-Law Program Alumni Network By participating in our Pre-Law Program, you will be part of a growing alumni network of undocumented pre-law students, law school students, and legal professionals!

California state laws and policies protect access to public higher education for students who are undocumented—including students without DACA, TPS, or other forms of temporary status. Whether you are just beginning to explore your options after completing high school or your GED, currently enrolled in a California college or university, or newly seeing higher education as a possibility, our resources are here to support your academic journey.

Understand In-State Tuition/AB 540

Being AB 540-eligible is often the first step in accessing in-state tuition rates, state-based financial aid, and some private scholarships for undocumented students. Learn about what AB 540 is and how you can meet the requirements or take steps to build eligibility if you’re not yet qualified.

Get Financial Aid

Understand the process, timeline, and steps to apply to the CA Dream Act Application (CADAA), the state financial aid application for undocumented students. Financial aid has three general areas available for eligible undocumented students: grants, scholarships, and loans. You don’t have to pay back grants and scholarships, but you do have to pay back loans. Remember, you have the agency to seek support and choose what you accept as part of your school’s financial aid package.

Find Additional Support

Get resources to support you in all parts of your educational journey. Access additional materials on CA in-state tuition, financial aid, and campus support. Find opportunities to tend to your mental health, kickstart your entrepreneurship journey, and support your career goals.

Find Immigration Legal Help

Learn about your immigration options by connecting with reliable legal support. Get tips and resources to find trustworthy providers across California. Understand the free legal resources available to you if you’re attending a CA Community College (CCC), CA State University (CSU), or University of California (UC) institution.

Know Your Rights

Understand your rights, including the policies that protect the information you share on your financial aid application (CADAA). Remember and review your constitutional rights when interacting with immigration agents or local police (on- and off- campus) authorities or participating in protests.

Stay Connected

	Get email updates about going to college in California and what’s new in the Immigrants Rising community.
	If you are an UndocuEducator or an ally, sign up for our UndocuDigest for Higher Education.

“I realized that I am not alone on this journey. So many other undocumented folks also want to become lawyers.” — Stephanie Medina, 2020 Participant

"I realized that I am not alone on this journey. So many other undocumented folks also want to become lawyers." — Stephanie, 2020 Participant

Immigrants Rising’s Pre-Law Fund will provide grants to low-income immigrants who are planning to attend law school. We provide grants of up to $2,500 to cover LSAT preparation (courses, tutoring, self-study materials, etc) and law school application fees. In addition to financial support, recipients will be connected to Immigrants Rising’s network of legal professionals.

Eligibility Requirements

Must have participated in all 4 days of Immigrants Rising’s Pre-Law Bootcamp
Foreign-born
Demonstrate financial need
Do not have permanent residency (green card) or citizenship in the U.S.
Currently attending or have graduated from a college or university
Intending to apply to law schools in Fall 2025 for the 2026-2027 admission
At least a 3.0 GPA or equivalent on a 4.0 scale in college (or provide an explanation of extenuating circumstances if GPA is lower than 3.0)

Note: Your responses to the Pre-Law Bootcamp application and this Pre-Law Fund application will be used to consider your candidacy for the 2025 Pre-Law Fund.

Applications were due on Friday, February 28, 2025.

Thank You!

The 2025 Pre-Law Fund is made possible because of the generous financial support of these incredible donors: Kathryn Abrams, Tanya Broder & Theodore Wang, Yuen & Sandra Gin, The Arturo & Rosa González Family Giving Fund, Johanna Hartwig & Stefano DeZerega, Barry Hovis, Elizabeth J. Kramer Charitable Fund, Francine Lipman, Nakada Hoang Donor Advised Fund, Jeannie & Christopher Rhee, Larry Hilblom Foundation.

Want to support us or have donation questions? Please contact us at [email protected].

Beleza Chan

Program Participant, Scholar

"Even more more valuable than the scholarship money was having the emotional support."

Thank you for your interest in Immigrant Rising’s Scholarship Fund. We wanted to let you know that we are no longer accepting applications. This was a difficult decision and we realize you may be disappointed.

We have tremendous pride in the more than 175 scholarship recipients we supported starting in 2007. Their extraordinary accomplishments and contributions motivate us to pursue broader-reaching strategies that increase the overall amount of financial aid available to undocumented students and improve undocumented students’ ability to access this aid.

We continue to expand our scholarship resources and work with other scholarship providers to open up access to students regardless of citizenship or residency status.

Here are some scholarship resources that may be of support to you right now:

Applying for Scholarships: This flyer will help you get started with your scholarship search.
List of Scholarships and Fellowships: These lists contain over 344 undergraduate and 302 graduate/post-graduate scholarships and fellowships
Overview of Grants to Individuals: Have you found a scholarship that isn’t open to undocumented students? Use this guide to inform scholarship providers that they are not required to ask applicants for citizenship, residency, SSN, or work authorization.

We provide life-changing financial support that enables undocumented young people to overcome systemic barriers:

Relationship: Scholar

Pre-Law 101 Webinar

Pre-Law Bootcamp

Pre-Law Fund

Pre-Law Program Alumni Network