All in Including Undocumented Students: Increasing Financial Aid Access in California

Themes/Topics: Higher Education

Geography: California

Audience: Educator

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California is a leader in providing access and opportunities in higher education for all students, regardless of immigration status. But too many undocumented students are either unaware or not pursuing available resources. Shifts in the political and social climate can further exacerbate this trend, as seen in the continuous decline of the CA Dream Act Application (CADAA)1.

Developing an inclusive financial aid environment in our institutions and organizations ensures all eligible students, including undocumented individuals, can take advantage of the opportunities California offers. Use this guide to access resources and practices for building and strengthening equitable financial aid support systems in high schools, community-based organizations, colleges, and universities.

Together, we can transform our state to truly be all in for financial aid, including undocumented students!

Leverage AB 469

AB 469 is a California law that requires all high school seniors to apply for the FAFSA or CA Dream Act (CADAA) or complete an opt-out waiver. This is an excellent opportunity for high schools and college access programs to increase awareness of and access to financial aid, including grants.

  1. Make sure students understand what opting out of completing a financial aid application means.
    1. Be clear with students that completing a financial aid form is NOT a requirement for graduation, but it CAN provide them access to paying for college.
    2. Don’t make assumptions/judgments about why they opt out.
    3. Even if students opt out now, remind them that they can fill out the CADAA or FAFSA later.
    4. If they choose to opt out, be sure to still share resources about completing the CADAA or FAFSA.
  2. Get support in implementation.
    1. Tap into Education Trust West’s Statewide and Regional Service Providers to get help with implementing strategies that support financial aid completion for all.
    2. Use the Financial Aid Implementation Worksheet to track your progress in increasing completion rates.
    3. Take advantage of the support available at local colleges and universities. Find contact information for undocumented support services at CA colleges and universities!

If you are a high school educator, check to see if your district has access to CaliforniaColleges.edu, which provides tools to comply with AB 469. Use them in accordance with this guide.

Create a Safe Environment for ALL Students

  1. Use inclusive language.
    1. Always say “FAFSA or DREAM” together to ensure students are aware of their options.
    2. Utilize general terms for events and materials, like “Financial Aid Nights” over “FAFSA Nights.”
    3. Ensure cultural competency in advising. Use Institutional Solutions’ Building Trust, Allaying Fears for language that uplifts all financial aid options.
    4. Remember the diversity within the undocumented identity. Consult our guides to ensure your messaging and resources are inclusive of undocumented Black and Asian Pacific Islander students.
  2. Educate all students about their financial aid options to ensure undocumented individuals don’t have to reveal their immigration status to get support.
    1. Make your support visible with welcoming visuals like A Note to Undocumented Students and Inclusivity Posters to signal to students you are a resource to them.
    2. Be aware of the factors that might make it difficult for an undocumented student to apply or ask for help. These can include fear, family safety, lack of awareness of pathways to pursue higher education, as well as questioning the value of attending college. Use First Gen Empower’s Advising Undocumented Students and Mixed-Status Students Families in California for talking points on how to navigate these concerns.
    3. Don’t require students to reveal their status or identify which application they will be applying for.
    4. Never speak openly about a student’s status without their permission.
  3. Uplift options for students who are not yet eligible.
    1. Highlight scholarships that don’t require citizenship by promoting our List of Scholarships and Fellowships.
    2. Share pathways to build eligibility for AB 540, which opens up access to CADAA for undocumented students. Use our CA In-State Tuition Tool to help students understand their eligibility and next steps if they meet or don’t meet the requirements.
    3. Investigate and connect students with local programs that can help them build eligibility. Consult our Building Pathways to AB 540 to understand which community colleges have implemented helpful policies.

Elevate State and Federal Protections for Undocumented Student Data

  1. Make sure students, parents, and colleagues are aware that the CA Student Aid Commission (CSAC) will protect data submitted on the CADAA to the fullest extent of the law.
    1. Promote the protection of data for undocumented students by sharing messaging from CSAC’s Protection of Student Information for CADAA Applicants.
  2. Learn about, highlight, and ensure compliance with federal, state, and institutional policies at your school and across the state.
    1. Read and implement recommendations from Immigration Preparedness in CA Higher Education Institutions.
  3. Add visuals in your physical and digital spaces to ensure students are aware that the information they use on their financial aid applications will be protected.
  4. Implement protections to keep undocumented students’ information secure. Get practical steps from Presidents’ Alliance and Institutional Solutions’ 10 Practices to Safeguard Undocumented Student Data.

Replicate Promising Practices to Include Undocumented Students

  1. Host on-campus events to support students in submitting their FAFSA or CADAA, like San Francisco State University’s Financial Aid Fridays.
  2. Help students keep their information handy regardless of what application they select by replicating FAFSA and CADAA preparation documents, such as the ones created by Los Angeles Trade–Technical College and El Camino College.
  3. Highlight information and resources for FAFSA and CADAA on websites and other digital platforms. Develop a dedicated CADAA webpage, such as Inland Empire Cash for College’s Filling the CADAA.
  4. Educate parents and guardians about all financial aid options for their students by providing additional information undocumented families should know, like in GO Public Schools’ A Parent’s Guide to Financial Aid.
  5. Incorporate content and support specific to undocumented students in orientation and bridge programs like Butte College’s Reg2Go.

Immigrants Rising Resources2

Use these resources to help undocumented and other eligible students learn about and successfully apply for the CA Dream Act.

[1] See Slide 10 in this 10/9/25 CA Student Aid Commission All-In Webinar.

[1] List of Immigrants Rising’s Higher Education Resources.

Immigrants Rising helps you make decisions based on your potential, not your perceived limits. Visit our website so you can see what’s possible: immigrantsrising.org. For inquiries regarding this resource, please contact us at [email protected] with the title of the resource included in the email subject line. Revised 12/2025.

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