UNDOCUMENTED/DACA AT NORTHWESTERN

The Graduate School (TGS) at Northwestern University welcomes applications from both undocumented students and students with DACA status. All undocumented individuals are eligible for admission to any degree program at TGS whether or not they have been granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA). TGS provides information for how undocumented and DACA applicants should proceed through the application process. 

Students should consider whether the university has a dedicated student center or staff that can support undocumented students’ needs. Students can check Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration’s Undocumented Student Community of Practice Directory & Network, which includes information on campus staff at many universities across the U.S. who work with and are committed to supporting undocumented students.  

State financial aid:

State financial aid can be a significant source of financial aid for undocumented students in many states. As of July 2024, 19 states and D.C. have passed laws that allow undocumented students to apply for state specific financial aid. For an up-to-date resource on state-level access to state financial aid, please refer to Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration’s Tuition and Financial Aid State Policies for Undocumented Students. This resource highlights which states provide in-state tuition and/or state financial aid to undocumented students. The tool also highlights which states prohibit access to in-state tuition or state financial aid for undocumented students.

In the state of Illinois, undocumented and DACA recipient students have access to state financial aid through the Retention of Illinois Students & Equity (RISE) Act. To learn more about accessing state financial aid through the RISE Act, please see the Illinois Student Assistance Commission’s Retention of Illinois Students & Equity (RISE) Act and Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid.

Institutional financial aid:

Depending on the university, undocumented students can qualify for an out-of-state tuition waiver (if attending a public university) and/or institutional financial aid (aid provided directly by the university itself). Some universities have specific institutional scholarships, external scholarships, or donor funds that are open to undocumented students. Students should research funding sources available to undocumented students in the specific graduate/professional program they are seeking to attend, as funding sources and policies can vary by each graduate/professional program. Students should also contact the financial aid office of the graduate/professional program they are considering attending to discuss eligibility for financial aid for undocumented students. 

For more information on graduate and professional school access for undocumented students, please visit Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration’s Undocumented Graduate & Professional Student Resource Hub.

As a part of the Higher Ed Immigration Portal, the Undocumented Graduate & Professional Student Resource Hub provides a centralize series of resources where students can find information about graduate and professional school in the areas of applying, funding, research, institutional support, and holistic resources.