Dream Act deadline March 2
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson and the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) announced that applications for the California Dream Act are down and urged all eligible students to apply for the program, which allows undocumented students to receive state financial aid for college. The application deadline is March 2.
“Eligible students should not hesitate to apply. Time is critical and their dreams of college and 21st century careers await,” Torlakson said. “Fear or confusion should not keep students from applying for the financial aid they earned and deserve.”
Applying for financial aid is often the first step toward attending college. As of Feb. 13, CSAC has received about half of the applications received last year by March 2. The California Dream Act is unrelated to the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
“We are strongly urging Dreamers to complete the California Dream Act Application,” said Lupita Cortez Alcalá, executive director for the CSAC, which administers the California Dream Act. “California’s strength lies in its diversity and we will continue to support and advance our efforts to prepare all California students for academic and economic prosperity.”
CSAC will take all available legal precautions to protect California Dream Act information, which is used solely to determine eligibility for state financial aid and is not shared with any other government agency.
Regardless of what happens at the federal level, state financial aid for Dreamers remains legal in California. A Dreamer student does not need to be DACA-certified to be eligible for a public education or state financial aid. Losing DACA status will not affect state financial aid eligibility.
For questions, contact CSAC at 916-464-8271 or the California Department of Education, College Preparation and Postsecondary Programs Office, Career and College Transition Division at 916-323-6398.
More information, including frequently asked questions for high school counselors, please see the California Dream Act Web page.