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Resources for Undocumented Students

Link to AB 540 and undocumented student resources.

As part of the California Education Code, AB 540 allows certain students who have attended high school in California for 3 or more years and earned a high school diploma or its equivalent to be exempt from paying nonresident tuition at California public universities, including UC San Diego.

Campus resources

Other

  • AB 540 University of California: Offers a wide variety of information for AB 540 students, families, and advisors (in both English and Spanish).

  • AB 540 CSU Online Resource Guide: Cal State Fullerton provides application instructions and answers frequently asked questions from AB 540 students.

  • American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA): A national association that provides legal services while advocating for fair immigration laws and policies. AILA offers licensed, professional, and free and low-cost help, and resources for researching immigration laws.

  • Ayuda Financiara en Español: Financial aid information and links in Spanish.

  • Beca Foundation: A nonprofit Latino scholarship organization that provides options for Latino students seeking to fund their pursuit of higher education.

  • Border Angels: A local grassroots organization that protects the rights of immigrants.

  • California Immigrant Policy Center: Promotes reasonable immigration policies and informs the public on the latest developments on immigration law and policy and their impacts on the public.

  • The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles: Offers information on immigration rights and advocacy.

  • College and Financial Aid Guide (PDF): The USC Center for Higher Education Policy Analysis offers information on how undocumented students can obtain financial aid.

  • Dream Activist: An action and resource network that offers a multicultural, youth-led, social media hub for the movement to pass the DREAM Act and other forms of immigration legislation.

  • Get Ready for College: The Minnesota Office of Higher Education provides resources and a list of scholarships available regardless of immigrant status.

  • Latino College Dollars: Offers information on scholarships for Latino students, compiled by the Tomás Rivera Policy Institute.

  • Legal Aid Society of San Diego: Provides assistance to low-income individuals and disadvantaged communities for a variety of legal matters, including immigration issues.

  • Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund: Features policy analysis and eligibility requirements for AB 540 students.

  • National Immigration Law Center: Offers information on the Federal DREAM Act, in addition to other resources on immigration law and policy.

  • San Diego Immigrants & New Americans: This San Diego-based organization focuses on immigration reform, with an emphasis on educating the local immigrant community about its rights.

  • Undocumented Students Unfulfilled Dreams (PDF): A report from the UCLA Center for Labor Research and Education discusses the Federal and California DREAM Acts and offers profiles and personal testimonies from AB 540 students.
  • University of California Annual Report on AB 540 Tuition Exemptions: The 2011-2012 (PDF) and 2010-2011 (PDF) reports present the most recent data regarding UC’s implementation of AB540.

If you have questions, need counseling, or would like to suggest another resource to add to this list, contact Student Legal Services, (858) 534-4374.