• Download a printable version of this information
• An Undocumented Student's Guide to College (Illinois)
  

An undocumented student refers to students born outside of the United States, but who have lived in the country for a significant portion of their lives and reside in the U.S. with no documentation stating U.S. citizenship or legal residency.

House Bill 60, In-State Tuition for Undocumented Students (signed into law as Public Act 093-0007) states that undocumented students in Illinois may receive in-state tuition if they meet all of the following conditions:

1. Student graduated from an Illinois high school or received the equivalent of a high school diploma in Illinois.

2. Student attended an Illinois high school for at least three (3) years as of the date of graduation from high school or received the equivalent of a high school diploma in Illinois.

3. Student provides the community college with an affidavit* (oath made in writing) stating his/her intent to file an application to become a permanent resident as soon as they are eligible.

Illinois Community Colleges & Universities

All public community colleges and universities in the state of Illinois allow undocumented Illinois students to pay in-state tuition rates through Illinois Public Act 093-0007; however, this does not guarantee admission to a state community college or university. Students must meet admissions requirements and must contact the community college and/or the university directly. 

Financing Your Education

Undocumented students are not eligible to receive state and federal financial aid, but maybe eligible for many private scholarships.

• Begin looking for scholarships as early as possible.

• Contact individual groups or colleges/universities about resources that may be available.

Government Financial Aid

The federal government uses the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to compute financial need. A student must be a U.S. Citizen: if one or more parents are documented, then the student may be eligible for federal aid. When filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the parent’s social security number must be included.

If you are in the U.S. on an F1 or F2 student visa, or a J1 or J2 exchange visitor visa or a G series visa you are not eligible for financial aid. Begin the process of legalizing your citizenship status by seeking legal advice from an immigration attorney.

Scholarship Dos and Don'ts

• Check eligibility requirements for the scholarships that interest you. 

• If an application asks for your Social Security number and you do not have one yet, leave that space blank. 
  
  
• Contact the scholarship provider for application details and deadlines. 
  
  
• Provide accurate information. 
  
  
• Providing false information or providing a false Social Security number is a Federal crime.
  
  
• Scholarship scams exist. Do not pay any fees to apply for scholarships.

 

Scholarship Websites

www.cfnil.org

www.collegezone.com

 

Obtaining State Licenses/Certifications

Professions that require state licensing or certification will require a background check, a social security number and state examinations.
 
If you are undocumented it may be difficult to pursue any type of state licensing or certification.  Some of the professions that require a state license or certificate are in health care, education, and government.

You may want to talk to an Academic Advisor or International Student Coordinator for assistance.

 

Resources

• The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
  
  
• Immigrant Legal Resource Center
  
  
• Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF)
  
  
• National Immigration Law Center
  
  
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

Contact Us

For more information, please contact on the 2nd Floor of the Student Center, Main RVC Campus

Mary Foreman
International Student Coordinator
(815) 921-4251
m.foreman@rockvalleycollege.edu

- or -

Oscar Almonaci
Academic Advisor
(815) 921-4106
o.almonaci@rockvalleycollege.edu