DREAMER Resources

What is a Dreamer?

Dreamer is a commonly used term for a college student who was brought to this country as a child and knows no other location, other than the Unites States, as his or her home country.
Comparison Chart: DACA, California Dream Act, AB 540, and DREAM Act (pdf)

What is AB540?

On October 12, 2001, Governor Gray Davis signed into law Assembly Bill 540 adding a new section to the California Education Code. The bill created a new exemption from the payment of non-resident tuition for certain students who have attended high school in California for three or more years and have received a high school diploma or its equivalent.
Comparison Chart: DACA, California Dream Act, AB 540, and DREAM Act (pdf)

What is DACA?

DACA is an immigration policy that allows some individuals who were brought to the United States without documentation as children to receive a renewable two-year period of deferred action from deportation and to become eligible for a work permit in the U.S. DACA does not provide a path to citizenship for recipients. The policy was announced by President Barack Obama on June 15, 2012.
Comparison Chart: DACA, California Dream Act, AB 540, and DREAM Act (pdf)

What does it mean to be undocumented?

Undocumented students face greater obstacles to college attainment, retention and graduation than typical college students. With added legal and financial constraints, undocumented students often need help navigating the complexities of college. Not all undocumented students are eligible for AB540 or DACA; some are eligible for one and not the other, while an even smaller population is eligible for both. Please reach out to GCC campus resources listed on this page to speak confidentially with a staff member, advisor or instructor about your college options.

College Guide for Undocumented Students

http://www.bestcolleges.com/resources/undocumented-students-guide/

DREAMER Resources
- Financial Resources (Aid Programs for undocumented Students)
  Financial Aid for AB540 Students
  
  Students who graduated from a California high school but were not considered state residents because they were undocumented or had moved out of the state may be eligible to be classified as 'AB540' students and qualify for in-state tuition. This determination is made by the Admissions and Records Office. Under the recently passed California Dream Act, these students may also apply for the California College Promise Grant (CCPG) (formerly the BOG Fee Waiver) and Cal Grants.
  
  California College Promise Grant
  AB540 students are eligible to apply for a CCPG. Students who have a Social Security number and file the federal FAFSA form are automatically considered for a CCPG. Students who do not have a Social Security number may file either the special AB540 California College Promise Grant Application available from the Financial Aid Office, or the California Dream Act Application at this website:
  
  California Dream Act Application
  
  2018-2019 California College Promise Grant (CCPG)
  
  Cal Grant Program
  
  AB540 students who graduated from a California high school may apply for an Entitlement Cal Grant by completing the California Dream Act Application form at this website:
  
  California Dream Act Application
  
  Visit the California Aid Commission's California Dream Act website at the links above for additional information including deadlines. The deadline to submit a California Dream Act application for Cal Grant eligibility is typically March 2 of each year.
  The Student Success Completion Grant
  
  The SSCG grant award provides students with additional financial aid to help offset the total cost of community college attendance, and encourages full time attendance and successful on-time completion. To be eligible for SSCG payment in the fall or winter/spring semester, you must meet all of the criteria detailed below in each semester you expect payment:
  - You must receive a full-time Cal Grant B or C payment. Students Choosing to take a Leave of Absence for their Cal Grant will not be eligible to receive payment for the SSCG
  - To receive $649 in the fall or winter/spring semester, you must be enrolled in 12-14.99 units per semester
  - To receive $2,000 in the fall or winter/spring semester, you must be enrolled in 15+ units per semester
  - If you are on Financial Aid Contract, only units from the courses listed on your contract will count toward your eligibility
  - You must meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Standards
  - Have unmet need
  Summer SSCG are awarded on a funds-available basis. Student who have received the maximum SSCG amount for fall and winter/spring ($4,000) are not eligible for summer SSCG. Students enrolling for the summer term will be considered for a summer SSCG payment based on their unit total for the year (completed fall and winter/spring units plus enrolled summer units). Students whose summer enrollment brings their annual unit total to 24-29 will receive a summer payment amount that brings their SSCG annual award amount to $1,298. Students whose summer enrollment brings their annual unit total to 30+ units will receive a summer payment amount that brings their SSCG annual award amount to $4,000.
  
  EOPS & Privately Funded Scholarships
  - EOPS (Extended Opportunity Programs):provide support services to students who demonstrate the potential to succeed in higher education. GCC’s program offers a variety of services that may include, but are not limited to priority registration, orientation, counseling, instruction, book services and financial assistance. Please go to the Program Info page for a detailed list of services and program admission information. Contact them at SV 3^rd floor (818) 240-1000 ext. 6900
  - Scholarship Office: There are over 500 scholarships offered at Glendale Community College with a wide variety of criteria used to select recipients. Contact them at the Student Center RM 202 (818) 240-1000 ext. 5591
- GCC DREAMER Resources
- icanaffordcollege.com
  
  http://www.icanaffordcollege.com/
  
  The “I Can Afford College” campaign is a statewide, financial aid awareness initiative sponsored by the California Community Colleges.
- Outside Resources
  
  Legal Services
  List of referrals
  
  CHIRLA
  Coalition for Humane Immigrant
  
  MALDEF
  Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund
- Transfer Resources
  
  http://www.calstate.edu/transfer/requirements/
  
  http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/transfer/preparing-admission/minimum-requirements/index.html
  
  https://www.usp.ucla.edu/Resources#183251014-funding
  
  https://undocu.berkeley.edu/
  
  http://web.csulb.edu/divisions/students/dream/
  
  https://www.csun.edu/eop/dreamcenter
  
  California State University, Los Angeles
  Glazer Family Dreamers Resource Center
  http://www.calstatela.edu/gfdrc
  
  California State University, Northridge
  CSUN DREAM Center
  https://www.csun.edu/eop/dreamcenter
  
  California State University, Long Beach
  DREAM Success Center
  http://web.csulb.edu/divisions/students/dream/
  
  California State University, Dominguez Hills
  Toro Dreamers Success Center
  https://www.csudh.edu/dream-center/resources/
  
  University of California, Irvine
  UCI Dreamers
  http://dreamers.uci.edu/about/
  
  University of California, Riverside
  Undocumented Students Program
  http://usp.ucr.edu/
  
  University of California, Los Angeles
  Dream Resource Center
  https://www.labor.ucla.edu/what-we-do/dream-resource-center/

What is a Dreamer?

What is AB540?

What is DACA?

What does it mean to be undocumented?

College Guide for Undocumented Students

Financial Resources (Aid Programs for undocumented Students)

California College Promise Grant

Cal Grant Program

The Student Success Completion Grant

EOPS & Privately Funded Scholarships

GCC DREAMER Resources

icanaffordcollege.com

Outside Resources

Transfer Resources