One thousand DACA students, also called “Dreamers,” will receive full scholarships to pursue an associate’s or bachelor’s degree at Southern New Hampshire University over the next five years.
The scholarships, from a fund of $20 million, are made possible through partnerships between the university, The Shapiro Foundation and TheDream.US.
Eligible students, part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, will receive degree assistance through College for America, SNHU’s competency-based education program, according to Lauren Keane, a spokeswoman for the university.
The U.S. Department of Education has said that most DACA students who were brought into the United States by undocumented parents and are not U.S. citizens, are unable to receive federal funding for various reasons, but have encouraged students to still fill out the federal Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for possible state and college aid.
Virtually all institutions of higher education require students to complete the FAFSA to determine eligibility for any type of financial aid.
But for some, even that step presents a challenge.
Those creating a FAFSA account, as well as verifying their identity, must have a Social Security number, which the majority of DACA students do not possess because to obtain one, a noncitizen must present proof of identity and work-authorized immigration status. The FAFSA also requests information from federal tax returns to determine Pell Grant eligibility.
