[TheRealVille]

I do not personally know any illegal alien students but I don't know any legal college students in this area either. However, I am able to use Google well enough to generally avoid making a fool out of myself.

I suggest that you perform a Google search using the string "undocumented immigrant American college students" before going further out on a limb. It is an undisputed fact that illegal aliens can and do enroll in American colleges and in most cases there are no state or federal laws against the practice.

I didn't make the statement, you did. You have the responsibility of burden of proof, I don't. It's not my job to search anything.


Ok, I'll oblige you. This might help you to understand the law. BTW, we know you are for states rights to do what they want. But, you really don't mean in this case, right?

Higher education obstacles and possibilities

The Urban Institute estimates that 65,000 undocumented students—that is, children born abroad who are not U.S. citizens or legal residents—graduate from U.S. high schools each year. These children are guaranteed an education in U.S. public schools through grade 12, but may face legal and financial barriers to higher education. What can you tell undocumented students about their options for college?

There are three main areas on the path to higher education where undocumented students may have special concerns or face obstacles: admission, tuition, and financial aid.

College and university admission policies
Undocumented students may assume that they cannot legally attend college in the United States. This is not true. There is no federal or state law that prohibits the admission of undocumented immigrants to U.S. colleges and universities, public or private, nor does federal or state law require students to prove citizenship in order to enter U.S. institutions of higher education. However, institutional policies on admitting undocumented students vary.

For example, many 4-year state colleges in Virginia (following a 2003 recommendation by the state attorney general) require applicants to submit proof of citizenship or legal residency, and refuse admission to students without documentation. This policy is not, however, a state law. In many other states, public institutions accept undocumented students but treat them as foreign students so that they are ineligible for state aid and for the lower tuition charged to state residents.

College and university tuition policies
An issue generating controversy today is the question of whether undocumented students residing in a U.S. state should be eligible for the lower tuition rates that state residents pay for their state's public colleges and universities. Many state institutions charge undocumented students out-of-state tuition fees (even if the student is a longtime resident of the state), and this policy can put college out of their reach financially.

In recent years, 10 states—Texas, California, New York, Utah, Illinois, Washington, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Kansas—have passed laws that permit undocumented students to pay in-state tuition rates under certain conditions. For example, California's law requires the undocumented student to have attended a state high school for three or more years, to have graduated from a state high school, and to sign an affidavit promising to file an application to legalize his immigration status. Counselors in any of these states should familiarize themselves with that state's specific prerequisites.

In 2007, the DREAM (Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors) Act was reintroduced in the House and Senate. If passed, this legislation would permit undocumented students to begin a 6-year process leading to permanent legal status if, among other requirements, they graduate from a U.S. high school and were brought to the U.S. at least 5 years before the legislation is signed into law at the age of 15 or younger. To complete the process they would, within the 6-year period, be required to graduate from a community college, complete at least 2 years towards a 4-year degree, or serve at least 2 years in the U.S. military. These individuals would qualify for in-state tuition rates in all states during the 6-year period.

Federal, state, and institutional financial aid policies
Undocumented students cannot legally receive any federally funded student financial aid, including loans, grants, scholarships, and work-study programs.

In most states, they are not eligible for state financial aid. Less than a handful of states grant eligibility for state financial aid to undocumented students who qualify for in-state tuition, and this has proven a contentious issue, so the situation is subject to change.

Most private scholarship funds and foundations require applicants to be U.S. citizens or legal residents, but there are some that do not have this requirement. See the "Resources" section to the right for a link to a list of scholarships that may be available to undocumented students.

Private colleges and universities set their own financial aid policies. Some are willing to give scholarships and other aid to undocumented students.

http://professionals.collegeboard.com/gu...d-students