Millions of undocumented immigrant youth called Dreamers live in the United States without legal status. Various pieces of legislation have been introduced to give these young people a pathway to citizenship, most notably DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and The DREAM Act (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors). The most recent revision to the DREAM Act was introduced in the Senate on February of 2023, and the legal debate has continued. You can read more about the history of the legislation in the general resources at the end of this Smore.

What's important to know is that without a social security number or legal status in the United States, undocumented students, or DREAMERS, face a unique set of challenges when making their postsecondary plans. This guide will provide resources to assist students in enrolling in college, enlisting in the military, or gaining employment after graduation.

Students without a social security number can still attend any 4 year university in Maryland and pay in-state tuition through the Dream Act. The Maryland DREAM Act allows Maryland students regardless of immigration status to pay in-state tuition at Maryland universities if they've graduated from a Maryland high school (and attended a Maryland high school for at least 3 years) and if their families have paid taxes for at least 3 years.

Students without a Social Security Number you can still attend CCBC and participate in any of their degree or certificate programs.

• If they qualify for the Maryland Dream Act (need three years of taxes) they will be considered an in-county student at CCBC. If they do not qualify for Dream Act they are considered an international student and will pay international tuition (unless they have a pending permanent residence application).

• Students without a SSN you must complete a paper application. They should list their home country as their country of citizenship, 000-00-0000 for the SSN, and check permanent resident for immigration status but write “in progress” next to it.
  

• Students without a SSN are not eligible for the LEAP program, but should check citizenship requirement for apprenticeship/workforce certificate programs.

• Career services will help with post-grad employment.

Undocumented students (without a social security number), are still eligible to apply for state aid through the Maryland State Financial Aid Application (MSFAA). Eligible students must first create an MDCAPS account and then complete the online application through the MDCAPS portal.

After completing the MSFAA, students will be automatically considered for various state grant and scholarship programs.

Students will be notified via email if they have been awarded an Educational Assistance Grant or Guaranteed Access Grant. This normally occurs in late April.

Students must accept their award online through their MDCAPS account. They will have up to 6 weeks to accept or decline. Failure to accept the award within that timeframe will result in the award being canceled and the award will NOT be reinstated.

Students are encouraged to monitor their "Check Application Status" in MDCAPS to verify if any additional information is needed to claim their award. If additional information is needed, they must submit all required documents by the deadline.

There are a number of private scholarships and organizations available to help undocumented or international students. Additionally, students may be eligible for institutional aid by contacting the colleges they are applying to.

U.S. citizens and some non-citizens can join the military. If you are not a U.S. citizen, you must:

• Have a U.S. Permanent Resident Card (Green Card)
• Speak, read, and write English fluently

Military service can help in the path to citizenship (see link below).

Federal law requires a work permit to legally work in the United States. If a student is unable to obtain a work permit, there are still resources available.