You may have received an email from Sierra College on April 15 or 16 that was a duplicate of an email sent to you earlier in the semester. For more information, visit the link below.
The deadline to submit FAFSA and CADAA applications is extended to May 2, 2024
California has extended the deadline by a month due to ongoing setbacks with the application process. The revised deadline to submit FAFSA and CADAA applications is May 2, 2024. For assistance, please contact Financial Aid at (916) 660-7310.
Empowering Undocumented Students, Mixed-Status Families to Meet Their Education and Career Goals
Our Undocumented Student Center is a welcoming and supportive space. We offer nurturing guidance and resources to help empower undocumented students and mixed-status families to meet their higher education and career goals. At the same time, the Center strives to educate our campus community about the needs of undocumented youth and their families through our UndocuAlly trainings for faculty, staff and students.
Help for Cal Grant B recipients with applying to the California Dream Act Dreamer Service Incentive Grant Program. Eligible students who apply can perform community or volunteer service and the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) will award up to $3,000 per academic year (up to $1,500 per semester or up to $1,000 per quarter) to 2,500 eligible students.
Legal Assistance
Free legal consultations for enrolled students provided by the Foundation for California Community Colleges and CHIRLA (Coalition for Humane Immigrants Rights).
Are you renewing your DACA? Find FREE immigration legal support and get your DACA renewal fee covered if you’re enrolled in a California Community College. Visit findyourally.com/ccc today to schedule an appointment with trusted legal services.
Need to meet with an Immigration Attorney? You can schedule an appointment via the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA). Scroll halfway down the web page to “Access Legal Services”, click “Community Colleges” button, and select a date and time that works for you.
Access to on-campus food pantry, which also stocks women’s wellness and hygiene products.
Receive free individual therapy sessions (bilingual in Spanish), sponsored by Wellness Together and HearYou.org. Visit or contact the Undocumented Student Center for a referral.
Attend monthly Self-care lunch and Undocu talks.
Get Started at Sierra College
Sierra College strives to provide equitable access to education for all of our students. You deserve to continue your educational journey, to fulfill your dreams, and to transform your life.
The California Dream Act is a series of two bills, AB130 and AB131, that allow AB540/SB 68/AB2000 eligible undocumented students in California to apply for in-state financial aid. AB130 allows AB540/SB68/AB2000 students to apply for scholarships at California public colleges and universities that are funded from non-state sources, and AB 131 allows for AB540/SB68/AB2000 students to apply for in-state financial aid for public universities and colleges.
Ineligible students can still attend California colleges as long as they meet the admissions criteria and are accepted by the college or university. They also must pay non-resident fees.
The application opens October 1 and the free California Dream Act Application (CADAA) must be submitted by March 2 to qualify for California aid.
There is an additional deadline of September 2 for students completing the CA Dream Act that are attending a community college.
Items to Note
You can still apply after March 2, but you’ll lose Cal Grant eligibility and Universities of California (UCs) and California State Universities (CSUs) require that you submit the application by March 2 in order to receive state financial aid during the academic year that you plan to attend at that university.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. Any information provided by the student to Sierra College is protected under FERPA.
Students assigned male at birth between the ages of 18 and 25, must register for the Selective Service as a requirement to apply for CADAA. View Selective Service and the California Dream Act to learn where and how to complete the Selective Service Registration Form.
Financial Aid Specialists can assist you with applying to Selective Service.
Frequently Asked Questions
The California Non-Resident Tuition Petition is also known as the “Affidavit”.
In order to apply for financial aid through the California Dream Act, you must qualify as an AB540/SB68/AB2000 student.
Contact Admissions and Records to locate your specific Admissions and Records Technician based on the first letter of your last name and submit your affidavit to them. For general questions, contact enrollmentservices@sierracollege.edu.
Items to Note
Once you are ready to transfer to a private school, CSU or UC, you will need to submit a new Affidavit to that University. Download the CSU or UC affidavits here.
If you do not attend Sierra College for one semester or more, you will need to resubmit your Affidavit to Sierra College Admissions and Records office.
If you are considered a non-resident for tuition purposes (if you don’t qualify for AB540/SB68/AB2000), you can still attend California colleges as long as you meet the admissions criteria and are accepted by the college or university. However, you will pay approximately three times more than a resident student as an international student.
Every students’ pathway to eligibility is unique, and we are here to help you figure that out.
If you have questions about your eligibility, check out this chart by Immigrants Rising that compares AB 540, AB 2000, the California Dream Act and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).
Please be aware that DACA does not give students eligibility for the FAFSA or any federal financial aid.
Keeping the Dream Alive
About Us
The Undocumented Student Center was privately funded by the California Campus Catalyst Fund. The Catalyst Fund is a grant focused on higher education opportunities and resources for undocumented students. These grants were provided to two-year and four-year institutions throughout the state. The Catalyst Fund is a partnership between Immigrants Rising and Sierra College.