Navigating Financial Aid for Immigrant Families

Am I eligible to receive financial aid?

• • You are not eligible for federal student aid but you may be eligible for state or college aid.
    • • In Alabama, you may be eligible for aid from your college. Contact your college’s financial aid and admissions offices to learn more information.

Should I fill out the FAFSA?

• • Without a social security number, you will not be able to complete the FAFSA. However, you can check to see if your college accepts the CSS profile in lieu of the FAFSA. The CSS profile is an online application for nonfederal student financial aid.

What other options do I have for financial aid?

• • Without federal aid eligibility, scholarships are the best option. We recommend checking the resources listed in the scholarship section below.

Am I eligible to receive financial aid?

• • Currently, you are not eligible for federal student aid but you may be eligible for state or college aid.
    • • In Alabama, you may be eligible for aid from your college. Contact your college’s financial aid and admissions offices to learn more information.

Should I fill out the FAFSA?

• • Even though you are not currently eligible for federal student aid, most states and colleges use information collected on the FAFSA form to determine whether you’re eligible for state and institutional aid. You can check with your intended college’s financial aid office to see whether completing the FAFSA form is the only way to apply for aid or if there is an alternative process.
    • DACA students might be able to use their Social Security Number to complete FAFSA. Click here for more information. Again, always start by asking the college how you should apply for aid as a DACA recipient.

How do I answer the question about citizenship?

• • If completing the FAFSA form, you must answer the “Are you a U.S. citizen?” question as “No, I am not a citizen or eligible noncitizen.” After submitting your FAFSA form, you should check with your college’s financial aid office to see what types of financial aid you may be eligible to receive.

Does the citizenship or immigration status of my parent/guardian matter?

• • No, the citizenship or immigration status of your parents does not affect your eligibility for aid. However, it may impact how you submit the FAFSA if you are a dependent student.

If my parent doesn’t have a social security number, how do I complete the FAFSA?

• • As of December 2024, the National College Attainment Network advises that mixed-status families should make a considered decision about whether to submit identifying information to the federal government in an FSA ID or FAFSA. We will continue to update you if this guidance evolves.
  • Generally, the parent(s) of dependent students will still need create an FSA ID. The parent will check the box that they do not have a social security number. Do not enter an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) in place of the social security number.
  • Parents will have the option to verify their identity, although this verification process is not mandatory for the 2025-26 FAFSA.
  • If your parent is undocumented, we recommend you complete the FAFSA with the assistance of an advocate. Call Alabama Possible at 334-316-6155.

Am I eligible to receive financial aid?

• • You are considered eligible for federal student aid if you have a Form I-551, I-151, or I-551C (Permanent Resident Card, Resident Alien Card, or Alien Registration Receipt Card), also known as a “green card.”

What if the expiration date on my documents has passed?

• • If your green card has expired, you might just need to renew the card. Be sure to do so promptly!

Am I eligible to receive financial aid?

• • You are considered eligible for federal student aid if one of the following applies*:
    • • You are a U.S. national
      • You have an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) showing
        • • “Refugee,”
          • “Asylum Granted,”
          • “Cuban-Haitian Entrant,”
          • “Conditional Entrant” (valid only if issued before April 1, 1980), or
          • “Parolee”
      • You hold a T nonimmigrant status (“T-visa“) (for victims of human trafficking) or your parent holds a T-1 nonimmigrant status
      • You are a “battered immigrant-qualified alien” who is a victim of abuse by your citizen or permanent resident spouse, or you are the child of a person designated as such under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)
      • You are a citizen of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, or the Republic of Palau
      • You have status under the Jay Treaty of 1789; this applies to certain Native American students born in Canada.

*please see additional restrictions here