Higher Ed Immigration Portal

A new digital platform that integrates data, policies, and resources about DACA and undocumented, other immigrant, international, and refugee students to support immigration reform and federal policymaking, fuel change at the state and campus level, and build a diverse movement of partners and stakeholders advocating for these students.

Tuition & Financial Aid Equity for Undocumented Students

Comprehensive Access
Policies provide statewide access to in-state tuition and some state financial aid or scholarships for the state's resident DACA recipients and undocumented students.
Accessible
Policies provide statewide access to in-state tuition for the state's undocumented students, including DACA recipients.
Limited
Policies provide the state’s undocumented students, including DACA recipients, with access to in-state or reduced tuition in at least some public institutions.
Limited to DACA
Policies provide the state’s DACA recipients with access to in-state tuition in at least some public institutions.
No State Policy
No known policies on access to in-state tuition or state financial aid for the state's DACA recipients and undocumented students.
Restrictive
Policies actively bar access to in-state tuition or state financial aid for the state's undocumented students, including DACA recipients.
Prohibitive Enrollment
Policies actively bar enrollment in all or certain public institutions for the state’s undocumented students, but may still allow DACA recipients to enroll.

Spotlights:

Undocumented Students in Higher Education
August 2, 2023
The new estimates show there are more than 408, 000 undocumented students enrolled in postsecondary education, representing about 1.9 percent of all postsecondary students. This estimate represents a decrease of 4.2 percent from 2019, when 427,000 undocumented students were enrolled.
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Beyond DACA: A Directory of Resources for Undocumented Students & Individuals
A directory to provide the most recent resources to support undocumented students and individuals access and afford college, start their professional careers, and receive legal support and mental health support, among other types of resources.
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Undocumented Students and Access to Inter-State Tuition Agreements (ITAs): Fact Sheet
This fact sheet answers key questions related to undocumented students and their eligibility for inter-state tuition agreements (ITAs), which offer students who would otherwise be charged out-of-state tuition access to an in-state tuition rate or a discounted tuition rate in a participating state.
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DACA & Undocumented Students
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Reupping Mental and Emotional Health and Well-Being Impacts of Policy Announcements on DACA Recipients in Aftermath of Hanen Decision
The Im/migrant Well-Being Research Center and scholars from the University of South Florida and the Cisneros Hispanic Leadership Institute at George Washington University partnered to examine the mental, social, and emotional impact of this limbo on DACA recipients living with precarious legal status. The article, Undocumented Again? DACA Rescission, Emotions, and Incorporation Outcomes among Young Adults published earlier this year examines the effects of DACA’s 2017 rescission on Dreamers and explores how both the 2016 presidential election and 2017 executive action that rescinded DACA evoked emotions of sadness, grief, anxiety, and uncertainty.
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Other Immigrant Students
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Better FAFSA for Mixed-Status Families: Top 10 Things to Know So You Can Prepare
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA is getting an overhaul this year. Most residents, including citizens, legal permanent residents, T visa holders, and other specified non-citizens, are eligible for federal financial aid, even if their parents are undocumented. Changes to the FAFSA may however pose some challenges for mixed status families. This document provides an overview of key changes and things students and families need to know to get ready to apply for federal financial aid.
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International Students
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Immigrant-Origin Students in U.S. Higher Education (Updated August 2023)
The report’s findings reveal the growing proportion of first and second generation immigrant students in postsecondary education, the diversity of these students, and their importance for future U.S. labor growth.
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Refugee Students
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Unlocking Potential: Enhancing Community College Services for Immigrant and Refugee Students
Upwardly Global published a new report, “Unlocking Potential: Enhancing Community College Services for Immigrant and Refugee Students.” A 2023 survey of campus practitioners found that "Close to 80% of respondents say their community college needs to improve their capacity in meeting the specific needs of immigrant and refugee students.” Recommendations include encouraging community colleges to explore diverse sources of funding for services, invest in career services for these populations, increase training of faculty and staff to better serve immigrant and refugee students, and leverage statewide and national networks.
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Advancing Higher Education & Immigration

The Higher Ed Immigration Portal serves as a vital source of information to help inform federal, state, and campus-level policies and practices at the intersection of higher education and immigration. The Portal is an online hub of resources that brings together partners from across the higher education and immigration fields to centralize and amplify our collective work.

The Portal combines immigrant and international student data with effective practices, cogent policy analysis, student narratives, and up-to-date research to highlight the importance of immigrant and international students in higher education and in our communities.

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