Refugee Eligibility, Documents & Aid

Statuses & Eligibility for Financial Aid and In-State Tuition With the expanding use of a greater variety of immigration protections for displaced persons in the U.S. and emerging state legislation expanding access to in-state tuition for forcibly displaced students, it can be challenging for students and staff to understand what they are eligible for. This […]

Immigrant-Origin Students in U.S. Higher Education (Updated August 2023)

The Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration commissioned a Migration Policy Institute-produced report, Immigrant-Origin Students in U.S. Higher Education, demonstrating that, in 2021, more than 5.6 million students, or 31% of all students enrolled in colleges and universities, were immigrants or the children of immigrants. The report’s findings reveal the growing proportion of first […]

Webinar on Understanding TPS & SSR Options: Implications For Students & Institutions

With an uptick in the use of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) as a humanitarian protection, higher education institutions had been inquiring how to help students navigate this status and Special Student Relief (SSR). This webinar provided an overview of TPS and SSR as they impact students and higher education institutions. A panel of experts shared: […]

Webinar on Opportunities to Connect to Refugee Students Overseas

Opportunities to Connect to Refugee Students Overseas is a webinar that provided an overview of opportunities and effective practices for campuses to enroll and support refugee students from overseas. The webinar highlighted the work of three college access programs, KenSAP, Syrian Youth Empowerment Initiative, and DuoLingo/UNHCR Advising,  that support refugee students’ access to higher education. […]

Leveraging the Positive Impacts of U.S. Higher Education as an Immigration Pathway

Leveraging the Positive Impacts of U.S. Higher Education as an Immigration Pathway: The Role of Foreign-born Campus Leaders and Faculty For at least the past two centuries and especially since the mid-1960’s, when the doors of U.S. academia were opened more widely to global talent as a result of immigration reform, foreign-born faculty and leaders1 with […]

Student Narrative: Zakayo K. Meshack

Refugee students and alumni in the U.S. share their experience and perspective. Current and former students from refugee backgrounds face a number of obstacles accessing higher education in the U.S. Here we share their experiences, their perspectives on a proposed university sponsorship initiative , and celebrate their contributions to U.S. campuses and communities. My name is Zakayo […]

Student Narrative: Atem James Maker

Refugee students and alumni in the U.S. share their experience and perspective. Current and former students from refugee backgrounds face a number of obstacles accessing higher education in the U.S. Here we share their experiences, their perspectives on a proposed university sponsorship initiative , and celebrate their contributions to U.S. campuses and communities. Originally from […]

Syrian Youth Empowerment: A College Access Program for Displaced Students

A Refugee-led Initiative and Effective Practice in Improving College Access for Displaced Students Syrian Youth Empowerment (SYE Initiative, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that empowers youth in conflict zones by providing a path to higher education. Founded and led by Syrian refugees who experienced first-hand the challenges associated with continuing higher education both inside and […]

International Students and Post-study Work Opportunities In The U.S.: Necessary but Vulnerable

Countries that are top destinations for international students are able to attract global talent primarily due to a high-quality postsecondary education system, but also because of the availability of valuable post-study opportunities to gain practical training and professional experience. Such opportunities are critical for international students as a way to engage in experiential learning related […]