Private Institutions Tool
This private institution interactive tool tracks admission and financial aid policies for undocumented students interested in attending a private college or university. This tool was inspired by a high school student who collected data from 200+ private institutions when he was applying to college and found it difficult and time-consuming to identify what type of support each institution provided for undocumented students. The tool will eventually include data for refugee/displaced, undocumented graduate students, and other immigrant-origin students. If you would like to include your institution, please submit your data.
To locate financial aid policies for private institutions, feel free to click on your respective state to interact and learn more about the policies.
- Private Institution Data
- No data
List of Institutions
Thank you to all universities who submitted their data. While the list of institutions included is not extensive and will continue to expand over the years, we wanted to shine the spotlight on the 24 who are among the first to submit their data.
- American University – Washington
- Amherst College
- Bard College
- Bates College
- Biola University
- Boston College
- Carleton College
- California Lutheran University
- Chapman University
- Colorado College
- Dartmouth College
- Denison University
- Dominican University
- Duke University
- Emory University
- Georgetown University
- Harvey Mudd College
- Illinois Institute of Technology
- Mount Holyoke College
- Northwestern University
- Pomona College
- Rice University
- Washington University in St. Louis
- Concordia University Texas
- Swarthmore College
- Grand Canyon University
- Trinity Washington University
- Oglethorpe University
- Arrupe College of Loyola University of Chicago
- National Louis University
- North Central College
Private Institutions by State
- Arizona (1)
- California (5)
- Colorado (1)
- District of Columbia (3)
- Georgia (2)
- Illinois (6)
- Maine (1)
- Massachusetts (3)
- Minnesota (1)
- Missouri (1)
- New Hampshire (1)
- New York (1)
- North Carolina (1)
- Ohio (1)
- Pennsylvania (1)
- Texas (2)
Private Colleges and Universities: Submit Your Data.
Private colleges and universities may submit their data for inclusion in this interactive tool. Complete our form with your institution’s admissions and financial aid access policies for undocumented students. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Portal Director, Felecia Russell at felecia@presidentsalliance.org.
Complete the SurveyPrivate Colleges and Universities:
Access for Undocumented Students
Currently, it is estimated 23% of all undocumented students are enrolled in private institutions. The percentage of undocumented students attending private institutions increased slightly between 2019 and 2021.
The private institution tool analyzes admissions and financial aid policies across campuses, compares the inclusivity of the policies for undocumented students, and assigns each state to one of the following seven classifications.
Select one or more of the categories below:
Comprehensive: Institutions treat undocumented students as domestic students for the purposes of admissions and financial aid (need and/or merit-based aid) and provide 2-3 ranges of support services.
- Undocumented students are considered domestic students for purposes of admission and financial aid
- Undocumented students are eligible for need-based and/or merit-based aid/scholarships
- The institution has an identified staff member supporting undocumented students (e.g., undocumented student liaison) or an undocumented student resource center
- There is a student organization or club comprised of or advocating for undocumented students
- The institution provides free/low cost access to legal services for undocumented students for immigration-related issues (e.g., DACA renewals or applications, legal screenings)
Accessible: Institutions treat undocumented students as domestic students for the purposes of admissions and financial aid (need and/or merit-based aid) and provide limited support services.
- Undocumented students are considered domestic students for purposes of admission and financial aid
- Undocumented students are eligible for need-based and/or merit-based aid/scholarships
- The institution has an identified staff member supporting undocumented students
Limited: Institutions treat undocumented students as international students for the purposes of admission and financial aid with limited and ad hoc access to need and/or merit-based financial aid and support services.
- Undocumented students are NOT considered domestic students for purposes of admission and financial aid
- Undocumented students may be provided need-based and/or merit-based aid on a case-by-case basis, but eligibility and access is not made clear on the institution’s website or response
- The institution does not have visible institutional resources or support services for undocumented students, though there may be student organizations or clubs
Limited to DACA: University policies provide DACA recipients with access to admission and financial aid options.
- Only undocumented students with DACA status are eligible for need-based and/or merit-based aid/scholarships
No university policy: No known policies on access needs and/or merit-based financial aid for undocumented students.
- No university policy for undocumented or students with DACA status
Restrictive: Institutions treat undocumented students as international students and actively bar access to admission and/or need-based or merit-based aid financial aid for undocumented students.
- Undocumented students are NOT considered domestic students for purposes of admission and financial aid
- Undocumented students are NOT eligible for need-based and/or merit-based aid/scholarships; and/or
- Undocumented students are NOT eligible for admission to the institution