According to a state legislation that was passed in the year 2011, Illinois will allow immigrant students to apply for tuition help. Irrespective of their immigration status in the United States, they may file applications for financial help. If the student is eligible, he will receive financial aid through the Illinois DREAM Fund. Thousands of young immigrants are likely to receive funds to continue their studies, through this scholarship program. Illinois officials say that the undocumented immigrants and immigrants who do not have proper immigration papers, may apply for DREAM Fund and they need not worry about their lawful status.
It is well known that the undocumented immigrants are not eligible to receive federal funds for education. But now the immigrant students in Illinois, who are looking for financial aid to attend colleges will be able to apply for privately-funded scholarships. The private scholarship program is a part of the Illinois DREAM Act. This law aims at increasing the number of immigrant students in colleges.
Tanya Cabrera, has announced that the immigrant students who wish to receive financial aid will have to satisfy few eligibility requirements and this program will help out immigrant students who are ineligible for any kind of federal aid for students. Students who are attending two-year and four-year colleges, may file applications for $2,000 and $6,000 scholarships, respectively.
Many immigrants students are unable to pay their college fees and many work part time and pay their fees. An undocumented student in Illinois, Maria Gonzalez, says that she works at a retail store and pays her college fees. She now says that the DREAM Fund will help her and students like her, who are unable to pay their college fees.
Around $500,000 has been raised by the Illinois Dream Fund so far and they are looking forward to raise more funds, through which they could help many more immigrant students. However, immigrant students who feel that they are eligible to receive funds, may file their applications and the application period starts from 1st November, 2012.
Though many American states are proposing anti-immigrant laws, Illinois has been coming up with immigrant-friendly policies. Rahm Emanuel, Mayor of Chicago, said that DREAM fund will help the undocumented immigrants to pursue education, irrespective of their immigration status in the country. Though many are against the DREAM fund, people hope that more undocumented immigrants will be able to go to colleges through this program and undocumented immigrant students will now receive motivation through the DREAM fund of Illinois.