Financial Aid
Contrary to popular belief, many immigrant students are eligible to receive financial aid. At Queens College, financial assistance may come from either the United States federal government or the New York State government. For qualified students, financial aid may include grants, scholarships, work-study opportunities, and subsidized loans.
It is important to note the eligibility requirements and qualifications to apply for federal student aid and New York State aid are different. Therefore, a student ineligible for federal student aid may be eligible to apply for New York State financial aid and vice versa.
If you are unsure if you meet the eligibility requirements to apply for financial aid, we recommend you review the guide below.
1) Federal Student Aid
When determining your eligibility for financial aid, we recommend you start by reviewing if you are eligible for federal student aid. Generally, federal student aid is available to U.S. citizens and those with select immigration statuses, such as permanent residents, refugees, and asylees. For more detailed eligibility criteria for federal student aid and resources on how to apply, please review the sections below.
Undocumented students (including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients and students with pending asylum applications) are ineligible for federal student aid. However, undocumented students, DACA recipients, those with pending asylum applications, and other students ineligible for federal student aid should refer to the section below, as they may be eligible to apply for New York State aid.
Eligibility Requirements
Eligibility Requirements
The general requirements to apply for federal student aid include that students exhibit a financial need, are U.S. Citizens or eligible non-citizens, and are enrolled in a qualified degree program at their college of choice.
To be considered an eligible non-citizen, students must fall into one of the following immigration categories.
- U.S. National (including natives of American Samoa)
- U.S. Permanent Resident with a form I-551, I-151, or I-551C, also known as a “green card.”
- You hold a “T” nonimmigrant status (T-Visa), or your parent possesses 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 are a child of a person designated as such under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).
- You have an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the U.S. Citizen & Immigration Services (USCIS) demonstrating one of the following:
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- “Refugee,”
- “Asylum Granted,”
- “Cuban-Haitian Entrant,”
- “Conditional Entrant” (additional requirements needed),
- “Parolee” (additional requirements needed).
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Eligibility Information for Undocumented & Ineligible Immigrant Students
Eligibility Information for Undocumented & Ineligible Immigrant Students
Undocumented students (including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients and students with pending asylum applications) are ineligible for federal student aid. However, undocumented students, DACA recipients, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders, those with pending asylum applications, and other students ineligible for federal student aid may be eligible to apply for New York State aid through the Senator José Peralta New York State Dream Act. For more information on the New York State Dream Act, please click the button below.
Application Resources & Information
Application Resources & Information
If students are eligible to apply for financial aid, they must fill out the Free Application to Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to potentially receive financial assistance. Students may access the FAFSA application by clicking here.
Students completing the FAFSA for the first time must create an account or a Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID. Returning students should log in with their existing FSA ID to complete a new application.
When preparing to fill out the FAFSA, we recommend you start by watching the video below and visiting this website. After reviewing these resources, students should visit the CUNY FAFSA Guide and this page outlining the six things students need before filling out the 2024-2025 FAFSA. Lastly, if you want to review a breakdown of the questions asked on the FAFSA, please click here.
2024-2025 FAFSA Application Updates Impacting Immigrant Families
2024-2025 FAFSA Application Updates Impacting Immigrant Families
The Department of Education has revised the Free Application to Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2024-2025 academic year. For a summary of the significant changes to the FAFSA, please click here to review the key changes to the 2024-2025 FAFSA experience and click the button below.
Notably, the 2024-2025 FAFSA contains revisions that benefit families with mixed immigration statuses. Now, FAFSA-eligible students with undocumented parents or contributors without social security numbers (SSNs) are able to submit their FAFSA electronically, simplifying the application process. For instructions on how to submit your 2024-2025 FAFSA if your parent or contributor does not have a social security number (SSN), please visit this website or click the buttons below.
2) New York State Student Aid
If students are ineligible for federal student aid, they may still be qualified to apply for New York State student aid. Notably, New York State aid, due to the Senator José Peralta New York State Dream Act, is more accessible to immigrant students, including undocumented students, DACA recipients, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders, and those with pending asylum applications. For more detailed eligibility criteria for the Senator José Peralta New York State Dream Act and resources on how to apply, please click the button below.
Eligibility Requirements
Eligibility Requirements
New York State student aid is accessible to select immigrant students who are ineligible for federal student aid through the Senator José Peralta New York State Dream Act. For more information on the Senator José Peralta New York State Dream Act, please review this CUNY page. To be eligible to apply for New York State student aid through the Senator José Peralta New York State Dream Act, students must meet the following criteria:
- Residency Qualifications: Your permanent home is in New York State.
AND
2. Immigration Qualifications: You have one of the immigration statuses below:
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- You possess a “U” nonimmigrant status (U-Visa).
- You hold a “T” nonimmigrant status (T-Visa).
- You have a Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
- You are undocumented or without a “lawful” immigration status. According to the Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC), this status includes students who:
- are Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients.
- are without documented status because their immigration status has expired.
- are without documented status because their immigration application/petition was denied.
- are pending a decision on their asylum application arrived in the United States without inspection.
AND
3. Education Qualifications: You possess one of the following educational experiences.
- You attended a New York State (NYS) high school for two or more years, graduated from an NYS high school, and enroll/enrolled for undergraduate study at an NYS college within five years of receiving your NYS high school diploma.
- You received a New York State (NYS) high school equivalency diploma (GED) and enroll/enrolled for undergraduate study at an NYS college within five years of receiving your NYS high school equivalency diploma.
- You are or will be charged the New York State resident tuition rate at a State University of New York (SUNY) or City University of New York (CUNY) college for a reason other than residency outlined here.
Eligibility Information for Undocumented & Ineligible Immigrant Students
Application Resources & Information
If students are eligible to apply for the Senator José Peralta New York State Dream Act, they can apply for financial aid by clicking here. Students completing the application for the first time must create an account.
When preparing to fill out the Senator José Peralta New York State Dream Act, we recommend you start by reviewing the documents you need to complete your application by clicking the button below.
Important Next Steps
It is important to note that applying for New York State student aid through the Senator José Peralta New York State Dream Act is a two-step process. Please read below for more information.
Students must first fill out the New York State Dream Act application. After completing the application, the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) will review your application. If your application is approved by HESC, you will need to fill out the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) application, as well as any other financial aid applications you may be eligible to apply to. Notably, the TAP application and other financial aid applications are accessible on the same website, with the same login information as the New York State Dream Act.
Please review the two user guides linked below and the module series on the right for step-by-step instructions on how to fill out the New York State Dream Act and the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) applications.
Office Information
Queens College
65-30 Kissena Boulevard
Flushing, New York 11367
Office: King Hall, Room 213
Campus Map
Contact Information
Phone: 718-997-3990
Email: ImmigrantSupport@qc.cuny.edu
Instagram: @qc_immigrantsupport
Staff Information
Jennifer L. Jarvis
Vice President
Student Affairs & Enrollment Management
Carla Cordova Farfan
Program Coordinator
Javette Smallwood
TheDream.US Liaison
Israel Medina
Administrative Intern
Andrea Petho
Social Media and Engagement Intern
Stay in Touch
Schedule an Appointment
Current QC Students: Review this video explainer on how to set up an appointment via Navigate.
If students are unavailable during the provided times, they may contact us at ImmigrantSupport@qc.cuny.edu and arrange a different meeting time.