California Dream Act
The California Dream Act of 2011 allows students who meet AB 540 criteria to apply for and receive funds from certain state and institutional financial assistance programs.
California Dream Act
The California Dream Act of 2011 consists of two bills, Assembly Bill 130 (AB 130), signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown on June 25, 2011; and Assembly Bill 131 (AB 131), signed into law by Governor Brown on October 8, 2011. As a result of the California Dream Act, those students who are eligible for the non-resident tuition exemption (under Assembly Bill 540, or AB 540), but who are ineligible for federal financial aid are now eligible to receive grants and scholarships from California State and University sources.
AB 540 Eligibility Requirements
Under AB 540, a student who is without a valid immigration status may request exemption from paying nonresident tuition if the student:
- Attended a California high school for 3 or more years, AND
- Graduated from a California high school or passed the GED or California High School Proficiency Exam.
Students who wish to qualify as AB 540 students must complete and submit a California Nonresident Tuition Exemption Request (sometimes referred to as an AB 540 Affidavit) with required documentation to the CSU Long Beach Office of Admission.
What Types of Financial Assistance are Available
The California Dream Act makes certain types of scholarships, state and university grants available to eligible students. Below is a listing of the types of financial aid available to students under the California Dream Act:
California State Funded Financial Aid Programs
- State University Grant (SUG)
- Education Opportunity Program (EOP) Grant
- CAL Grant – Effective January 1, 2013 (for the 2013-2014 Academic Year)
- For the 2013 – 2014 academic year, AB 131 allows AB 540 students to apply for the Cal Grant programs in addition to SUG and EOP Grants.
CSULB Scholarships
For privately funded CSULB scholarships, any citizenship eligibility requirements established by the scholarship donors remain in effect.
AB 130 allows a student who qualifies under AB 540 to apply for scholarships that do not have a residency or citizenship requirement. If the scholarship requires an applicant to demonstrate financial need by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), an alternate process to evaluate financial need for AB 540 students is available. The necessary forms will be offered to AB 540 students who apply for CSULB scholarships, meet all other eligibility requirements (such as GPA, class level, etc.), and are identified by the scholarship committee as finalists for a particular scholarship.
Visit CSULB’s Center for Scholarship Information to search and apply for CSULB scholarships for which you meet the eligibility requirements, including those scholarships that require demonstration of financial need.
External AB 540 Scholarships
Below is a list of external scholarship opportunities for AB 540 students. Links and information provided to external scholarship organizations, websites, and/or search engines do not constitute an endorsement of the organization, their site’s sponsors, and/or of their products by CSU Long Beach or the CSU Long Beach Office of Financial Aid.
- New American Scholars Program
- Education Leadership Foundation
- CHIRLA Scholarships
- Choose Your Future Scholarship Listing
- Latinocollegedollars.org
- MALDEF Scholarship List
The CA Dream Act Application Process
Dream Act Application: Deadline for priority consideration is March 2, 2013
The California Student Aid Commission’s Dream Act Application is used to determine the financial eligibility of students who meet the qualifications of AB 540, and who are without a valid immigration status. The application collects basic personal and income information to determine student eligibility for funding under AB 131.
Students who received a Social Security Number through the Deferred Action of Childhood Arrival (DACA) should complete the CA Dream Act Application in order to be considered for state and CSULB financial aid.
- Apply between January 1 and March 2, 2013 for priority consideration.
- Students who received a Social Security Number through the Deferred Action of Childhood Arrival (DACA) should complete the CA Dream Act Application in order to be considered for state financial aid.
- Once you have applied, the CSULB Office of Financial Aid will receive your application information and will notify you by e-mail regarding the status of your application. Your account on MyCSULB will specify what other information or documents you must submit so that we may determine your eligibility.
- The CSULB Office of Financial Aid will begin the awarding process for newly admitted students in April; awarding for continuing CSLUB students will occur in late-June.
- NOTE: CSULB’s AB 540 Affidavit (California Non-Resident Tuition Exemption Request form) and required documentation must be received by CSULB’s Office of Admissions -- and your AB540 status confirmed -- in order for the Office of Financial Aid to be able to provide you with a financial aid award offer.
To better prepare you for completing the Dream Application, we recommend downloading the Dream Application Worksheet from CSAC's website.
Students will need to complete the Dream Application every year to determine eligibility for state and institutional aid. Students should complete and submit CSULB's AB 540 Affidavit (California Non-Resident Tuition Exemption Request form) in order to begin a review of your eligibility under AB 540.
Additional Resources
For more information and helpful resources, please see:
- CSULB AB 540 Online Resource Guide
- CSAC's California Dream Act website
- Educators for Fair Consideration
- Scholarships that Don't Require Social Security Numbers
- Financial Aid and Other Guides for College-Bound Undocumented Students
- Asian Students Promoting Immigrant Rights Through Education (ASPIRE)
- MALDEF AB 540 Guide