The financial burden that weighed heavily on the shoulders of undocumented students, like Jong Yoon, an expired immigrant from Korea and a sophomore Christian ministries major, may now have been lightened thanks to recently passed California legislation.
Starting in the 2013-2014 school year, undocumented students, meaning any students without U.S. citizenship, will be eligible for government aid and grants as substantial as $9,000 per year under the California Dream Act. In addition to the government aid, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival Process allows illegal immigrants go to school and to legally work.
For the 2011-2012 school year, 92 percent of Biola students received some sort of financial aid to offset the cost of tuition, according to Jonathan Choy, director of financial aid. However, until now, undocumented students were not eligible for any government aid.
"At the time we didn't have a lot for him."
“At Biola we do have undocumented students and the greatest challenge is finding financial support since they do not qualify for Federal aid, State Aid and many scholarships as well,” said Jessica Barco, senior admissions counselor, in an email. “However, with the passing of the recent ‘Deferred Action,’ many undocumented students will be able to go to school and obtain work and drivers licenses legally.”
Michael Gonzalez, assistant director of admission marketing, was an admissions counselor when Yoon came to Biola. Gonzalez, who praises Yoon’s tenacity and determination to stay at Biola, said just a few months ago that the most he could do for Yoon was encourage him to apply for scholarships that were for students in his situation.
“At the time we didn’t have a lot for him. We had a list of scholarships that were especially for students in his situation, so I got that, sent it to him and encouraged him to apply. Then I connected him with someone in the financial aid department who gave me that list,” Gonzalez said. “When I went and talked to financial aid and the people that had the lists of scholarships, it seemed like it was something we were focused on … to try to make it possible to look for scholarships.”
Students forced to pay full tuition due to immigration status
The United States passed the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival process in June 2012, and prior to that California passed Dream Act was passed in October 2011. With Biola tuition set at $31,004 for the 2012-2013 school year, both of these laws offer aid to students who previously were forced to pay full tuition due to their immigration status.
In the span of just four months the department of Homeland Security has received more than 179,794 applications for the Deferred Action Program, according to the Center for American Progress. But what does that mean for the small group of Biolans who have never been eligible for government aid before?
Biola now able to offer government aid to undocumented students
Prior to the government initiated programs, undocumented students at Biola were eligible for an academic scholarship through the university, Emilee Hidy, assistant director of Financial Aid, said. But the university is now able to offer undocumented Biolans government aid.
“Beginning in the 2013-14 school year, AB540 students can fill out the ‘California Dream Act Application,’ along with the mandatory GPA Verification Form, and apply for the Cal Grant,” Hidy said. “As long as they meet all other criteria — California residency, GPA, income — Biola will now be able to award the Cal Grant to undocumented students.”
The most rewarding part of being an admissions counselor was being able to see God work in the lives of students to bring them to Biola, Gonzalez said. Trying to make Biola a financially reasonable option for students like Yoon, is something the university is working toward, according to Gonzalez. Now with the new state and government financial aid options Biola can aid all of its students regardless of their immigration status, Barco said.
