What scholarships exist for Dreamers in grad school?

This page is general information, not legal or tax advice.

Is there really scholarship money for grad school without papers?

Yes. Private scholarships and fellowships set their own rules, and many do not ask about citizenship. You do not need DACA for many of them. Read each award's rules, because some are open only to citizens or green card holders.

Grad school money works a little differently from college money. Often, much of it comes from the graduate program itself, as fellowships, grants or tuition breaks. So your first scholarship search starts with the schools you apply to.

Where do I look first?

1. Your graduate program. Ask the program and the graduate aid office: "What fellowships and grants can an undocumented or DACA student get here?" Ask before you apply and again when you are admitted.
2. Immigrants Rising list. It includes only scholarships and fellowships that do not require proof of U.S. citizenship. Filter by education level, state and immigration status. On a phone, switch your browser to desktop view first.
3. Silicon Valley Community Foundation. One application covers its scholarships for seniors, college students, re entry students and graduate students. Use the filter for non U.S. citizens, which includes AB 540 and DACA students.
4. MALDEF Scholarship Resource Guide. A long list for 2027 to 2028 that includes many awards that do not ask about status or need a Social Security number. MALDEF does not give out the awards, so contact each group to confirm you qualify.
5. Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans. A national graduate fellowship for immigrants and children of immigrants. Its eligibility page says DACA recipients can apply, and that people born abroad who graduated from both a U.S. high school and a U.S. college are eligible. It pays a stipend of up to $25,000 a year plus half of tuition and required fees, up to $10,000 a semester. The 2027 deadline is October 29, 2026, at 2 p.m. Eastern. If that is too soon, plan for next year's cycle. Read every rule on its page before you apply.
6. Your field. Professional groups in law, medicine, teaching, social work and other fields may have their own awards. Ask your professors and mentors which ones welcome Dreamers.

One award that will not help here: TheDream.US says its scholarship is only for an associate or bachelor's degree, not graduate school.

What if the form asks for a Social Security number?

Do not make one up. MALDEF's advice: leave the space blank and send the rest of the application. Many awards only need your name and address. If an award truly needs a number, ask if an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) will do.

Never claim a status you do not have. MALDEF warns that lying about your status or giving a false Social Security number is a federal offense.

Is a fellowship the same as a scholarship?

Not quite. A fellowship often pays for research, training or a project, and some come with set hours. If an offer looks like a job, ask how the money is paid before you say yes, and check with a free legal clinic if you do not have a work permit. Our page on scholarships and fellowships explains the difference.

Taxes matter too. The IRS says the part of an award used for tuition and required fees can be tax free for a degree student, but the part used for room and board is taxable. Keep every award letter.

What about the rest of the cost?

Scholarships rarely cover everything. In California, two state rules help graduate students:

• In state tuition. If you qualify for AB 540, it can cover graduate tuition at UC and Cal State, not just undergraduate. UC San Diego, for example, says AB 540 graduate students pay in state tuition and fees, not the extra nonresident charge (UC San Diego Graduate Division). At UC professional schools, students exempt under AB 540 also pay the resident professional fee (UC fee schedule).
• The graduate California Dream Loan. Graduate students with the AB 540 exemption can borrow up to $20,500 a year, and up to $118,500 in total, at UC and Cal State. It is a loan, so borrow only what you need. See Can undocumented students get loans for graduate school?

Example (fictional, to show how it fits together): Lena has DACA and was admitted to a two year master's program at a Cal State campus. She qualifies for AB 540, so she pays in state tuition. Her program offers a $4,000 fellowship each year. She wins a $2,500 private award from the Immigrants Rising list. She borrows only what is left from the Dream Loan, well under the $20,500 limit. She keeps every award letter for tax time, because any part used for rent is taxable.

How do I make my application stronger?

• Start early. Look up each award's deadline about a year before you plan to start.
• Write one strong core essay about your story and your goals, then shape it for each prompt. See How do I start writing a scholarship essay?
• Ask for letters early. Give professors two weeks or more and tell them the deadline.
• Keep a list of each award, its deadline and what it asks for.

Who can help?

These are free. Contact them to confirm hours, languages and openings. Being listed here is not a referral or a promise of service.

• Your graduate program and graduate aid office: fellowships, grants and tuition breaks.
• Your college's Dream Resource Center: award lists and mentors who have done this.
• Immigrants Rising: scholarship lists and guides for undocumented students. immigrantsrising.org
• Free legal help if an award depends on your status: Where can college students get free immigration legal help?

You carried your family's hope through college. There is room for you in grad school too.

Related questions

• Can undocumented students get loans for graduate school?
• How do I apply for scholarships without citizenship?
• What is the difference between a scholarship and a fellowship?