California Student Aid Commission
Find California student financial aid information, including California Dream Act Application resources.
Your next step
Open the official website and choose the service or local office that matches your question. Confirm current requirements directly with that program.
Questions to ask
- Does this program serve my location and situation?
- What are the current costs, openings and application requirements?
- Can I get an interpreter or an accessible way to use the service?
If this one cannot help
Other starting points for the same need:
- USAGov education resources: Find education information, including financial aid, libraries, early intervention and special education.
- TheDream.US: Scholarship information for eligible undocumented students pursuing college.
What this listing can tell you
This listing describes the official overview or finder linked here. It does not confirm eligibility, local service availability, professional representation or an appointment.
Do Not Lose Hope does not determine eligibility, appointments, or outcomes. A listing does not imply a partnership.
Official source & review
https://www.csac.ca.gov/students
Source page checked: .
Primary-source search excerpt reviewed October 20, 2026. Individual program rules, costs, languages and current intake were not independently confirmed.
Service details and current intake: not independently confirmed.
How we check sourcesGuides on this topic
- AB 540 vs. CA Dream Act vs. DACAAB 540 lets you pay in state tuition. The CA Dream Act lets you get state financial aid. DACA is a federal program that gives protection from deportation and a work permit. You do not need DACA for AB 540 or the CA Dream Act.Quick answer
- Become a resident for tuitionYou need three things: an immigration status that lets you set up residence, more than a year of living in California with that status before your college's cutoff date, and proof you plan to stay. If you just got a green card or DACA, the one year clock starts then. Until it runs out, AB 540 can still give you the in state price.Quick answer
- Apply for the CA Dream ActFill out the free California Dream Act Application online at dream.csac.ca.gov. The 2027 to 2028 application opened October 1, 2026. Send it by March 2, 2027 to be considered for a Cal Grant and the Middle Class Scholarship.Quick answer
- Budget as an undocumented studentStart with your school's full cost of attendance, then subtract the free money you can get: grants, fee waivers and scholarships. What is left is the gap. Plan how to close it before the term starts, then track your spending each month so your aid lasts.Quick answer
- Grad school scholarships for DreamersYes, there is free money for grad school without papers. The biggest source is usually the school itself. Outside awards exist too, and two lists sort them for you: Immigrants Rising and, if you are from Silicon Valley, the Silicon Valley Community Foundation.Quick answer