Incoming DREAMers are able to become “FIGHTING SAINTS” and attend USF using the scholarship funds provided by TheDream.US. If selected, the student’s USF tuition will be fully covered. Application Deadline: February 29, 2024 at 11:59 Pacific Time
You are eligible to apply if you:
We highly encourage you to apply for the National Scholarship.
Visit TheDream.US for more information
1) Undocumented/DREAMer students, fill out our online application. Please put 000-00-000 in the social security field – do not make up a number or use your ITIN number. University of St. Francis will give you an assigned ID number once you submit the application. Please put “NO” for U.S. Citizen. Please put “NO” for Applying to Financial Aid.
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students, fill out our online application. Please put 000-00-000 in the social security field – do not put your SSN given to you by DACA or use your ITIN number. University of St. Francis will give you an assigned ID number once you submit the application. Please put “NO” for U.S. Citizen. Please put “NO” for Applying to Financial Aid.
2) Turn in high school transcripts and/or ALL college transcripts. We are test-optional so you only need to turn in your SAT or ACT scores if you would like to use them for admissions. You will select either Test-Optional or Non-Test-Optional on the application.
3) Apply for Financial Aid – Undocumented, DREAMer, and DACA students are not eligible to apply for Federal Financial Aid, therefore are not eligible to apply for the FAFSA. The state of Illinois and the University of St. Francis have specific processes to help get more financial aid to help students.
a) Illinois Residents are eligible to apply for the RISE act Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid. This will give the student an opportunity to received the MAP grant as well as Institutional Need-Based Grant named USF Grant. Once institution receives information an offer letter should be processed.
b) Out-of-State Residents are eligible to apply for our Institutional Need-Based Grant named USF Grant. To fill this out, the student will need to make an appointment with their Admission Counselor or the Undocumented Liaison. Please make an appointment below. Once institution receives information an offer letter should be processed.
4) We highly encourage you to make an appointment with either your admission counselor or with our Undocumented Student Liaison.
Please Submit ALL DOCUMENTS to the USF Admissions Office.
All USF freshman and transfer scholarships are open to undocumented/DACA students.
Undocumented and DACA students may be eligible to receive privately funded merit scholarships or grant aid. They are not eligible to receive FEDERAL financial aid, but might be eligible for in-state financial aid if the student lives in the state of Illinois. Students should begin looking for scholarships as early as possible. Contact our Admissions team or set up an appointment if you have any questions.
The Sisters of Mary Immaculate at University of St. Francis has dedicated funds in the form of a scholarship specifically for undocumented/DACA students called the Access Grant. Your admission counselor will provide you with the details of the application, deadline and requirements. The application is generally open in March and students are awarded in June.
We are now a proud Partner College of TheDream.US. Through TheDream.US funds, an Undocumented/DACA student can apply to have their USF tuition fully covered. For more information, scroll back up above “Next Steps.”
Our Admissions and Financial Aid Office does not recommend that an Undocumented/DACA student fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If the student lives in the state of Illinois, then we recommend they consider eligibility for the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid for consideration of IL MAP Grant and USF Grant. If the student does not live in Illinois, then we have a separate internal form to fill out and find financial need for consideration of USF Grant.
1) Citizen or Eligible Non-Citizens, fill out our online application. Please put your social security number in the social security field Please put “YES” for U.S. Citizen. Please put “YES” for Applying to Financial Aid.
2) Turn in high school transcripts and/or ALL college transcripts. We are test-optional so you only need to turn in your SAT or ACT scores if you would like to use them for admissions. You will select either Test-Optional or Non-Test-Optional on the application.
3) Apply for Financial Aid – Citizen and Eligible Non- Citizens are able to create an FSA ID and are eligible to apply for Federal Financial Aid through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
a) Undocumented Parents, please put 000-00-000 in the social security field – do not make up a number or use your ITIN number. The FAFSA will share that there may be an ERROR on the page, click “Check for Errors” twice and the FAFSA should continue on to the next page. At the end of the FAFSA, the student electronically signs the FAFSA, since the parent is NOT eligible to create an FSA ID, a signature page will need to be printed for the Parent to sign and will require the signature page to be mailed physically. Once institution receives information an offer letter should be processed.
NOTE: Parents are NOT eligible for Parent PLUS Loan and should not take any Parent PLUS Loan offer.
b) DACA Parents, please put social security number in the social security field. Parents are eligible to create an FSA ID. At the end of the FASFA, the student electronically signs the FAFSA and then the parent electronically signs the FAFSA. Once institution receives information an offer letter should be processed.
NOTE: Parents are NOT eligible for Parent PLUS Loan and should not take any Parent PLUS Loan offer.
4) We highly encourage you to make an appointment with either your admission counselor or with our Undocumented Student Liaison.
Please Submit ALL DOCUMENTS to the USF Admissions Office.
Eric A. Ruiz ’07 ’09
Vice President of Admissions & Enrollment Services
Vicepresidente de Admisiones
Office: 815-740-5070
Cell/Text: 815-680-5401
Fax: 815-740-5078
Email: eruiz@stfrancis.edu
Facebook: EricRUSF
Instagram: eruiz71403
Twitter: ERuizUSF
Alejandro Campos
Associate Director of Undergraduate & Transfer Admissions | Director Asociado de Admisiones de Pregrado y Transferencia
Erika Guzman
Associate Director of Financial Aid Services | Directora Asociada de Servicios de Ayuda Financiera
Crystal Macias-Nazario
Admissions Counselor | Consejera de Admisiones
Alondra Ordaz
Community Outreach & Relations Coordinator | Coordinadora de Relaciones Comunitarias
Nicolina Perkins
Admissions Counselor | Consejera de Admisiones
