Undocumented Student Services

About Us

The mission of the Undocumented Student Services Program is to serve DREAMer and mixed status students at all intersections of documentation and equity needs, to support DREAMers in achieving their degree, to create an equitable educational environment, and to advocate alongside students for continuous improvements in the DREAMer college experience.

The University of Colorado Denver remains committed to providing access to all qualified students, including students under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Advancing Students for a Stronger Economy Tomorrow (ASSET) program. ASSET, DACA, Mixed Family Status, and undocumented students are valuable members of our student body whom we strive to ensure are safe and respected on our campus. We are pleased to provide a variety of services, support, and information for students, faculty, and staff to help undocumented students succeed at CU Denver and CU Anschutz.

Financial assistance is one of the critical supports needed to attract and retain DACA, ASSET Mixed Family Status and undocumented students. Support students at CU Denver by making a gift to the student relief fund.

Contact Us

Estéfani Peña Figueroa

Coordinator for Undocumented Student Services and Interim Program Director, Latinx Student Services
Pronouns: she/her/ella
estefani.penafigueroa@ucdenver.edu

Estéfani Peña Figueroa was born in Guatemala and came to the United States when she was 7 years old. She has been part of the Auraria Campus for 11+ years as an alumna of the Community College of Denver and the Metropolitan State University of Denver. Estéfani is the first-ever Undocumented Student Resource Coordinator at CU Denver. As an Undocumented Latina with the privileges of DACA and first-generation college graduate, she is very passionate about advocating, supporting, and elevating her immigrant community. She is committed to centralizing immigrant students' voices and lived experiences and aims to spread awareness of the resources, services, and programming available for immigrant background students. When Estéfani is not looking for innovative ways to support students or her community, you can find her swimming, dancing, singing, exploring the outdoors, cooking, and taking care of her cats, parakeets, and plantitas.

Resources

De La Raza's mission is to provide and advocate for culturally responsive, essential human services and opportunities. Servicios de la Raza serves as an integral part of the heart of the Latino community in Metro Denver, a trusted and accessible community resource strategically linked with many of Metro Denver’s schools and churches. 3131 W. 14th Avenue, Denver, Colorado 80204 Phone: (303) 458-5851

Mi Casa Resource Center is to advance the economic success of families with limited opportunities, as an organization grounded in our Latino heritage. Our vision is to see our community flourishes for generations: Excelling in family, education, career, and business. Mi Casa’s five-year vision focuses on three strategic priorities:

Integrated Services
Financial Freedom
Community Leadership

Contact Information

360 Acoma St, Denver, CO 80223
Phone: (303) 573-130Email: info@MiCasaResourceCenter.org

The Asset Building Coalition offers free tax preparation services, help with ITIN filings, and all other tax preparation questions. These services are free for families making less than $55,000.00 per year, or individuals earning less than $35,000.

Contact Information
At the Mi Casa Resource Center
360 Acoma Street, Denver, CO 80223

Since our founding, Mi Familia Vota has integrated local organizing, leadership development, advocacy, and building broad community partnerships with our voter engagement work; focusing on local, state, and federal elections.

Contact Information
4730 Oakland Street, Suite 210
Denver, CO 80239
Phone: (303) 375-6304

Events

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FAQ

Your personal information is safe. The information you share with us about yourself and about your family is protected by the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This federal law protects applicants and current students from having their personal information shared.

Limits to financial aid and scholarship eligibility may be the biggest impact of your legal status. State legislation allows us to grant in-state tuition classification to qualified undocumented students in Colorado through the ASSET program. To be considered, Colorado students must submit the statewide COF application and institutional ASSET eligibility form. CU Denver also has a scholarship called the Student Relief Fund which you can apply to each year. To learn more about scholarship opportunities, please contact Undocumented Student Services at CU Denver.

In our decision process, we base selection on an applicant’s academic and personal readiness for success at CU Denver. Citizenship is not a factor.

Terminology

Undocumented people who participate in and are acknowledged for their cultural resiliency and social reproduction that they participate in. Undocumented people take part in the class, cultural, and linguistic knowledge and skills that establish the cultural capital of social groups in the U.S.

On June 15, 2012, the Secretary of Homeland Security announced that certain people who came to the United States as children and meet several guidelines may request consideration of deferred action for a period of two years, subject to renewal. They are also eligible for work authorization. Deferred action is the use of prosecutorial discretion to defer removal action against an individual for a certain period of time. Deferred action does not provide lawful status.

DREAMers refers to students who are undocumented and are also part of the DREAM Act movement. DREAMer is a term commonly used by students who connect with the DREAM Act movement and sometimes used as a way to navigate away from the negative connotations given to terms such as undocumented, immigrant, non-U.S. citizen, and so forth.

The Development Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act is a piece of legislation proposed to provide a pathway to permanent residency and U.S. citizenship for qualified undocumented immigrant students. The DREAM Act has been proposed several times in Congress but has not been approved.

"Illegals" is a racially charged slur used to dehumanize and discriminate against immigrants and people of color regardless of migratory status. The I-word is shorthand for "illegal alien," "illegal immigrant" and other harmful terms. The Applied Research Center (ARC) and Colorlines.com, have presented the Drop The I-Word campaign to eradicate the slur "illegals" from everyday use and public discourse.

Financial Aid commonly refers to the financial assistance that is available through the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Federal Student Aid. Student aid covers school expenses such as tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, and transportation. There are three categories of federal student aid: grants, work-study and loans.

CU Denver considers any student who currently holds a visa of any type or is seeking a visa to be international. Undocumented students are not viewed as international applicants because many do not qualify for a visa. In addition, undocumented students do not have to go through the international admission process.

Mixed Status Family refers to students that either are, 1) undocumented, but have family members that are U.S. residents or U.S. citizens and/or 2) are U.S. residents or a U.S. citizen, but have family members that are undocumented. In this case, it is important to know because it may affect the way a student fills out their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

“Undocumented” refers to students who are not U.S. citizens or Permanent Residents of the United States, who do not hold a visa to reside in the U.S., and who have not applied for legal residency in the U.S. In many, but not all, cases the term non-citizen refers to undocumented students. Undocumented students are eligible to apply for and be admitted to the University of Colorado Denver. Undocumented students are not eligible for federal financial aid.

This term has been used as a synonym for undocumented, however, his term is used to highlight the fact that all peoples have documents (i.e. birth certificate, a form of identification card, and so forth), but that they are residing in the U.S. without legal authorization, thus unauthorized.

Steps for Successful Enrollment

If you are a prospective student and would like to visit the CU Denver campus to meet with an Admissions Counselor and Undocumented Student Services, please call or e-mail us at 303-315-1883 or USS@ucdenver.edu.

We are happy to assist you in your transition. The CU Denver application has a few options under the “Your Citizenship” question. DREAMers have the option of choosing the “Refugee/Asylum-Seeker/Other.” DREAMer students will fall under “other” portion of that option.

Students can activate their student portal once they are accepted and they have matriculated into the university. Matriculation occurs in March (for Summer and Fall admitted students) and in October (for Spring admitted students). Prior to matriculation, admitted students, as well as prospective students, are able to access their prospective student portals. The following is the Prospective Student Portal Link - portal.prod.cu.edu/UCDFedAuthLogin.html Once admitted and matriculated, please activate the UCDAccess Student Portal and check email regularly to keep up with updates. To activate your account, visit myaccount.ucdenver.edu

Advancing Students for a Stronger Economy Tomorrow (ASSET) Criteria

In order to qualify for in-state tuition via ASSET, a student must meet two of the following requirements:
Did the student attend a Colorado high school at least three years prior to graduation?
Did the student attend a Colorado high school for at least three years immediately prior to completing a Colorado GED?
Was the student admitted into a Colorado institution of higher education within 12 months of graduating high school or receiving a GED?
If the student was not admitted to a Colorado institution of higher education within twelve months of graduating high school or receiving a GED, does the student have proof of physical presence for at least eighteen months prior to the first day of the semester?
If the student answers yes to two of the requirements above, they may be eligible for in-state tuition via ASSET. In order to be considered for the ASSET classification, the student must complete the following:
Apply for the College Opportunity Fund (COF)
Sign and submit the COF affidavit
High School Graduates: Immediately upon graduation, the student MUST provide an official final high school transcript demonstrating three years of attendance and graduation from a Colorado high school.
GED Recipients: Students must provide an official final high school transcript demonstrating three years of attendance at a Colorado high school and an official copy of GED.
A student can check residency status through their assigned portal.
Prior to Admissions: Prospective and admitted students will be able to check their residency status in their prospective student portals prior to an admission decision and matriculation.
Admitted Students: The letter of acceptance also has the student’s residency status. An admitted and matriculated student can also check residency status in the UCDAccess Student Portal.

Students who do not meet the above Colorado ASSET criteria can be considered for in-state tuition if they have DACA – the criteria for in-state tuition consideration is listed below. If a student meets the above Colorado ASSET criteria, he/she can skip the DACA steps listed below.

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

In order to qualify for in-state tuition via DACA, a student must meet the following requirements:

Did the student or student’s parent(s), if the student is under the age of 23, live in Colorado at least one full year prior to the first day of the semester?
Did the student or student’s parent(s), if the student is under the age of 23, have at least two “intent items” listed below that are dated at least one full year prior to the first day of the semester?
Colorado Driver’s License or Colorado State ID OR Proof of Employment OR Colorado State Income Tax OR Motor Vehicle Registration
If the student answers yes to the requirements above, they may be eligible for in-state tuition via DACA. In order to be considered for the DACA classification, the student must submit this required form to the Residency Officer:
Department of Homeland Security and INS Notice of Action I-797 Case Type: I821/I821D.
Some DACA students may also meet ASSET requirements. If a student qualifies for in-state tuition via DACA, it is highly recommended to complete the following:
Apply for the College Opportunity Fund (COF)
Sign and submit the COF affidavit.

ASSET

ASSET students are allowed to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid at www.FAFSA.gov.

Student will be rejected for federal aid but the form allows the student to waive his/her $200 deposit.
Social Security Format on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Your assigned social security number or
Your assigned DACA number (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) or,
If none of the above are available to you, please use the following number format 001-01-0001, if that number does not work you will need to increase the last digit by one, for Example 001-01-0002, 001-01-0003, 001-01-0004, etc. until an available number is reached.
While students are not permitted to use all zeroes as their SSN, undocumented parents should continue to use all zeroes.

Scholarships

CU DREAM Scholarships

All undocumented students at CU Denver may apply for this scholarship
Students may apply here: https://forms.ucdenver.edu/secure/cuden_dream
Automatic Consideration Scholarships
Award by the Office of Admissions
Merit-based

CU Denver Online Scholarship Applications

Opens on December 1st each year
Apply through the UCD Access Portal

It is important to be aware of the costs associated with financing of higher education.

More information about Financial Resources can be found at the following link: www.ucdenver.edu/student-services/resources/CostsAndFinancing
Students may enroll into payment plans through their UCDAccess portal
$35 enrollment fee per semester
$30 returned payment fee if a payment is returned

Students must meet with an academic advisor to review their major requirements and to go over which classes are needed to fulfill degree requirements.

Your assigned advisor can be found in the UCDAccess Student Portal
More information about advising can be found at the following link: http://www.ucdenver.edu/student-services/resources/advising

Colorado State Law requires that any student who is enrolled in one or more credit hours in Higher Education must comply with their school's immunization policy.

You must submit your records to the Health Center by:
October 1 for new Fall students or March 1 for new Spring students www.healthcenter1.com/immunizationrequirements
For further assistance, contact Health Center at Auraria at 303-556-2525

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